UPS Designs the Right Solution for Raymond Harris and Associates

Quote:

"Before Billing Data, the process used to take five hours a day, now it takes about three hours a week."

With 80 employees and more than 25 years of experience, Raymond Harris and Associates offers valuable expertise to its clients. The company’s clients represent various industries, including retail, education, healthcare and churches.

Raymond Harris and Associates is dedicated to providing exceptional client service throughout each step of every project. A key element of effective client service is a reliable shipping partner.

“Imagine anything that goes in, on or around a building and we ship it,” says Stephen Freshwater, Logistics Coordinator for Raymond Harris and Associates.

From color boards to brick samples, Raymond Harris and Associates has used UPS to ship anything and everything for nearly 20 years. UPS ensures all of its shipments arrive on time, helping Raymond Harris and Associates provide exceptional service.

However, samples aren’t the only thing that Raymond Harris and Associates ships. In fact, approximately 90 percent of the company’s shipments are actually paper documents, including blueprints and contracts. Most of these documents are time sensitive and must be delivered to the client the very next day.

“Take a contractor, for example,” explains Freshwater, “If he has a wall up, and he’s waiting on the shipment so he can change something, he may have to hold up on all other activity until the shipment arrives.”

For Raymond Harris and Associates, a late shipment could mean lost revenue, time or client trust. Late packages can even cause production delays. So on-time delivery is essential. The two companies team up to ensure that clients receive what they need, when they need it.

The firm uses various UPS technology solutions to streamline the shipping process. For instance, the staff at Raymond Harris and Associates uses UPS WorldShip® to create shipping labels at their desktops automatically.

WorldShip allows users to store contact information or connect to current address books, so staff can prepare a shipment with just a few mouse clicks. Plus, UPS automatically verifies the address. If there’s an error in the shipping address, UPS will notify the company before a label can be printed.

WorldShip saves time by generating labels automaticallyand eliminates the need to re-key address information, thus reducing errors.

Raymond Harris and Associates uses UPS Quantum View® to track packages and automatically e-mail clients about the status of their shipments, so customers stay informed and Freshwater can breathe easy.

“I use Quantum View daily,” says Freshwater. “I get on it every morning and afternoon to make sure that everything is on time. I can break down shipments to an individual job or vendor and then e-mail it to a client so they have all the info they need. This saves a lot of phone calls. We would spend 15-to-20 minutes responding to a status request; instead, it takes 10 seconds.”

The firm also uses Billing Data, a tool that imports shipping information into the firm’s accounting system, accelerating the billing process. Without the ability to import the bill, the team would have to re-key all of the information.

“It’s very easy for us to use and it cuts down on a lot of time,” says Freshwater. “Before Billing Data, the process used to take five hours a day, now it takes about three hours a week.”

With UPS’s three key technology solutions, WorldShip, Quantum View and Billing Data, Raymond Harris and Associates is able to work efficiently and keep clients informed and happy.