Accounts Payable as a Competitive Advantage: Aera Energy Case Study

In mid-2014, APQC and IBM collaborated to better understand the accounts payable and expense reimbursement teams that clearly excel when ranked according to four dimensions of process productivity:

• Low cost
• High process efficiency
• Low cycle time
• High staff productivity

This case study focuses on Aera Energy's keen focus on business process excellence across the board. Its corporate culture stems from a blend of a manufacturing mindset that emphasizes process excellence, commitment to having superior information management systems, and a culture of strong emphasis on continuous process improvement. These principles have made their way into accounts payable (AP) processes, which are managed with an eye on very high standards of efficiency, quality, and effectiveness.