84 Lumber

Challenge: Less Staff, More Credit Applications

As a leading U.S. building materials supplier, 84 Lumber depends on efficient financial operations to keep projects moving and cash flowing. When outdated accounts receivable (AR) practices started holding them back from achieving their business goals, Brian Page, Director of Credit, took action to find a better path forward.

The 2 big problems: Collections staffing and sluggish credit application processes.

“Our collections team was in a constant state of flux,” he explained. “Every time we hired, we’d lose someone.”

At the same time, 84 Lumber was driving a key growth initiative to scale buyer credit applications from roughly 5,500 annually to at least 8,000 annually. Meeting this goal would require transforming the company’s paper-based credit practices. As the staffing and procedural challenges came together, the urgency for a solution was rising.

Solution: Collections and Credit Operations Go Digital

The first approach was to build a solution themselves, working with IT to expand existing financial systems (like their ERP) with new automation features. But that strategy was quickly abandoned.

“We tried to do some things internally, but it just didn’t work out. If we home-grow a solution, it doesn’t improve unless we see where those improvements need to be made and we ask for them. However, Billtrust is always improving their platform. Look at their roadmap. With Billtrust, everything’s always looked at and always moving further down the road. That’s a big plus for us,” explained Page.

The company was already using Billtrust’s Payments solution, and a collaborative workshop helped finance leaders visualize digital transformation across their collections and credit functions. It wasn’t long until Page got the green light to move forward with Billtrust, setting the stage for deeper partnership and AR modernization.

7 Collectors Perform the Work of 10

Billtrust’s Collections automation solution was priority number one, and 84 Lumber needed more than just technology. With strong, hands-on support, Billtrust helped drive buy-in from collectors and fine-tune their platform to fit the organization’s financial procedures.

Today, a core team of 7-8 collectors handles the workload of 10.

Internally, the benefits are clear. AR clerks used to spend full days sorting and applying check payments and then transitioning to collections work. With Billtrust’s streamlined processes, those tasks take about an hour – freeing up time for higher-value work.

“When you get to do your job – not just the mundane parts but the professional, strategic part – you see the difference immediately in both morale and efficiency,” Page stated.

The Credit Application Game-Changer

Going fully electronic with the Billtrust Credit Application automation tool changed the game. Paper applications often came in incomplete – missing references, social security numbers, or key fields – leading to delays and rework. Today, the software includes required fields before applications can be submitted, ensuring complete information the first time.

The result? Faster reviews and approvals. Under the old processes, the company would have needed to hire at least two more credit managers to keep up with the growth of more than 2,000 applications.

“With Billtrust, we don’t have to hire people to increase our credit business. That’s huge,” said Page. “Billtrust has been inspirational for us. Today, we can do 8,000 credit apps with six credit managers instead of 5,000 to 6,000 with the same team.”

Surcharging Savings Amounts to $15M in Cost Avoidance

The team also implemented credit card surcharging practices using the Billtrust platform. In recovering their credit card acceptance costs, the company is recognizing significant gains through cost avoidance.

“At one time, we were taking on $30-35 million in credit card processing fees, and those have been reduced in half with Billtrust,” he explained. That’s a savings of more than $15M annually.

Like many companies, 84 Lumber had dabbled in surcharging but struggled with compliance. Now, they have a compliant solution across all states. “We can stay compliant without bogging down our legal team, and we’ve also seen great customer acceptance. There’s been a big shift toward ACH,” Page shared.

Billtrust’s buyer-facing payments portal also improved the customer experience. Customers can now sort payments by job – a key need in construction – and many value the convenience of linking multiple Billtrust-managed suppliers under a single login.

Results: More Efficiency, Lower Costs, Faster Cash Flow

From cost savings to productivity gains, 84 Lumber is bringing significant efficiency gains to its AR operation.

• Postage costs were cut more than half (from $12-13K to $5-6K per month) by converting to digital invoicing and payments
• Credit card fees were cut in half with greater adoption of ACH, saving more than $15M annually
• Productivity is scaling with credit growth, and employees more satisfied today thanks to the ability to work in more strategic roles
• The company also enjoys less financial risk — fewer accounts are aging into past-due buckets with customers engaging earlier and paying faster

AI Analytics and a Partner that Feels Like Family

In moving forward, Page is eager to explore more AI insights to further optimize performance.

“Artificial Intelligence is the future of AR happening now. Billtrust is always improving their tools and constantly innovating with a clear focus on AI. We know we’re in good hands,” he added.

As the organization continues to evolve its AR operation and explore new innovations like AI, this trusted partnership will remain a key driver of success.

“You don’t find partners like Billtrust nowadays,” said Page. “It’s a very professional relationship, but it also feels personal. We know they’re invested in our success, and that makes them feel like family.”