Shortening Invoice Circulation by 38% for Logistics from Grójec
We found a system where every invoice required 5 signatures. We simplified the procedure to 2 digital approvals. The company now saves 14 hours of work per week.
Trans-Pol Grójec struggled with decision paralysis when settling international shipments. Every document had to pass through the hands of five people, creating artificial delays and payment errors.
The challenge
In a company operating 43 truck sets, the document flow relied on paper folders. The average time from receiving an invoice from a subcontractor to its approval was 9 business days. This caused nervousness among contractors and made precise month-end cash flow planning impossible.
The board lost energy signing hundreds of routine documents instead of focusing on winning new contracts. The lack of a clear hierarchy meant no one felt responsible for punctuality, and bureaucracy grew with every new vehicle in the fleet.
Our approach
Our 3-person team conducted an audit of the last 124 financial operations. We quickly determined that the Profit Roadmap required cutting three redundant approval stages. Plan ratification for the changes by the owner took place in the second week of our collaboration, allowing for a quick transition to the implementation phase.
We focused on moving responsibility to lower levels while introducing hard control rules. We trained 4 office employees in the new digital procedures. Our method was based on facts: if a process does not add value to the margin, it should be removed.
The solution
We introduced a two-stage digital approval system that replaced physical signature collection. Now, a cost invoice enters the system directly from the scanner, and the department head has 4 hours for its substantive verification. The rules are clear: the system automatically escalates delays, eliminating downtime on desks.
We applied simple tools for automatically reading data from fuel invoices, which relieved the accounting department. The board received access to a management dashboard where they see only key deviations from the budget. No more board vetoes in matters of minor operational expenses.
Results
By simplifying the structure, the company regained full control over payment deadlines and significantly reduced administrative costs. Instead of watching papers, employees focus on optimizing routes and service costs.
Timeline
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September 2024Audit of 124 processes and identification of flow bottlenecks
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October 2024Plan ratification and elimination of 3 approval levels
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November 2024Implementation of digital tools and training of the operational team
"We were skeptical because we feared fewer signatures meant less control. It turned out to be quite the opposite – now I see exactly where the money is going, and invoices no longer get lost in folders."