INDUSTRY: Retail
Tags:
How Accelirate’s Intelligent Automation and Process Discovery Uncover $1M Savings for an American Retail Chain
$1M
In Potential
Cost Savings
50K+
Hours Reduced in
Manual Work
19
Identified
Opportunities
Client Overview
The client is a popular American convenience store and gas station chain with a strong presence along the East Coast, including Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, Washington, D.C., and Florida. Known for prioritizing service and convenience, the company is focused on innovation and efficiency to strengthen their market presence and diverse customer needs.
Key Takeaways
- $1M cost savings through automation across key operations.
- AI-driven invoice processing and inventory accounts payable automation result in improved accuracy and error reduction.
- Maximizing employee satisfaction by eliminating repetitive, manual tasks.
- Scalable processes to support company growth with reduced operational costs and standardized workflows.
As a leading chain in retail and gas services, the client faced multiple operational challenges that limited their growth potential. With manual transaction processing, limited data visibility, and scalability concerns, the company struggled with efficiency and timely decision-making. To tackle these issues, they partnered with Accelirate, seeking solutions that would drive automation in high-growth areas, enhance data visibility, and reduce manual workloads. Accelirate’s tailored approach, combining process discovery and advanced automation solutions, provided a roadmap to scalability, operational resilience, and cost-saving opportunities.
Achieving Real-Time Insights and Scalability with AI-Driven Invoice and Accounts Payable Automation
The client encountered several operational challenges, particularly in handling increasing transactional volumes and maintaining data accuracy while scaling operations. Major issues included manual transaction processing, limited data visibility, and scalability concerns, which hampered their ability to expand efficiently. Inefficient resource allocation strained their capacity, while a lack of real-time insights hindered strategic decision-making. As the company grew, operational bottlenecks emerged, complicating their expansion efforts and affecting productivity and service quality.
To address these challenges, a comprehensive and scalable solution was required that would support their growth and streamline operations. The first step was to understand what the client was looking for. They aimed for transactional level modernization to enhance efficiency and align with strategic goals, improving overall enterprise value. Additionally, maximizing operational insight capability was crucial to address potential bottlenecks and ensure scalability. The client also emphasized the need for prioritizing automation for high-growth processes to optimize resource allocation and operational efficiency during expansion. The goal was to reduce manual workload, improve accuracy, and maintain operational agility.
What Was Unique About our Solution and How it Impacted the Client?
The client selected Accelirate for our distinctive approach. Our hybrid approach for Process Discovery combines human expertise with data analysis to identify inefficiencies and bottlenecks comprehensively. Our tailored solutions and anticipated savings included custom-designed solutions that expected to save up to $1 million and reduce over 50,000 hours of manual work. These solutions effectively addressed the client’s challenges, providing significant cost reductions and time savings. Furthermore, our focus on scalability and long-term benefits ensures that the solutions support ongoing growth and enhance overall operational experiences. Here’s how the client’s operations were optimized:
01- AI-Driven Invoice Processing for Retail Operations
Challenges: Managing increasing volumes of PO and Non-PO invoices with many FTEs and diverse formats.
Solutions: Implemented automation with document understanding and Robotic Process Automation (RPA), using AI for email analysis, OCR for invoice processing and digitizing documents, and UiPath’s technology for data integration and validation.
02 - Retail Fuel Accounting Automation
Challenges: Need for increased capacity due to growing fuel transaction volumes.
Solutions: Automated processes using AI, Forms for structured text, and UiPath’s technology for efficient data management and scalability.
03 - Shrink Reporting & Analytics
Challenges: Time-consuming manual inventory reporting for shrink analysis.
Solutions: Enhanced reporting efficiency with automation, application APIs, and business intelligence tools for improved data visualization.
04 - Inventory Accounts Payable Automation
Challenges: Complex processes with discrepancies between invoices and records.
Solutions: Used OCR for digitizing documents, automated analysis of PO invoices, and integrated with SAP for accurate data management.
05 - Corporate Cost Accounting
Challenges: Managing increasing costs associated with store construction and remodels.
Solutions: Applied automation to handle growing workloads, using AI and UiPath’s SAP technology for efficient data management.
06 - Automated Tax Data Extraction
Challenges: Handling tax forms and returns for multiple states with varying requirements.
Solutions: Developed automations for data extraction and processing, using UiPath’s technology for accurate and scalable tax processing.
Each solution addressed specific challenges through advanced automation technologies, enhancing operational efficiency and supporting the company’s growth strategy.
Transformative Impact and Cost Savings Through Innovative Intelligent Automation in Retail Operations
By implementing advanced AI-driven solutions, RPA in retail operations, and inventory accounts payable automation, the client achieved remarkable improvements in operational efficiency, cost savings, and scalability. By addressing the unique needs of high-growth retail operations, Accelirate delivered automation solutions that not only reduced manual workload but also enabled real-time decision-making, standardization, and seamless scalability. The unique approach of combining AI and RPA in retail operations allowed the client to streamline multiple processes, from inventory accounts payable automation to OCR for invoice processing. This comprehensive automation approach resulted in substantial cost savings, error reduction, and enhanced employee satisfaction, establishing a strong foundation for continued growth.
01 - Substantial Cost Savings
Achieved approximately $1,000,000 in cost savings by automating key processes, primarily through reduced manual processing time and increased operational efficiency.
02 - Standardized Processes Across Departments
Automation standardized processes in 19 identified opportunities, facilitating structured workflows and improving data accuracy across retail invoice automation and fuel accounting.
03 - Significant Reduction in Manual Workload
Reduced over 50,000 hours of manual work, allowing employees to focus on high-value tasks and improving overall job satisfaction.
04 - Enhanced Data Accuracy and Error Reduction
Automated systems decreased errors in critical processes, with AI and OCR for invoice processing delivering consistent, reliable outputs and reducing discrepancies.
05 - Improved Employee Satisfaction and Productivity
Automation of repetitive tasks allowed employees to engage in more meaningful work, creating a motivating work environment and reducing burnout.
06 - Increased Scalability and Process Visibility
Automated solutions provided real-time insights, enhanced data visibility, and scalability, supporting the company’s growth objectives and operational agility.
07 - Reliable Tax Data Management Across States
Automation enabled accurate tax data extraction across multiple states, ensuring regulatory compliance and efficient handling of multistate requirements.
Driving Operational Excellence in Retail Through Accelirate’s Intelligent Automation Solutions
This success story outlines how Accelirate’s tailored automation solution enhanced the client’s operations, improving efficiency, scalability, and cost-effectiveness. It enabled them to not only meet their immediate challenges but also position themselves for sustainable future growth. By enhancing data-driven insights, reducing manual effort, and standardizing important workflows, the company is now equipped to handle market demands with agility and resilience.
If you are looking to achieve similar results for your business, partner with a trusted automation provider like Accelirate to explore innovative tailored solutions that can support your operational goals and drive growth. Connect with us today!
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