Centralizing Utility Bill Management for a Medical Cannabis Company: From Disruption to Control with ARDEM

Centralizing Utility Bill Management for a Medical Cannabis Company: From Disruption to Control with ARDEM

Our client is a publicly traded, vertically integrated medical cannabis company with operations across nine U.S. states. With over 700 utility accounts across a variety of locations and a legacy provider who failed to meet performance expectations, the client required a more reliable, responsive, and transparent solution for their utility bill processing.

Challenges Faced by the Client

1. Ineffective On-boarding by Previous Provider

The client had incomplete on-boarding experience with their former utility bill processing company. This resulted in years of account errors and unresolved misclassifications.

2. Lack of Internal Controls and Accountability

The previous vendor lacked a system to proactively resolve recurring data issues or maintain accountability—particularly for tasks like overdue balance investigations.

3. Misaligned Processes

The prior vendor was unable to adapt internal procedures to align with the client’s payment cycles, creating confusion and delays in invoice processing services. This caused the client to pay a lot of late fees overtime.

4. Missed Deadlines and Miscommunications

Notice deliveries were frequently late—sometimes arriving after deadlines had passed. In one case, an account was wrongly canceled due to mis-grouping, which disrupted operations and nullified an alternative energy contract. The client had to spend a lot of effort trying to turn utilities back on.

5. Limited Reporting Tools

The previous provider had few self-service reporting options and charged additional fees for even minor software-generated reports.

Why the Client Partnered with ARDEM

The client came to ARDEM with clear objectives in mind, driven by the need to improve their accounts payable operations. They also wanted to eliminate inefficiencies that were impacting their business. Here’s what they aimed to achieve by partnering with ARDEM:

1. Need for Responsiveness: The client required a more responsive utility bill processing partner who could provide timely invoice files and prevent missed deadlines. 
2. Accuracy and Issue Resolution: Frequent errors and a lack of internal controls from the previous vendor led the client to seek a provider with robust quality checks and better data accuracy. 
3. Seamless Communication: Delayed notifications and poor handling of past-due investigations created a need for proactive communication and accountability. 
4. Custom Reporting without Extra Cost: The client wanted flexible, real-time reporting without incurring additional software change fees. 
5. Cloud-Based Utility Bill Management: ARDEM’s Utility Manager (AUM) platform offers centralized data visibility, easier tracking, and improved utility bill management. 
6. Experience and Structure: ARDEM’s proven track record, structured onboarding, and ability to support 700+ accounts across various vendors made us the preferred partner. 

How ARDEM Solved the Challenges

1. Efficient Manual and Platform-Based Utility Bill Processing

ARDEM’s team started managing 700+ utility accounts. Bills are sourced to ARDEM in two ways.  

• Daily portal logins are made on vendors’ sites using secured credentials provided by the client.  
• Direct emails or postal mail for vendors without portal access.

ARDEM’s team validated the statement date and ran the bill through a dual entry + QC process. We also made sure that it was processed before the due date.

2. Seamless File Delivery and Payment File Generation

Processed invoice data was uploaded to the ARDEM Utility Manager (AUM), where the client can view and manage all utility documents.

A payment file was also generated based on vendor ID, GL codes, location, and account number to assist with internal payments.

3. Ongoing Automation Initiatives

Currently, ARDEM is developing automation for the bill image downloading process to further improve timeliness and reduce manual workload.

Results and Key Benefits for the Client

✅ Timely Utility Bill Processing 

Processed an average of 20–25 bills daily across 700+ utility accounts, ensuring all statements were validated and delivered well before their due dates. 

✅ 100% Manual Accuracy with Dual QC 

Through a dual-entry and validation process, ARDEM ensures high data accuracy, which is critical for preventing service disruptions. 

✅ Seamless Collaboration and Notifications 

Enabled proactive communication for missing bill metadata, new vendor accounts, or login changes. 

✅ Transparent Utility Bill Management 

Used the AUM platform to organize invoices, reports, and payment files for better financial visibility. 

✅ Cost Efficiency with 3 FTE Support 

Managed by a dedicated team of three full-time staff members, with ongoing improvements in automation. 

✅ Flexible Report Output 

Avoided unnecessary software change costs by using ARDEM’s customizable reporting and data delivery framework.