Case Study
Automation consulting in finance function using UST SmartStart helped a food manufacturer save 7,000+ hours of annual productivity
CLIENT
Founded nearly a century ago, this U.K.-based food producer focuses on creating a sustainable value chain to build rural economies and create thriving, healthy communities while using resources responsibly. The company employs several thousand people and generates more than £700 million annually.
CHALLENGE
Manual financial tasks caused errors and compliance issues
The company wanted to streamline financial operations to reduce manual effort, decrease errors, and improve compliance. The finance team struggled with time-consuming tasks, such as data extraction from multiple reports, calculations, journal updates, and compliance management.
TRANSFORMATION
Business process automation strategies replaced manual tasks
The company initiated an engagement for UST SmartStart automation consulting. During the project UST:
- Deployed a team of finance experts and automation consultants for an 8-week engagement
- Identified 12 high-potential processes for automation across accounts payable, controls and compliance, credit control, master data management, and treasury
- Automated the intercompany balance confirmation process within the engagement period, utilizing value stream mapping for process optimization
IMPACT
Automations save an estimated 7,000 hours of productivity per year
After a successful 8-week implementation effort that streamlined workflow processes, the food manufacturer achieved these impressive results:
- 99% reduction—in intercompany balance confirmation processes, ensuring the company adheres to governance and regulatory policies for financial transactions with its parent company
- 7,000+ anticipated hours saved annually—by automating the 12 financial processes, freeing resources for more strategic business activities
- Improved cash flow—thanks to efficiency improvement strategies that accelerated customer payments and revenue recognition
Contact us today to discover how our automation solutions can streamline operations, reduce costs, and enhance compliance for your business.
RESOURCES
https://www.ust.com/en/smartops