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For over 65 years, GME has been an industry leader in RF communication technology and is the only Australian manufacturer of UHF CB radios and emergency beacons. Renowned for its commitment to innovation and delivering high-quality, customer-focused products, GME is proudly 100% Australian and family-owned.

To enhance their operational efficiency, GME partnered with Xcellerate IT, a leading provider of business process automation and a trusted Tungsten Automation Titanium Partner, to implement Tungsten TotalAgility. The collaboration revolutionised GME’s accounts payable (AP) processes, driving productivity and profitability.

The CHALLENGE

Prior to automation, GME’s accounts payable processes were mired in inefficiencies stemming from a heavily manual, paper-based system. 

Roslyn Gibson, Senior Accounts Payable Officer at GME, described the daily ordeal: “Hundreds of invoices and delivery dockets would pile up in my document tray, coming from various departments across GME. Managing this paperwork involved sorting, manually entering data, filing and chasing physical signatures for approvals—a process that was extremely time-consuming.”

This manual system led to significant operational hurdles:

Inefficiency and delays: Obtaining signatures often stalled invoice processing, with approvals taking days or even a week due to unavailable managers.

Lack of visibility: Invoices awaiting approval or misplaced documents caused frustration and disrupted payment timelines.

Cash flow impacts: Late payments resulted in missed early payment discounts and strained supplier relationships, while the absence of a streamlined payment process hindered cash flow management.

Compliance risks: Manual data entry increased the likelihood of errors, affecting accuracy and exposing GME to potential compliance issues.

These challenges drained productivity, with the finance team spending excessive time on administrative tasks rather than strategic priorities, ultimately impacting GME’s profitability.

THe Solution

GME’s journey toward automation began with the adoption of Epicor, an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system that streamlined their core business processes. This experience opened the door to exploring further technological enhancements, particularly in accounts payable.

Recognising the potential of AP automation to tackle their challenges, GME sought a solution tailored to their complex operations. After evaluating various options, they selected Xcellerate IT for their ability to provide a solution that could be adapted to their unique operational needs.
“Xcellerate IT impressed us with their highly customisable solution,” said Roslyn. “Given the complexities of our operations, we needed a tailored fit, not a standard out-of-the-box product.”

Xcellerate IT implemented Tungsten TotalAgility, an AI-powered automation platform, integrating it with Epicor and aligning it with GME’s existing processes. The implementation involved collaboration across multiple GME departments, requiring careful planning to ensure a seamless fit. 

A key challenge was configuring the non-PO workflow, which involved setting up delegation of authority and approval processes for numerous managers and coders. 

Despite this complexity, Xcellerate IT’s expertise ensured a smooth transition.

The Results

The deployment of Tungsten TotalAgility delivered transformative results for GME’s accounts payable operations:

Streamlined non-PO invoices: “The ability to send invoices electronically to coders and approvers and have them returned ready for export to Epicor—sometimes on the same day—is remarkable,” said Roslyn. Previously, this process could take up to a week due to printing, sorting, and manual approvals.

Efficient PO invoice processing: Automation eliminated the need for physical signatures and delivery dockets. Matching invoices to receipts now takes just one day, down from a week, boosting efficiency and accuracy.

Enhanced visibility and cash flow: Real-time tracking of invoices awaiting approval or pending PO receipts has improved cash flow management, eliminating the need to chase papers across desks.

Improved compliance: Tungsten TotalAgility verifies ABNs and bank account details, flags duplicates, and reduces errors, enhancing compliance and reducing fraud risks.

These improvements have freed the finance team from repetitive tasks, allowing them to focus on higher-value activities and significantly boosting overall productivity.

Working with Xcellerate IT

GME’s partnership with Xcellerate IT was a cornerstone of this success. “From the outset, the team was highly professional and approachable,” Roslyn noted. “They took the time to understand our needs and delivered tailored solutions with ease.” The Sydney-based Xcellerate IT team provided responsive support, ensuring clear communication and swift resolution of any issues. 

A GME Business System Analyst echoed this sentiment: “It’s never straightforward when implementing a customised solution, but working closely with Xcellerate IT’s Professional Services Team was a pleasure. Their willingness to explore options and quick responses made the process smooth and achieved a fruitful outcome.”

Conclusion

The implementation of Tungsten TotalAgility through Xcellerate IT has revolutionised GME’s accounts payable processes, eliminating the inefficiencies of manual operations and unlocking new levels of efficiency, accuracy and visibility. This transformation has strengthened GME’s financial operations, improved supplier relationships, and positioned the company for sustained growth. 

Reflecting on the journey, Roslyn Gibson concluded, “Tungsten TotalAgility is one of the best investments GME has made!” 

Encouraged by this success, GME is now exploring additional use cases to further automate other business processes and is considering a transition to Tungsten’s fully hosted and managed cloud solution for even greater scalability and efficiency. This case study exemplifies how strategic automation, paired with a trusted partner like Xcellerate IT, can drive meaningful change for industry leaders like GME.

ABOUT GME

For more than six decades, GME has solidified its position as an industry leader in RF communication technology. As the only Australian manufacturer of UHF CB Radios and Emergency Beacon products, GME commands significant market share through a relentless focus on engineering excellence and technological innovation. Proudly family-owned and based in Australia, GME continues to deliver tailored, high-quality solutions that meet the unique needs of its customers.