AP Strategy — AP Can be a Profit Center

Douglas Aird – Director, Finance Operations
Diana Rawn – Manager, AP Operations
TELUS Communications – Telecommunications
Presentation Style – Interactive Facilitated Discussion
Business Management and Organization – 1.0 Credit
Intermediate #1200 – Updated Session

There are a surprising number of opportunities to create value-add within AP. Our operational outsourcing was a driver to create the capacity to focus in on these opportunities. This session will address sharing and learning more about the opportunities to create profit, margin, and cash flow within AP. The opportunities include: vendor cash discounts, corporate card programs and rebates, vendor terms, dynamic discounting, risk-based payment review, and vendor credits/issues management. We will start with outsourcing learnings and then proceed to the opportunities. Expect an interesting and interactive session.

Building a Business Case for Outsourced Payments Processing

Dick Traina – VP, Operations
BancTec – Finance, Insurance, and Real Estate
Presentation Style – Traditional PowerPoint
Business Management and Organization – 1.0 Credit
Intermediate #1205 – Updated Session

Faced with declining check volumes and ever increasing pressure to reduce operations costs, more organizations are taking a hard look at outsourcing their payments processing. But outsourced payments processing isn’t right for every organization. During this interactive presentation, attendees will learn how to accurately compare their current internal costs to the fees required by outsourcers, how build a business case for outsourcing, key cost-related questions to ask potential providers, the not-so-obvious costs of outsourcing, the sure signs that outsourcing isn’t a fit for your organization, how different outsourcing models impact ROI, and strategies for measuring outsourcing ROI. If your organization is considering payments outsourcing, this session will be a great starting point.

Do’s and Don’ts, Pros and Cons: Ensuring Outsourcing Document Management and Offshore BPO Success

Steven Coleman – VP, Regional Operations, International
SOURCECORP – Business Services
Presentation Style – Traditional PowerPoint
Business Management and Organization – 1.0 Credit
Basic #1210 – New Session

In today’s competitive business environment, organizations across all industries are rationalizing internal functions and exploring any opportunity to gain a competitive advantage. In this session, business processing outsourcing industry expert Steven Coleman will address how outsourcing noncore functions could provide this competitive advantage for your organization. Topics include: improved process management, lower costs, avoidance of costly investments, and improved operational flexibility. He will also draw on years of experience in order to address the challenges associated with rolling out business process outsourcing initiatives such as lowered employee engagement, political barriers, and vendor management. The session will conclude with an interactive discussion of the essential steps an organization should take and what to avoid when implementing any business process outsourcing solution.

From Fargo to India: Microsoft’s Journey into Offshoring U.S. AP Operations

Suzanne Lenzmeier – U.S. AP Regional Process Owner
Jodi Ford – AP GPO Director 
Microsoft – Computer Services
Presentation Style – Traditional PowerPoint
Management Advisory Services – 1.0 Credit
Advanced #1215 – New Session

Offshoring, outsourcing, business process outsourcing: It all can be overwhelming and confusing. Hear how Microsoft transitioned its U.S. AP shop from a captive outsourced vendor to an offshored business process outsourcing operation — in only six months. We’ll cover the timelines, management reviews, system issues and implementation, and new governance model. The facilitators will share what the organization learned, how roles have changed, issues they encountered, and accomplishments related to the transition.

Gain insight on:

• Managing the change management process with both customers and employees.
• The steps taken to implement new systems.
• The knowledge transfer process.
• The differences between governance and management.
• Challenges of process standardization.

Future of Retail Recovery Audit

Chip Reid – VP, Client Services
PRGX Global Inc. – Business Services
Presentation Style – Traditional PowerPoint
Auditing – 1.0 Credit
Overview #1220 – New Session

Hear a review of findings from a survey conducted with retail recovery audit managers regarding the future of recovery audit and other retail recovery audit insights.

Strategic Outsourcing

Jessica Hill-Johnson – Director, Finance Disbursements
Amgen Inc. – Healthcare Services
Presentation Style – Interactive Facilitated Discussion
Business Management and Organization – 1.0 Credit
Advanced #1225 – New Session

The arguments for shared services and outsourcing from a cost and efficiency perspective are self-evident. The challenge is determining what to outsource, and then ensuring that the outsourcing relationship survives and thrives. Too often reality falls short of expectations. How do you make the trade-offs between cost, control, and efficiency in a global environment?

Topics will include:

• Outsourcing – not an all-or-nothing proposition
• Eliminating nonvalue-added services

The Business Benefits of Expense Management Outsourcing

Craig Fearon – Senior Product Director, 
Expense Management
CyberShift Inc. – Business Services
Presentation Style – Traditional PowerPoint
Business Management and Organization – 1.0 Credit
Basic #1230 – New Session

Whether employee travel is stable or on the rise, efficiently managing the full expense report process is necessary for all businesses. Expense management solutions have become vital components in organizations’ business strategy to control costs, improve compliance, and enhance bottom-line performance. Yet, with government regulations and business travel becoming more complex, AP and finance departments are left with the burden of processing a higher volume of more detailed and elaborate expense reports. How can organizations better manage the full expense reporting cycle?

By outsourcing components of the tedious but necessary expense report management process, employers can increase the value of their employees as well as their current expense management solution. This session will provide a comprehensive look at the benefits and opportunities of outsourcing critical tasks such as audits, reimbursements, receipts management, end-user support, system administration, and VAT recovery.

The Move to AP Automation Within a Mature Shared Services Organization: The Evolution and Outcomes of Kroger’s Sourcing Strategy

June Kellum – Assistant Controller
Kroger – Retail
Sue Stallings – VP, Shared Services Solutions
HOV Services – Business Services
Presentation Style – Traditional PowerPoint
Business Management and Organization – 1.0 Credit
Overview #1235 – New Session

Session attendees will learn how a Fortune 50 retailer incorporated an outsourced AP solution into a mature shared services organization to better serve its internal customers. During this presentation, Kroger will detail how its sourcing strategy has evolved since the establishment of its shared services center, including the lessons learned when transitioning between vendors. A key takeaway will be the importance of determining which client/vendor relationship provides the ideal cultural and strategic fit.