Harmon Solutions to Require Electronic Data Interchange

Starting March 1, 2004, Harmon Solutions Group (HSG) will begin requiring the use of Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) for all invoice processing. Those companies choosing not to use EDI will be charged a $7.50 processing fee per paper invoice for glass replacement and $3 for windshield repair paper invoices.

HSG is promoting the use of EDI by emphasizing the speediness of the transaction time, from submission to payment of invoices, as well as the accuracy that it is expected to improve.

"In this day and age, it's something we need to do," said Stephanie Streur of HSG. "To a lot of independents, it's a better way of doing business. It can reduce the errors from fax or mailed invoices, where numbers can be transposed when being manually entered."

Streur stressed that the speed at which the invoices can be submitted and returned via EDI is the most important feature that prompted the company to choose to go this route.

Eric Solis, director of Harmon Solutions Group, said that EDI is just the first in a series of improvements in the company's processing system.

"In addition to EDI, soon we plan to offer Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) for payment," he said. "By using EDI and EFT, we can reduce the processing time and achieve our objective to pay glass stores faster."

The automatic payment deposit will allow glass shops awaiting reimbursement to have the money deposited directly into their accounts, instead of waiting for a check to arrive in the mail.

Overall, however, Solis feels the change will have a minimal effect on the industry.

"It'll be more of a general improvement, using the technology out there today," he said.