01732 759725 BILLING 34 Simon Adams PRD Technologies Our Intelligent Billing platform can add significant value to the print IT channel Billing software specialist PRD Technologies, has transformed the service provider billing process for PAE Business PAE Business benefits from Intelligent Billing on behalf of other partners – that is, not just PAE UK, but its Netherlands and other global counterparts as well. In developing the customised solution, PRD technologies had to take a number of considerations into account which included making provision for customers in different regions, not only in terms of currency but also in terms of using multiple languages and adhering to tax rules specific to each region and country. There were also region-specific legislative requirements, customers had different rules for processing data, as well as charging structures that differed per client. PAE also needed the ability to process and charge contracts on a monthly, quarterly and annual basis and to calculate excess usage figures and billing outside of a customer’s contracted bundle. Streamlined process The platform now enables PAE to automate data collection, processing and billing processes for consumable print IT data, generate subscription cost data for VARS to onward bill to their own end-customers, and comply with ISO27001 information security standards. The new Intelligent Billing platform has streamlined PAE’s operations by reducing the number of manual processes and key staff dependencies, enabling staff to focus on other areas. Another key benefit of automating the processes was the significant impact on customer service. The automated platform enables the billing team to generate accurate invoices rapidly. From a business point of view, this has reduced debtors’ days, which has in turn improved cashflow. PAE Business Managing Director Phil Madders, said: “This was a step change for us moving from manual billing to a completely automated system. PRD worked closely with us from the very beginning, giving us absolute confidence in the final platform. The team has transformed the way we bill our customers, saving us significant time and money, and ensuring accuracy across the process. We would definitely recommend PRD to other managed service providers looking to streamline their operations.” Simon Adams, Managing Director of PRD Technologies added: “We’ve had many conversations with businesses in the managed print industry and there’s an acknowledged reliance on manual, traditional processes. Our Intelligent Billing platform can add significant value to the print IT channel, as the success of this project and the excellent feedback we continue to receive from PAE demonstrates. There is a great opportunity for similar businesses in the industry to update, innovate and streamline their billing processes, working with an experienced billing provider like PRD Technologies.” www.intelligentbilling.com https://paebusiness.com PAE was introduced to PRD Technologies at Technology Live, the ICT, managed IT, mobile and print exhibition, and discussions began on the best way to streamline its billing system. The company’s existing billing was a challenging and time-consuming manual process. On average it took staff four to five days each month to complete. It was also heavily reliant on spreadsheets and the manual inputting of figures into accounting systems (including Sage 50) – increasing the potential for error. This was compounded by the fact PAE works with nearly 700 value added resellers and 11 distribution partners who have onward billing. The print sector was, at the time, a new one for PRD Technologies who primarily supported telecoms businesses and managed service providers. Sector specific requirements saw a different format of input files and data from the industry sectors the company already worked with, however the Intelligent Billing platform’s flexibility and expertise in the company’s development teams enabled it to configure and create a proof-ofconcept-system for PAE to test. Customised automated billing system After a stringent testing and quality assurance process, PRD Technologies developed a customised automated billing system that met the specific requirements of the managed print services industry and addressed PAE’s current and future requirements. The solution was created taking into consideration PAE’s process was entirely manual and the challenges surrounding billing VARs in different European territories. Specifically, this meant PAE needed to produce invoices in multiple currencies for its customer base and be able to issue the invoices and charge
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NDUxNDM=