Robert High Development
"The benefits we’ve gained from using AvidXchange are outstanding. They’ve enhanced our processes and allowed us to expand without growing pains."
Robert High Development
Robert High Development is a general contractor based in Wilmington, North Carolina, that specializes in building self-storage facilities. Operating for 20+ years, the company is an innovator in the industry, raising the bar on efficient design.
Alexis Bates is the director of construction and development accounting at Robert High Development. In her role, she oversees construction accounting, including invoice management, billing, and budgeting. During her 6-year tenure at the company, she’s been a part of the accounting department’s digital transformation and witnessed growth within the organization, which now regularly manages about 20 construction projects at a time.
• Industry: Construction
• Accounting System: Acumatica
• Customer Since: 2021
Paper Fosters Accounting Inefficiencies
Robert High Development is at the cutting edge of the self-storage industry, offering thoughtful design plans and full-service preparation, construction, and post-completion support to its customers. But its accounting department was behind the times, relying on paper invoices, checks, and related documentation.
According to Bates, the accounting team was printing, coding, filing, and mailing documents manually. Files were stored in boxes and there were piles of paper littered across the office. “It’s a good thing we’re in the self-storage business,” Bates joked, since her team kept an archive of paper files dating back seven years.
When Bates did check runs, she would print more than 100 at a time, which the company’s CFO would then hand-sign. The process of issuing payments was lengthy, resulting in requests from subcontractors for faster, easier, and more secure payment options.
Checks were often delayed or lost in the mail, causing frustration for both Robert High Development and its subcontractors and suppliers. “Everyone here was feeling the pain of check delays and having to rely on the U.S. Postal Service,” Bates said.
Additionally, a member of Bates’ team would manually track lien waivers and release related funds, a time-consuming and complicated process.
AvidXchange Digitizes Invoice and Payment Processing
Bates knew there had to be a better way – as the company grew and her department got busier, receiving more than 100 invoices a week, their existing manual processes were unsustainable. She and the company’s CFO sought to automate accounts payable (AP) tasks by implementing a solution that integrated with its Acumatica enterprise resource planning (ERP) system.
After considering their options, Robert High Development decided to adopt AvidXchange’s purchase-to-pay solution built for construction. The system automates AP processes, including invoice entry and approval, lien waiver management, and bill payment.
AvidXchange’s invoice automation solution built for construction digitizes invoice processing and approvals, customizing workflows and allowing for remote access and approvals. All invoices and related documentation are stored digitally, eliminating the need for paper storage and manual routing and filing. In addition, lien waivers are automatically attached to associated invoices, tracked, and funds released when signed lien waivers are received.
AvidXchange’s payment automation solution helps businesses like Robert High Development speed up payment delivery and processing by providing multiple options, including electronic payments. Subcontractors and suppliers can now select their payment method based on their preferences. All parties have real-time invoice and payment status visibility, and AP teams can access a powerful analytics dashboard that offers valuable insights and reporting.
Robert High Development Saves Time and Money with Automated AP
Robert High Development had AvidXchange up and running in about a month. Many of its suppliers and subcontractors were already part of the AvidPay Network, and AvidXchange’s dedicated Customer Care team helped enroll the rest. “It was a seamless, easy process for us,” said Bates.
One of the major changes Bates has experienced since deploying AvidXchange is a more robust approval process. Previously, the company did not require as many stakeholders to approve invoices and payments because it simply wasn’t feasible to do so with some teammates on job sites, some in the office, and others working remotely. Now, Bates feels that there are fewer errors and a better system for checks and balances.
The cloud-based nature of AvidXchange prevents the invoice and approval process from stalling when individuals are out of the office. Bates said she feels relief now that she can go on vacation without checking in on work. Plus, the CFO can approve payments no matter where he is – no more coming to the office to sign stacks of checks each week, which makes the payment process faster.
Now that all files are digital, Bates and her team can more easily find what they’re looking for and locate invoices using filters. They appreciate the seamless reconciliation process and value not having to pull paperwork and attach receipts and other notes to invoices – all related documentation is easy to save in AvidXchange.
Since implementing AvidXchange, Robert High Development has experienced significant cost and time savings. Bates and her team have cut processing time in half. “What used to take about five days now only takes two,” she said. The team has been able to increase its workload despite employee attrition. The process of issuing payments is streamlined, and the company’s also saved hard costs on things like check stock, paper, ink, and postage.
Not only has Robert High Development made its AP process more efficient, but its partner relationships are improved now that subcontractors and suppliers can receive fast and secure digital payments. “AvidXchange has been a happy solution for all of us,” Bates concluded.