O2C Transformation: A Solutions Architect’s View
Chapters
Key Takeaways
- AR has shifted from paper-driven workflows to real-time digital operations - Brenda explains how AR evolved from intercompany mail, manual checks, and delayed communication to modern, real-time platforms that allow faster invoicing, better visibility, and quicker customer action.
- Transformation happens through small, incremental wins - Instead of large one-time projects, Brenda emphasizes that dozens of smaller automations — removing manual work, simplifying workflows, eliminating repetitive tasks — collectively made a massive impact on O2C efficiency.
- Digital invoice delivery was a turning point - Moving from mailed invoices to digital delivery transformed speed, accuracy, and customer responsiveness. It removed physical dependencies like envelopes, printers, and mailrooms and brought AR closer to real-time operations.
- Building a self-sustaining O2C environment changed accuracy and control - Brenda’s team created a platform independent of the ERP, integrating data from multiple systems. This centralized environment improved accuracy, reduced human error, and finally allowed the business to trust its numbers.
- AI unlocks real-time O2C by automating communication and cash application - Brenda explains how AI can scan mailboxes, interpret customer responses, trigger workflows, and update accounts instantly — shifting AR from reacting days later to operating in real time.
Speakers
Guest Speaker
Brenda Williams Johnson
Vice President of Invoice to Cash at Marketing.com
Hosted By
Amartya Singh
CEO & Cofounder, FinFloh
Episode Transcript
Amartya (Intro): Brenda brings two decades of O2C transformation experience — from Koch and Georgia Pacific to private equity environments — it’s a privilege to have her here.
Brenda: I’ve watched AR evolve from intercompany mail and paper processes to the real-time digital world we operate in today.
Amartya: Your journey across billing, collections, cash app, and O2C architecture shows how deeply you’ve lived this transformation.
Brenda: Back then, AR teams were always behind the curve — too much manual work, too many kickbacks, and not enough bandwidth to respond in real time.
Amartya: You highlight something powerful — transformation is never one big leap; it’s the small wins that compound.
Brenda: Those incremental automations saved hours of work and freed teams to actually drive change instead of just surviving the workload.
Amartya: Legacy environments make even simple tasks complex — stuffing envelopes, printing batches, waiting on mailroom timing.
Brenda: Moving from mailed invoices to digital delivery changed everything — speed, accuracy, and how quickly customers could act.
Amartya: I love the platform story — building a unified environment instead of relying on ERP limitations.
Brenda: Exactly — we built a self-sustaining system that works regardless of the ERP, as long as the data connects.
Brenda: Once we centralized data, accuracy improved and we could finally trust the numbers we were sending out.
Amartya: And that trust is everything — especially when rebates, accruals, or cashflow decisions depend on it.
Brenda: Automation was the reason we could operate smoothly during COVID — we weren’t dependent on printers, offices, or physical processes anymore.
Amartya: Today, AI can push this even further — bringing real-time communication and workflow automation across invoice-to-cash.
Brenda: AI lets us scan mailboxes, interpret customer responses, update accounts, and apply cash faster than manual teams ever could.
Amartya: It shifts teams from reacting days later to acting instantly — a massive upgrade for AR.
Brenda: For finance professionals, surround yourself with talent and empower your teams — they’re the ones closest to the real work.
Brenda: Give people freedom to challenge processes, break old ideas, and build better ways of working.
Brenda: When your teams succeed, you succeed — that mindset has shaped every transformation I’ve led.
Amartya (Closing): That philosophy—talent, empowerment, and continuous improvement—is exactly what drives modern O2C transformation.
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