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e-Invoicing is a Must Have Solution According to New Billentis Report 2013

 

e-Invoicing is critical for business viability according to the new Billentis Report sponsored by Celtrino

New Billentis e-Invoicing/e-Billing Report identifies savings of up to 80% for companies that switch from a traditional paper based system to an automated electronic system.

This report illustrates how e-invoicing allows a company to optimise its’ finances and stand out from the competition.

What you will learn from reading the report:

  • How to improve invoice management in the supply chain
  • The business case for invoice sender and receiver
  • The cost reductions for both sender and receiver
  • Success factors for e-Invoicing/e-Billing projects
  • An analysis of today’s e-Invoicing/e-Billing market

 

Download the Billentis Report now to see why e-Invoicing/e-Billing is a must have solution!

If you would like us to show you how e-Invoicing can benefit your company contact us on +353 1 873 99 00 or email marketing@celtrino.com


Posted on May 13, 2013 in B2G e-invoicing, Business Process Automation, Business Process Outsourcing, e-Commerce, e-Invoicing, eBilling, Report by
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Business Processes Part 3 – Actions Post Implementation

 

Once the business case has been made for the introduction of processes and relevant systems have been identified for automation, the final stage is to implement the processes themselves. Whether the processes are for a small business, or a multinational corporation, the post implementation guidelines remain roughly the same:

Business Processes

  • Let the process grow and adapt. Process outlines which remain too rigid cannot scale as business needs change. By all means formalise the process, but allow the opportunity for future organic change and enhancements.
  • Involve others in process creation and implementation creating a shared ownership and common vision for improvement. Doing this will also overcome many of the political barriers which could otherwise prevent process realisation.
  • Maintain a culture of continual improvement. There is always room for the creation of new processes or the refinement of existing ones. Incremental changes will keep processes relevant to business needs and prevent them from becoming a hindrance in future.

Any process, internal or external, can help a business increase its levels of efficiency, but attempting a one-time, big-bang implementation is unlikely to have the permanent benefits desired. Processes need to be frequently revisited to allow for the identification of smaller improvements which will keep the process relevant. Changes in business model, customer demands or supplier will all necessitate changes to business processes – inflexible and infrequent analysis of processes will preclude this.

The responsibility for implementation of processes generally lies with management, but ultimately, all staff should be encouraged to participate in a continual process improvement.

Processes can exist as part of a supply chain management system, or as an internal operating procedure.  The scope is virtually limitless. Clearly, where computerised automation is required, a suitable platform will need to be sourced which provides the necessary framework in addition to flexibility for future refinements. Why not give Celtrino a call to discuss the Smart Admin platform and how it could help with your business process implementation projects?

 


Posted on April 5, 2012 in BPO, Business Process Automation, Business Process Outsourcing, Supply Chain, Supply Chain Management by
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Business Processes Part 2 – What can be made into a process?

 

We saw in the first instalment of this three part overview of business processes that implementation of processes carries a number of benefits based around creating efficiencies through de-duplication of effort. Having established the ‘why’, we can now shift the focus to the ‘what’.

Business Processes Typically, anything that is done more than once in any workflow becomes a candidate for conversion into a process. Look carefully at each sector of your business and identify where particular actions are repeated, taking in the smaller details as well as the larger picture; when designing processes there is nothing wrong with starting small. From the way in which a component is fabricated, down to the transfer of incoming mail onto a computerised accounts system, each department of any business has areas where efficiencies could be created by automating repetitive tasks.

Traditionally, processes are broken into two categories, Top/Down processes that address high level tasks, and Bottom/Up that automate lower level issues. Top/Down processes are created to be more general, providing a flexible guideline for completing a larger task, essentially directing the way in which a task is to be completed without specifying the exact steps to be taken. Acting almost like goals, Top/Down processes help define the ‘big picture’ and the steps required to make the final goal.

A Bottom/Up process however is far more prescriptive, acting like a recipe for the specific steps required to complete a smaller task. Typically, Bottom/Up processes, by their very design, are less flexible than their Top/Down counterparts, although it is possible to create some room for minor adjustments. Bottom/Up processes define the smaller steps required to maintain the Top/Down overview and goals.

Once potential processes have been identified, they should be implemented as soon as possible to reap the benefits immediately.

In the final part of this series we will examine the nature of ongoing process improvement.


Posted on March 23, 2012 in BPO, Business Process Automation, Business Process Outsourcing, Supply Chain Management by
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Beating the Bullwhip

 

The Bullwhip Effect describes the problems of trying to cope with fluctuating customer demand and the need for holding an inventory to cover the changes. J Forrester observed that the further up the supply chain one goes, the greater the inventory contingency required, and the greater the costs associated.

Bullwhip

Source: Wikipedia

Theoretically beating the bullwhip is simple – all that is required is to ensure that orders match demand precisely in any given operating period. Clearly this almost impossible in reality, so instead the accurate management of safety stock levels and precise forecast calculations are essential to reduce the impact up the supply stream.

Experts suggest that moving from forecast-driven to demand-driven supply chain methodology will be more successful than statistical analysis, as goods are manufactured to order based on up-to-the-minute data directly from the retailer. Known as ‘Kanban’ within manufacturing industries, demand-driven supply chains gather sales data from the Point of Sale (POS) terminals in an organisation’ stores, allowing collection of highly accurate customer demand data which can then, according to business policies, be made available for use by any partner within the supply chain.

The genius of Kanban-based supply is that information sharing allows every link in the supply chain access to the customer demand data which can then be used to inform their internal inventory buffers. This open data dispensation actually benefits business up and down the supply chain, adding an additional layer of financial protection to each by avoiding the costs associated with an oversized safety buffer of stock.

Implementation of such a demand-driven system can be fraught with difficulties, both technical and political, but the use of externally hosted cloud services such as Celtrino’s Smart Admin platform can help address many of these. Smart Admin allows businesses to retain their own in-house systems whilst providing a data sharing interface for accessing the relevant data from their supply chain partners.


Posted on February 8, 2012 in B2B Platform in the Cloud, B2G e-invoicing, Business Process Outsourcing, Celtrino Platform, Cloud Computing, Supply Chain, Supply Chain Performance by
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How flexible is your supply chain management system?

 

Recent events have caused many companies conducting business internationally to carefully consider and reconsider their supply chains. The extensive flooding in parts of Thailand has had a well-documented effect on the supply of hard disk drives, leading to a worldwide shortage of several devices.

Fire alarmMajor computer component manufacturer Seagate has run into problems with building new disk drives because not only was the plant responsible for assembling them flooded, so too was another supplier who built the motors for each drive. Even when the Seagate assembly plant was reopened, the motor manufacturer’s was still underwater. This dual layer of failure has encouraged other businesses to look carefully at their own risk management procedures, going two or three layers down their component suppliers to identify the potential for a similar problem in their own companies.

For those organisations which successfully complete their risk awareness surveys, identification of potential points of failure is only the start of the remedial process. Backup component suppliers need to be sourced for failover in the event of a supply chain disaster, as does the capacity for a change to the business process system which underpins it.

And herein lies another potential pitfall. An in-house maintained system could lack the flexibility required for an emergency transition or workflow alteration leading to additional delays and costs on top of those incurred by the original failure. Again the option of business process outsourcing and hosted supply chain management systems tend to offer a significant benefit over their in-house counterparts.

The cloud-based supply chain management system allows for a ‘pay-as-you-go’ approach, with subscribers paying for exactly what they need, when they need it. Additional functions or capacity can be added or removed centrally as requirements change, allowing for a highly flexible approach to potentially crippling disasters. The promise of flexibility could mean the difference between organisational survival and destruction. Can your current system meet the challenge?


Posted on January 13, 2012 in Business Process Outsourcing, Cloud Computing, Supply Chain Management by
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Key People in the Supply Chain

 

The strength of any supply chain is the people involved. There are people on the assembly making goods, other people deliver those goods to customers, and yet more people complete the required administration at each part of the process. By their very presence it is obvious that everyone in the supply chain is vital. However as with any chain, the supply chain is only as strong as weakest link. In the supply chain the weakest link is almost invariably the people.

Often, breaks in the supply chain are accidental or caused by a lack of personal ownership, as with the ‘Dockets in Pockets’ syndrome. Employees regard their responsibilities in isolation, failing to recognise that their casual negligence can have much wider implications for the business as a whole.Chain

Other times supply chains grind to a halt because a key staff member is away on annual leave and the employees operating in their absence lack the required skills or training to complete the job accurately. Tasks are then either left undone or done incorrectly, increasing the time and effort required to rectify the situation. Delays in the supply chain cause delays in payment, reducing cash flow and negatively affecting future transactions.

Occasionally issues can be caused by a disgruntled employee using their knowledge to maliciously damage the chain and their employer’s business. Feeding deliberate misinformation, or obstructing certain key transactions and interactions can have a major impact on a company and the other businesses in their supply chain.

So although everyone is key to the supply chain, they also have the potential to introduce significant problems into the process too. The solution is to automate as many of these links as possible, reducing the chances of introducing operator error into the chain and keeping each transaction moving as smoothly as possible. Using the principles of Business Process Outsourcing and Supply Chain Management, many of these potential people-related problems can be avoided, increasing efficiencies, reducing costs and allowing employees to focus on doing their jobs, rather than on administration.

And although costs savings can be made within a single business, the benefits can be shared up and down the supply chain by implementing a suitable hosted system which can be accessed by them all. Celtrino’s Smart Admin platform provides an interface for businesses at every point in the supply chain through which they can automate many of their transactions.

People will always be key to the supply chain, but there is no harm in investing to reduce manual administration and human error.

 


Posted on November 23, 2011 in BPO, Business Process Outsourcing, Cash Flow Management, Smart Admin, Supply Chain, Supply Chain Management by
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e-Invoicing – Environmentally Friendly Invoicing

 

More than ever before, businesses are being asked to prove their environmentally friendly credentials by both customers and suppliers in an effort to help prove the business’ green credentials. Local government and international carbon reduction targets are beginning to bite, and the threat of increased green taxes are forcing businesses to reconsider their business processes to make them as eco-friendly as possible.Eco-friendly Invoicing

Paperwork has long been recognised as a cause of inefficiency, but less well known is the environmental impact bureaucracy can have. It therefore follows that a reduction in paperwork will also result in a reduction in the environmental impact a business may have.

Paper-less

Paperwork, particularly that which requires transportation between each member of a supply chain, is a significant contributor to the carbon footprint of a business. The production of paper in itself uses energy, a by-product of which is carbon dioxide. Factor in processing of the paper, transportation to supplier and then onto the end user and the carbon footprint is again increased. And all this before the paper is even printed and used by a business.

Sending paper invoices and remittance advice further exacerbates the problem, with each postal transaction involving mechanical or automotive transportation – another significant producer of carbon dioxide, and thereby a contributor global warming. Reducing the toing and froing of paper between each link in the supply chain helps reduce environmental impact along the way.

By replacing traditional paper invoicing systems with an electronic equivalent, the carbon costs associated with the production and transport of paper can be immediately negated.

Power-less

The move to e-Invoicing is only the start of the potential environmental benefits. By outsourcing invoicing and other supply chain management systems, additional savings can be made through a reduction of the need for in-house IT systems. A reduction in physical computers and servers results in reduced electrical consumption. Less energy used equates to less carbon produced, which in turn means a more eco-friendly business.

To find out more about how e-Invoicing and outsourced business process management could help reduce your business’ carbon footprint, please contact Celtrino and ask about our Smart Admin platform.


Posted on November 14, 2011 in Business Process Outsourcing, Celtrino Platform, Cloud Computing, e-Invoicing by
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Supply Chain Integration Introduction Part 5 – The Future

 

For businesses looking to implement their first supply chain integration systems, or those looking to improve that which they already have, the future of the methodology will remain of interest. The continued explosion of hosted systems (also known as Software as a Service – SaaS), has already begun to radically alter the supply chain integration landscape.

As discussed elsewhere throughout this short series of articles, supply chain integration is currently a job requiring extensive (expensive) expertise due to the complexities inherent in joining multiple computer systems. As with most technological advances, implementation of integrations should get inherently easier as on-site complexity is reduced. Suppliers will be faced with the choice of rolling out the exact same ERP system in each of their own businesses, or to outsource the EDI functions required to communicate between disparate systems to a third-party.The Future written on the white board

As cloud-based software and services continue to mature, the use of on-site systems becomes more expensive and effectively redundant. By outsourcing functions to the cloud such as invoicing and billing, businesses immediately benefit from a reduction in complexity and duplicated effort. An ideal Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) platform will take input from any ERP or accounting system, as Celtrino’s Smart Admin product does, and seamlessly convert and transfer the data to a receiving system. The onus for translation and EDI connectivity becomes the responsibility of the hosted service provider.

In such a scenario, the cloud service provider configures and maintains the EDI connectors for the systems of all of their service users, for the same subscription fee. The clients are then able to make savings on the costs of hiring EDI consultants every time a reconfiguration of the data interchange layout is required.

Business Process Outsourcing as part of a Supply Chain Integration is a hot topic and looks set to remain so for some time. As demand for BPO increases, service providers will be forced to further tune and improve their offerings. All this is great news for the customer and their customers in turn.

If you would like to know more about how Celtrino’s Smart Admin platform can be used to assist your business in Supply Chain Integration, please do not hesitate to contact us.

 
Supply Chain Integration Part 1

Supply Chain Integration Part 2

Supply Chain Integration Part 3

Supply Chain Integration Part 4

 


Posted on October 26, 2011 in B2B Platform in the Cloud, Business Process Outsourcing, Integrated Supply Chain Management Platform, Supply Chain Integration, Supply Chain Management, Supply Chain Performance by
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Supply Chain Integration Part 4 – Best Practice

 

Best Practice written on a white boardThe recognition that supply chain integration with your suppliers and partners is of paramount importance is the first step in a sometimes challenging and complex process. Each member of a supply chain has their own way of doing things, using a variety of different systems which at first glance are probably not fully interoperable.

Despite being a “standard” Electronic Data Interchange, or EDI as it is known for short, there are many minute variations and tweaks required in order for one computer system to “talk” to another. As a result, reconfiguration will have to take place at each supplier to allow for smooth communications. EDI setup and maintenance is an expert job and being time intensive, is also costly. As a result the use of an outsourced service which does the required EDI translations automatically is preferable.

The use of an externally hosted Electronic Invoice Presentment and Payment (EIPP) system allows every member of the supply chain to integrate their payment systems for maximum compatibility, whilst retaining complete autonomy over their own data and in house processes. During the supply chain integration process, companies can choose to enable as much or as little interchange as they desire. Obviously the more interchange permitted, the greater the on-going cost savings through a reduction in labour costs that would be accrued through manual processing of the same actions.

Clearly the complexities of such an integration is outside the experience (or interest) of most businesses and so they will need to secure the services of a specialist consultancy. Here are three suggestions to help when choosing:

  1. A proven track record in successful completion of supply chain integration. Any company you consider should have verifiable testimonials from previous customers and reference sites which can be visited for first-hand verification.
  2. Experience in trading community onboarding. Integration projects deal not only with system interoperability, but also the political issues raised by bringing together businesses with differing values and ethics.
  3. The ability to make integration as simple as possible with the minimum of disruption for any member of the supply chain.

In the light of these suggestions, expertise in supply chain integration is just one facet of the decision process. The technology and methodology used is just as important with on and off site implementations of supply chain integration. Clearly Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) options which see the EDI services hosted externally are preferable in terms of scalability, speed of deployment and minimisation of disruption – all data interchange is performed externally with minimal local reconfiguration required.

 

Supply Chain Integration Part 1

Supply Chain Integration Part 2

Supply Chain Integration Part 3

Supply Chain Integration Part 5


Posted on October 21, 2011 in BPO, Business Process Outsourcing, EDI, Electronic Invoice Presentment & Payment, Outsourced EDI, Supply Chain Integration, Supply Chain Performance by
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Gartner Report Predicts Continued Growth In Business Process Outsourcing

 

Technology research giant Gartner has released a series of estimates predicting the worldwide growth rates of Business Process Outsourcing (BPO). According to their report “Forecast Analysis: Business Process Outsourcing, 2010-2015, 2Q11 Update”, Gartner now calculate the BPO market will grow by 6.3% worldwide during 2011, slowing to 5% in 2012.Business Process Outsourcing

Cathy Tornbohm, research vice president at Gartner commented on the report’s findings saying, “Emerging markets are faring far better and, generally, multinational companies continue to look to BPO as a means both to reduce costs and to buoy their business operations during the protracted return to a growth environment. We also see an increase in transaction volume, especially in payroll, recruiting, accounts payable, and customer data analytics and knowledge process outsourcing (KPO) activities.”

Tornbohm was speaking in reaction to a weaker growth prediction for the North American region which is traditionally the world’s largest. Gartner put North American growth at just 3.8% which has had a negative effect on the total worldwide growth estimate.

The Western Europe market is expected to see continued demand from businesses for outsourced services in the CRM and finance and accounting domains. Gartner predict an annual growth rate of 8.9%, well above that of North America, but also lower than could be expected due to various cultural barriers slowing uptake.

The continued growth of the Asia/Pacific market however continues to outstrip expectations with BPO growth estimated at 17.9% in 2011 alone. Gartner have noted that almost every process which can be outsourced will grow in demand throughout the region until at least 2015, with a heavy demand for financial and accounting services and billing processes.

Latin America Business Process Outsourcing is also expected to grow at a healthy 14.7 percent as local subsidiaries of global corporations begin rollouts of integrated systems, causing a knock-on uptake by domestic businesses. Local labour rates remain relatively low in Latin America slowing uptake of BPO, although major investment by service providers looks set to change this situation.

Overall, Gartner suggest that the future growth of BPO looks relatively healthy in the coming years.


Posted on October 6, 2011 in BPO, Business Process Outsourcing, Gartner, KPO by
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