The Challenge

Operating multiple divisions in multiple locations, simple tasks had become time-consuming for VIST. Much staff time was spent searching for records and transporting documents via courier to locations outside of the operations center. IMR was tasked with developing multiple solutions that would be applicable to insurance, banking (both on the deposit side and the loan side) and investments. Making it more challenging was the fact that VIST had acquired other financial services entities and throughout this process merged all services into one company. Making sure that all employees, processes and procedures were uniform across the board was an important element in the installation design.

The Solution

VIST (then Leesport Financial Corp.) turned to IMR in 2002 for help managing documents and reports when the company decided to switch core system providers for its banking operations. IMR responded with an OnBase COLD/ERM solution to address the reporting need and to allow for future expansion into document management.

Once these core system changes were complete, VIST looked to IMR to streamline back-office processes. Starting with the insurance division, IMR integrated OnBase with VIST's insurance agency software. The pliable OnBase Application Enabler module made this integration process easy.

Working collaboratively, IMR helped VIST strategically manage an implementation system that made sense for their organization. Once document management had been successfully implemented for the insurance division, IMR set up the OnBase ECM solution for new banking accounts and deposit documents and converted all backfile documents.

Next was the implementation of the Accounts Payable imaging process which has significantly cut down on time in preparing and managing invoices. According to Darla Mays, VIST's Accounts Payable Supervisor, her job is "100% easier." Mays processes 50-60 invoices every day; and after using the system for a full year, she is enthusiastic about the amount of time she saves not only in processing payments but in searching for invoices when VIST employees ask for them. "At one point I had three four-drawer file cabinets and two three-drawer file cabinets to search through. Now, I only have one filing cabinet in my office and can find a paid invoice on my computer in a matter of minutes." Her job is made easier by the fact that VIST's Finance and Purchasing Departments have full access to the Accounts Payable files, so she spends less time searching for records and information that those departments traditionally would request from her.

IMR has set up network attached scanners in each of VIST's financial centers for the remote capture of documents with the indexing completed at the central operations center. This process allows financial center managers and other professionals to scan important documents like signature cards and other customer information. Having customer signatures stored electronically increases security by allowing tellers to access a customer's signature online for verification. Because bank records can be accessed almost immediately at any VIST location, customer wait time and employee time searching through voluminous paper files has decreased.

IMR is currently integrating OnBase ECM into VIST's loan process with a backfile conversion. Loan documents can be lengthy and the ability for VIST to store those documents and recall them on the computer at any location will be a huge boost to customer service.

The Benefits to VIST

VIST has trusted IMR with nearly all aspects of its operations and has been rewarded with a collaborative team of professionals who has progressed from a hired vendor to a business partner. According to Kimberly Dove, Senior Vice President - Banking Operations, "IMR has become a true business partner on an ongoing basis. We have been working with them for a number of years and are now scanning within most levels of our financial services. The IMR installation and continual support has been a huge time savings and a tremendous asset to us."

Dove admits that employees were tentative as the conversion to electronic files began; but over the course of eight years, IMR has gained their trust by providing excellent service, maintenance and training. Continuous training, upgrades and involvement by IMR has streamlined the process and given employees - from those in management to those doing data entry - confidence in both the software and the process. She added that within two weeks, those who doubted they could survive without paper were convinced that they could.

Patricia Pinkerton agrees, "We are consistently looking for ways to streamline our processes and reduce the number of touches necessary to complete service and maintenance requests. Imaging has assisted us greatly in this; and our employees, while at first hesitant, have embraced the change and prefer to work from the imaged copies of our source documentation."

As a business partner, IMR has consistently provided VIST with quality service and software solutions that have helped them reach their goals and made them a more efficient and streamlined financial services provider.