Custom Software Development

Client

Founded in 1997 they are one of Southern California’s leading record retrieval and litigation support service companies. They have employees located in six production offices across California. With a full range of professional invoice auditing and legal document services, they deliver innovative, nationwide programs to insurance carriers and law firms for increased efficiency and large volume cost savings.

They offer records retrieval, court filings, reprographic services, robust document storage, photocopying services, and digitized x-rays. Their nationwide network of certified preferred vendors have been carefully vetted to meet their standardized operations criteria for a nimble, local-provider-based response that consistently beats industry turnaround times.

Competencies

C#, JavaScript, SQL, HTML, API Programming

Issue

The business owners wished to make substantial business process changes that would better serve their clients, increase efficiency, raise staff productivity, and spur business growth. They found themselves impeded, though, by the capabilities of their existing Windows-based software and their existing network infrastructure. Their process was extremely time consuming and cost ineffective, which comprised the receiving and storing physical (paper) case files, manually inputting order data, and moving the files through a series of manual processes. Another major concern was that documents could be misfiled causing internal records retrieval inefficiencies. As a paper-based system, there was also no electronic capability to search for specific data within documents, making it time consuming, if not impossible, to locate documents based on specific criteria. Lastly, a manual routing process for their team of delivery drivers was cumbersome, costly, and inefficient. A secondary issue was an under-performing backup system that was not adequately protecting their business data.

Goal

Replace the existing Windows-based software with a custom engineered solution that would support the desired business process changes and entirely automate client service functions. The new software would be developed as a fully web-based system using the Microsoft .NET platform and Microsoft SQL Server database. The software would need to fully support workflows performed by all departments, including Order Entry, Customer Service, Routing, Field Service, Expediting, Invoicing, and Production. It would be designed with a robust electronic document management feature set that would handle indexing, archival, and retrieval capabilities, as well as advanced features such as automated indexing, OCR, and annotation services. Automated delivery routing would be provided via third-party software integration, and self service and status reporting functions would be available to customers. Additionally, network infrastructure improvements would be required to support the new software solution.

Solution

Compass Consulting developed custom engineered software that met all of the client’s stated goals and brought new innovations to their business process.

Database: The software’s database design was dramatically altered in comparison to the client’s previous system, providing a unique account for all users and allowing for a much broader view of all related orders for any authorized system user.
Ordering: The ordering process was enhanced, adding a fully integrated web portal, the ability to create order drafts, and strict data validation.
Milestones: Automatically assigned milestones now control access to orders by department, and order status (or milestones) can be easily retrieved. The milestones feature is an innovative and key element of the new system, and is a game changer as it relates to efficiencies and reporting. It prevents staff from having to physically move paper around the office and eliminates the manual statusing of orders.
Comments: A commenting system was added that allows for internal and external conversations that automatically notify users via a notifications feature. Notifications are automatically updated (real-time).
Statuses: A new status system allows customers to view a complete chronological record of comments and statuses (milestones). This feature considerably reduces the amount of customer service interactions, further expediting order processing.

Routing: Orders and their associated data were integrated with a specialized third-party routing software via API calls, producing optimized routing schedules that decreased customer response times, and reduced routing time and fuel costs.
Mobility: Information collected by field agents now flows directly into the system via input on their mobile devices.
OCR: A background OCR process was developed so that all order documentation and case files introduced to the system were full-text searchable both internally and externally by customers.
Reports: Enormous effort was applied to the design of the new database. Each field was given individual consideration, as well as the inter-relationship of all information in the database. The result is an agile database design that is capable of providing management reporting at any level.
Accounting: Service fees are now automatically loaded onto the invoicing screen. Previously, invoice entries required manual input from paper forms. Accounting staff can now directly add additional fees to an order for items such as storage fees, and AR functions have been eliminated because the new system now interfaces to QuickBooks.
Backup: The data backup system was upgraded, driven by established disaster recovery and business continuity plans. This included onsite hardware and infrastructure improvements, a geographically disparate offsite component, and compliance with governmental, security, and privacy best practices.

Result

Compass’s adherence to software development life cycle (SDLC) standards kept the project on track and the client well-informed throughout the process. Business workflows have been fundamentally changed for the better. Once the software was live all work processes had been fully automated, and the client was able to operate more efficiently, significantly reducing payroll and operating costs. Interdepartmental collaboration was now systematized and driven by the software’s electronic queues and process milestone triggers. Drivers are able to efficiently route their deliveries providing time and cost savings while also increasing the number of deliveries handled throughout the day. Case files are now searchable, both externally and internally, and easily filed on arrival. Soft copies of documents are generated utilizing an OCR process to increase searchability. The exposure of a customer portal provides customers with expedited self-service capabilities and increases internal efficiency. This solution, which unifies all business workflows, has allowed our client to better serve their valued customers with improved data management and self-service access, realize cost savings in many areas, optimize driver routing, and increased data security and compliance.