It is true that AP is a process focused department. I had a conversation with someone just recently that reminded me that not all departments are processing departments. It’s important that the AP Manager remembers how other departments function and learn what is important to them- not just for customer support but also to step back and see the whole picture by asking questions others aren’t.
If you’re on a call with a vendor who is implementing a technology for the company, remember that every other individual on the call is going to ask questions pertaining to their own department and how the technology will help their own team. I love getting on calls with multiple departments to hear what kind of questions they ask. Questions I’ve heard have pertained to budgeting, reporting, customer experience, margin, and even how long it takes to implement. I then ask all the nitty gritty questions that the Salesperson may need to get back to us with the answer.
I don’t do this to be cruel to the Salesperson- I’ve met so many amazing sales reps and they have always worked hard to get the answers for me. I do this to see 1) if the sales rep can get the answer and 2) to give the group an understanding of the backend processes which may cause other bottlenecks down the line.
Also, be kind to your sales rep. They’ll be able to give you all the details you need if they’re a good rep. Generally speaking, the best sales people are those who want to help their customers, not make a sale. The really good reps know what their product can do for you and they may have asked the same questions you have when they joined the company. Kill em with kindness!
Let’s look at an example, a great piece of technology is introduced to the company. It’s going to help increase your customer’s positive experience, it has understandable and clean dashboards for your officers, and data will flow into your ERP system seamlessly every time.
A couple of questions you hear from your AR Manager is about obtaining cash from customers, the new technology does it all through bank ACH payments with the customer doing the self service on a portal. Perfect, that’s exactly what your AR Manager wanted to hear. The AP Manager may ask- will refunds be available the same way? Or will the customer have to wait through the AP process which is set up to take 7-12 business days for our vendors?
The Director of Customer Service asks if they have a ticketing system for questions or concerns, the new technology has an API for the system you are currently using. Perfect, the Director is happy with it. You, as the AP Manager ask, will any of the data from this process flow into the ERP system or will it be separate from the reporting tool they’ve noted? The more systems you have, the more handoffs you have, and the more human error is apparent in any process.
AP is up now, what questions would you ask? The first question I always ask is: Will your company have to create a dedicated IT resource to help build out the back end? What happens if the system fails or there is an outage? Will there be support from the technology company or will it be on the IT resource your own company employs? Are there courses or online documents to help users understand how to use the system properly or will you have to create your own documentation? What other systems does this new technology company “plug” into with API access?
The reason you’re on the call is because you are part of a team deciding if you should implement a new technology. If they didn’t want you there, you wouldn’t be. That’s for a different post, but for now, if you’re in those meetings ask the questions and see if you get any others in the group engaged.
What is Accounts Payable? 