How Henry Schein reduced its invoicing times from 5 weeks to 24 hours.

Can you tell us about the Henry Schein Company and it’s activities in a few words?

Henry Schein, Inc. (Nasdaq: HSIC) is a solutions company for healthcare professionals powered by a network of people and technology. With more than 25,000 Team Schein Members worldwide, the Company’s network of trusted advisors provides more than 1 million customers globally with more than 300 valued solutions that help improve operational success and clinical outcomes.

Henry Schein is headquartered in Melville, N.Y., and has operations or affiliates in 33 countries and territories. 

What was your initial problem in terms of work order management?

At the outset, our operational processes were primarily paper-based. Our technicians used a logbook, which they completed in triplicate for each work order at the customer’s premises. One copy remained with the customer on-site, another was retained by the technician, and the third was used by our centralized Back Office for invoicing the customer.

Work order paperwork, when not lost, was sent via mail. However, even upon arrival for invoicing, deciphering them took considerable effort, as they were sometimes illegible. This obsolete mode of operation proved to be a hindrance to the company’s growth.

Furthermore, scheduling was managed individually by each technician using various mediums such as post-its, paper calendars, or their own under the radar digital tools. This made it exceedingly challenging for our local agencies to promptly respond to client requests if the client contacted them directly. We lacked comprehensive visibility into ongoing field activities, rendering the process highly impractical.

In 2014, we made the decision to source a work order management software to support the digitization of our entire work order process, thereby enhancing the efficiency and profitability of our field operations.

Why did you choose the Praxedo solution?

We tested various solutions on the market, and ultimately, it was Praxedo that we chose to go with. Several factors contributed to our decision:

• Firstly, its rapid implementation;
• Secondly, its unparalleled ease of use;
• Thirdly, its exceptional value for money
• Fourthly, its remarkable flexibility, as the tool offers a wide range of customization options, allowing it to be tailored to a multitude of different needs.

When it comes to platform flexibility, Praxedo is unmatched. We are a prime example, having personalized no fewer than 13 forms to align with the various types of work orders our technicians handle. Within each of these forms, we have implemented specific fields, drop-down menus, made the integration of before/after photos mandatory, and required electronic signatures from both the technician and the customer to validate the work order, among other features.

The Praxedo forms have not only facilitated secure data entry but also eliminated blank fields on invoices. Furthermore, the deployment of the solution—from selection to implementation—took just 4 months, an impressively short timeframe. The implementation process was swift, and our teams readily embraced the platform.

How is your team using Praxedo and what benefits are you seeing from it?

We have been using Praxedo since 2014. In just over 4 years, we have integrated our entire customer base and more than 45,000 assets, along with affiliated work order histories.

In 2018, our 150 technicians completed 40,300 work orders using Praxedo’s work order management software.

Professionalization of our work order management:

Praxedo has enabled us to streamline our activities. Gone are the days of post-it notes on vehicle dashboards for appointments. Our agencies are now aware of our technicians’ schedules, even if the appointments are scheduled by the technicians themselves. Everything seamlessly transfers from the technician’s mobile application to the agency’s activity management system. Moreover, everything is tracked in real-time, allowing us to know the technician’s whereabouts on their route at any given moment.

Easier management of recurrences and emergencies:

We can efficiently manage both maintenance contracts and emergency repair work orders with Praxedo. The Praxedo schedule is visible to both the activity management team and the technicians, making it simple and visually intuitive. This feature has proven immensely helpful.

Reinforced and secure autonomy for our technicians:

It’s worth noting that at Henry Schein, we have a relatively unique organizational structure, where some of our technicians directly engage with our customers.
The many use cases for Praxedo’s capabilities is evident. Additionally, we use Praxedo for various other functions. For instance, we utilize it to order parts under warranty via a specific form, to sign maintenance contracts, and for our general services. The solution is highly flexible, making it easy to adapt to our specific needs.

Currently, the features most utilized by our teams include:

• Self-scheduling of work orders from the mobile app
• Management of recurrences via the web app
• The home page, which enables visualization of all schedules as well as custom key indicators
• Reduction in time to invoice from 7 weeks to 48 hours

We also leverage Praxedo as an invoicing tool, which has significantly reduced our invoicing time and helped minimize customer complaints. The transition to digital has reduced our invoicing management staff from three full-time employees to just one part-time employee.

Praxedo has facilitated savings, eliminating costs associated with paperwork management and postage for work orders. The savings realized from over 40,000 work orders annually are substantial.

Currently, customers receive an email after each scheduled and completed appointment, streamlining communication and reducing costs.

How would you summarize Praxedo?

• Exceptional value
• Quality support
• A responsive support team
• A flexible and adaptable tool