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Encounter Logistics was stuck in a back-office bottleneck. Factoring loads took hours, invoices were prone to errors, and weekly cash flow spikes left little room for growth or stability. The result? Frustrated carriers, strained resources, and an unsustainable system that kept the team buried in paperwork instead of building relationships.
Enter Denim. By automating processes and simplifying operations, Denim helped Encounter Logistics turn things around:
- Time Savings: Factoring loads now takes less than 5 minutes, down from 2–3 hours.
- Avoided adding headcount while scaling: With only 5 employees, the team avoided hiring for 15 additional roles. Now, they’re focusing on hiring roles for business development, not manual data entry.
- Improved Carrier Payments and Revenue: With more reliable ACH payments and QuickPay options, they’re now generating revenue that offsets their factoring costs.
- Faster Credit Approvals: New customer credit requests are now approved within hours, instead of days.
Encounter Logistics has overcome inefficiencies, strengthened carrier relationships, and positioned itself for sustainable growth with the help of Denim.
About Encounter Logistics
Founded in 2009, Encounter Logistics initially managed overflow for an asset carrier. By 2016, the company began operating independently, driven by the vision of principal partners Donald Browning and Paul Burton. Their dedication to building strong relationships and expanding the business laid a solid foundation for future growth.
In a strategic move to enhance efficiency, Justin Sowa joined the team to optimize computer systems and workflows, embracing a technology-forward approach. Last year Tom Burke joined as the Director of HR and Compliance. With a lifetime of experience in the HR field, Tom brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to the team. By 2024, Encounter Logistics had evolved into a full-fledged 3PL provider.
Guided by core values of passion, proactivity, and personability, Encounter Logistics fosters deep, family-like relationships with its carriers, proudly referring to them as their “lifeblood.” With a private carrier network and a steadfast commitment to innovation, the company skillfully balances traditional values with modern, forward-thinking solutions.
The problem: manual processes stifling growth
Encounter Logistics faced severe inefficiencies in their back-office operations. Each load required extensive manual paperwork, from scanning and uploading documents to combining files into PDFs and re-entering data into their previous factor’s portal. This repetitive process often took 2–3 hours per load and was prone to errors, including incorrect billing amounts that led to rejected invoices and the need to rebill customers.
The workload left little time for strategic tasks or relationship-building with carriers and customers. Payment delays caused frustration, with carriers frequently following up about lost or late checks. As Justin put it, “We had a racecar engine in a Pinto,” underscoring the gap between their potential and the limitations of their outdated systems.
Encounter Logistics needed a streamlined solution to reduce errors, speed up payments, and free their team to focus on more meaningful tasks.
Choosing Denim
When their previous factoring company refused to support an integration, Encounter Logistics turned to Tai Software for advice and was introduced to Denim. From the start, Denim’s team, led by Dan Igoe, provided hands-on support, carefully explaining their offerings and managing the transition seamlessly.
“Switching factoring companies is a big decision, but Denim made it smooth,” Justin shared. Within just 10 days of signing, Encounter Logistics was fully operational with Denim, a contrast to the slow communication they experienced with their old factor.
Denim’s proactive approach and seamless integration with Tai proved to be the right fit, giving Encounter Logistics the efficiency and automation they needed to scale.
The benefits of working with Denim
Lean and streamlined operations
Denim and Tai Software have improved Encounter Logistics’ back-office efficiency, providing dual benefits of saving time on invoicing and reducing the need for additional staff. Factoring, which previously took hours, now takes less than five minutes per load - a 91% increase in efficiency. After reviewing invoice details in Tai, the team simply clicks “factor,” and Denim handles the rest, including document verification, invoicing, and carrier payments.
This streamlined process has significantly reduced errors while freeing up the team to focus on meaningful work.
Thousands of small transactions make it harder to track financial health.
There’s a better way
Denim’s automated solutions streamline your back-office operations. Explore our solutions to see how Denim can help your business scale efficiently.
Problem: Overcomplicated books with too many manual entries.
Solution: Use accounting software that integrates directly with your factoring and invoicing platform to reduce redundant data entry and improve accuracy.
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