Case Studies

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We measure success one client at a time.

At SAS, we measure success one satisfied client at a time. Please browse the following case studies for a taste of our ingenuity, service, and most of all, our ability to return lost profits to the place they belong – your bottom line!

Healthcare Case Study

The Problem:

A major Healthcare System with over 100 hospitals in their network was operating under four separate legacy ERP systems but was in the process of combining all purchases through a GPO. During this transition period, the Healthcare provider contracted SAS to perform a comprehensive Pricing Audit for each of the hospitals using legacy systems and for the GPO. One of the clients’ goals was to ensure that there was a clean transition from the old legacy systems to the new ERP system.

Our Solution:

SAS was uniquely qualified to conduct this review because of our ability to acquire, process, and secure approximately a half a terabyte of data from various systems and formats, in an effective and efficient manner. We created customized audit tools that allowed us to identify pricing discrepancies for each individual hospital as well as the GPO. This pricing audit reviewed agreements for over 400 suppliers.

Great Results:

Through continuous collaboration with the suppliers and the departmental contacts at the Healthcare System, SAS was able to recover in excess of $1 million in lost revenue. In addition, we made recommendations regarding the policy noted within supplier agreements to further protect future post audits. We also reported back items that were not priced properly when loaded from the legacy systems to the new GPO.

Multi Division Grocery Retailer Case Study

The Problem:

Recoveries on a large grocery retailer were far below industry standards. Prior audits for this multi-divisional retailer were conducted in a manual, de-centralized environment. There was no consistency in the audit recovery process, use of technology, or review of concepts.

Our Solution:

We centralized the work and treated it as one audit with multiple divisions. Working with the client, we reviewed all data previously received and developed specific guidelines for claim concepts. We quickly recognized that data was missing for a major claim area – point of sale scan allowances. A detailed recovery audit plan was developed making full use of all data and available documentation.

Great Results:

Within two years, the recovery audit results had quadrupled from $3 million to $12 million.

Mid Sized Retailer Case Study

The Problem:

A large recovery audit firm performed an audit of a mid size company, and recovered minimal dollars. The firm then notified the client they were exiting the account since they could not profitably conduct the audit.

Our Solution:

We approached the client and recommended another audit be performed utilizing our process. The client had low expectations for profit recovery. We performed a comprehensive recovery audit using all available data, and most importantly, we met with the client to discuss areas of opportunity. Recoveries were made in several claim categories including duplicate payments, open credits, cash discounts, sales tax, and contract review. The client was impressed with our thoroughness and ability to dig deep beyond the obvious. Furthermore, we were able to recommend meaningful process improvements that were implemented by the client. It turns out that prior recovery audits at this client had been nothing more than a cursory review with no analysis of their business.

Great Results:

Net results of the recovery audit were extremely favorable to the client. Our review raised recoveries from $1,500 to more than $700,000.

Manufacturer Case Study

The Problem:

A mid size manufacturer suspected they were over accruing sales and use tax. They did not know how this was occurring and asked us to investigate.

Our Solution:

We met with all appropriate client personnel to gain a full understanding of their current processes. We pulled together all available data, invoices, and returns to analyze the situation. We were able to identify an error in the client’s processing of void checks. They were accruing tax on the void check, as well as on the replacement check. The volume of void checks was large enough to cause a substantial over accrual of tax.

Great Results:

We were able to recover more than $500,000 in over accrued sales and use tax. We also worked with the client to implement a process improvement to prevent this from happening in the future.

Financial Institution Case Study

The Problem:

Our client, a large financial institution, was required to escheat a substantial dollar amount of stale checks over to state government within three months. State law required them to turn over uncashed checks that were a certain number of years old. The client did not request our help until the deadline was fast approaching.

Our Solution:

We obtained the data from the client, analyzed it, and developed an audit recovery process to collect the funds. Since time was very limited, we immediately allocated appropriate resources to this project. We contacted all the vendors and determined that there were legitimate business reasons why most of the checks were not cashed.

Great Results:

In less than one month, we were able to recover in excess of 80% of the outstanding checks resulting in over $600,000 in escheatment avoidance.

Fee Based Assistance Case Study

The Problem:

Over a period of time, the client had established a procedure to pay their major vendors via wire transfer. They neglected to properly debit Accounts Payable for these payments. The Accounts Payable balance grew into a huge number (several million dollars) and the client did not have the resources to perform a reconciliation of the transactions to clean up the balance sheet. They approached us for help.

Our Solution:

We took over management of this project for the client and assigned a team of more than 20 associates to reconcile the wire transfers over a 12 month period.

Great Results:

We reconciled all transactions and cleaned up their Accounts Payable records, all at a cost much more reasonable than those charged by traditional consulting/accounting firms. Our client was extremely appreciative of our work and acknowledged they could not have done this on their own.

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