The benefits of outsourcing the processing of rebates, including customer contact center support.

1. Rebate Outsourcing:
The Benefits of
Processing from Image
Rebate Processing
White Paper
www.DATAMARK.net

2. BUSINESS PROBLEM
Rebate offers vary greatly among manufacturers and retailers. The processing of
rebates must be customized for each client to meet the service standards customers
demand. Underestimating this critical aspect and attempting to transition to a
rebate processing outsourcer without adequate planning can result in poor quality
and damage long-standing customer relationships.
SOLUTION OVERVIEW
This document highlights DATAMARK’s strategy for managing the transition of
rebate processing to an outsourced provider. It also demonstrates the benefits of
implementing an image-based processing system. Our rebate processing workflow is
based on the knowledge we’ve acquired through long-term partnerships with some
of the largest rebate processing firms in the U.S.
DATAMARK’s strategy focuses on taking over the process "as is" for a reasonable
period of time before transitioning it to an image-based platform. New clients or
new programs for existing clients are image-enabled from the outset of those
engagements.
Leveraging the latest imaging technology to automate processing, improve
turnaround time, and reduce costs not only improves customer satisfaction, but
offers our clients an advantage when competing for rebate opportunities from other
manufacturers.
RETHINKING REBATE PROCESSING—MOVING
FROM PAPER TO IMAGE
For many companies, rebate submission and validation is still a paper-intensive
process. Rebate forms are mailed in, then distributed to manual data entry staff who
may be at a central location, or, more often than not, at locations scattered across
the globe. The process is slow, cumbersome and error-prone. Turn-around times—
from the time of rebate submission to "check in hand"— can be as high as 12 weeks,
resulting in a poor customer service experience.
KEY FROM IMAGE VS. KEY FROM PAPER
The following example illustrates the potential savings available by transitioning
from a Key from Paper (KFP) rebate data-entry process to a Key From Image (KFI)
system.
DATAMARK understands that current best practices leverage paperless solutions
such as online rebate submission portals, as well as centralized mailrooms with high-
volume scanning equipment and platforms to distribute rebate images for
processing 24/7, anywhere in the world. Paperless processes improve quality and
accuracy and, depending on the validation requirements, can deliver turn-around-
times—from rebate submission to "check in hand"—of three weeks or less.
DATAMARK's
rebate processing
workflow is based
on the knowledge
we’ve acquired
through long-term
partnerships with
some of the largest
rebate processing
firms in the U.S.
2 ©2012 DATAMARK, Inc www.DATAMARK.net

3. In addition, substantial cost savings can be realized through the efficiency of
paperless processing, as well as through reductions in labor costs by leveraging
onshore, nearshore or farshore processing teams—or a blend of all three.
Depending on the outsourcing solution, anticipated cost savings can be 20 to 40
percent—or even more.
The assumptions for this example are:
 A 12-month time frame with a volume of 5 million units processed
 A shift of production from the U.S. to a farshore DATAMARK facility in India
 Implementation of imaging and automated, intelligent data capture
software
 A mix of document complexities, from "easy" to "difficult":
o 63 percent Easy Process
o 20 percent Medium Process
o 17 percent Difficult Process
IMAGING-ENABLED AUTOMATION OF ORDER PROCESSING
POTENTIAL SAVINGS WITH A FARSHORE SOLUTION
Base Service Annual Volume Savings
Easy Process 3,150,000 $32,439
Medium Process 1,000,000 $93,215
Difficult Process 85,000 $213,303
Annual Savings $338,957
OUTSOURCING REBATE PROCESSING—A SUMMARY
OF BENEFITS
For typical rebate operations, there are three main business functions that benefit
from processing via image:
Customer Call/Contact Center – Customer service representatives gain the ability to
instantly access the customer’s records including images of the original rebate
submission via a web-based tool. This significantly reduces the average call time and
the number of follow-up calls required to satisfactorily respond to the inquiry. This
“one-call resolution” can result in a cost savings of nearly 50% and a lead to a
significant increase in customer satisfaction.
Rebate Fulfillment – Image-enabling the rebate processing function facilitates
automated order processing through intelligent data capture systems that auto-sort
qualified and unqualified rebates. Images can be transmitted to farshore processing
centers, such as DATAMARK's India facilities, for additional cost benefits associated
with manual data entry.
Substantial cost
savings can be
realized through
the efficiency of
paperless
processing, as well
as through
reductions in labor
costs by leveraging
onshore, nearshore
or farshore
processing teams—
or a blend of all
three.
Depending on the
outsourcing
solution,
anticipated cost
savings can be 20
to 40 percent—or
even more.
3 ©2012 DATAMARK, Inc www.DATAMARK.net

4. This “one-call
resolution” can
result in a cost
savings of nearly
50% and a lead to
a significant
increase in
customer
satisfaction.
Sales to Clients – A lack of image enablement is quickly becoming a barrier to selling
rebate processing services in the market. Imaging gives your sales and marketing
teams the competitive tools necessary to offer existing and potential customers the
services they require. Instant access and viewing of end-user images, online process
auditing for accuracy, online archiving and many other services can be easily created
and sustained in an image environment. This can dramatically improve your sales
team’s ability to differentiate your company from competitors.
GENERAL BENEFITS
• Experienced enterprise mailroom management
• Capability to handle hundreds of thousands of inbound documents every
day
• Automatic mail sorting capability reduces manual touches and headcount
• Software development department to create custom applications
• Assurance that DATAMARK will make every attempt to reduce severance
costs and other human resource issues by offering talented and
experienced employees opportunities with DATAMARK
• Incentives tied to transition milestones to ensure success
• Facilities available for business continuity/disaster recovery plan should the
service be required
• Imaging and other associated features such as web-based reporting offer
sales and marketing teams competitive differentiators
COST BENEFITS
• Terminate existing property leases
• Convert fixed cost operational model to variable cost
• Image-enable existing rebate offers as soon as possible to reduce order
processing costs
• Relocation of functions such as data entry to lower cost labor markets that
comply with security requirements
• Reduce call center costs by providing online access to images for CSRs
QUALITY BENEFITS
• Lean Six Sigma implementation to eliminate non-value-added steps to
decrease cost and improve quality
• Business Engineering Department oversight of the entire transition
• Quality benchmarks of all processes with continuous improvement
initiatives
• Installation of a proactive Quality Assurance System that will accomplish
the following:
o Standardize all functions
o Document all processes, policies and expectations
o Establish online training tools for initial certification and ongoing
decision making
o Quality sampling steps after mail opening, sorting, prepping,
scanning, indexing, and document destruction to gather and
report quality on every employee
4 ©2012 DATAMARK, Inc www.DATAMARK.net

5. Lean Six Sigma
implementation
eliminates non-
value-added steps
to decrease cost
and improve
quality
Automated
Document Tracking
System tracks mail
from initial receipt
through completed
rebate upload
• PCI-DSS certified
• Quality Calibration System that allows DATAMARK clients to “Audit the
Audit” for increased collaboration and confidence
• Employee Incentive Compensation Plan based upon meeting quality
benchmark target initiatives
TIMELINESS BENEFITS
• Flexible staffing and cross training to absorb spikes in volume
• Web-based rescan queue to allow users to request a rescan and track
progress until the document is available online
• Online hold queue for rebates received prior to “offer setup,” allowing
faster processing once setup is complete
TECHNOLOGICAL BENEFITS
• Automated Document Tracking System to track mail from initial receipt
through completed rebate upload
• OCR, OMR and intelligent data capture to improve quality and automate
order processing
ONLINE WEB REPORTING BENEFITS
• Real time reporting of “in process” documents at each step in the process
• Aging report of all documents in each step of the process to include:
inbound mail, prep, scanning and all indexing queues
• Real time quality reports: weekly, monthly, and annually
• Real time timeliness reports: weekly, monthly, and annually
• Web-based historical trending reports of all documents at each step in the
process: inbound mail, prep, scanning and all indexing queues. Options for
daily, weekly, monthly, and annually
DATAMARK’S TRANSITION PLAN
A seamless transition to outsourced handling of rebates is a critical element of
DATAMARK’s plan. Everything from mail pickup to delivering of processed rebates to
customers must be documented and understood. DATAMARK follows a highly
detailed, step-by-step transition plan known as the Evolution Solution™ to transition
to an outsourced process without any disruption in quality or customer service.
The Evolution Solution™ consists of an initial PREP phase, which is an analysis and
documentation of the "as-is" rebate process.
5 ©2012 DATAMARK, Inc www.DATAMARK.net

6. With onshore and
offshore centers,
DATAMARK
delivers process
optimization,
technology and
Enterprise Content
Management
solutions to help
organizations
achieve efficiency
and profitability in
all back-office
business functions.
The PREP analysis gathers useful information and data used by our Business
Engineering Department teams to develop a redesigned rebate process.
Business process re-engineering methodologies, supported by Lean Six Sigma
principles are used to design an improved process, integrating trained staff and the
latest in automated software platforms and document processing equipment.
The next step in the Evolution Solution™ is the Process Migration Methodology.
PMM is a highly detailed transition plan, designed to be as seamless as possible. This
includes working closely with our clients to transition talented and experienced staff
to DATAMARK, to minimize employee severance costs and human resource issues.
After the transition is complete, the Evolution Solution remains active in the sense
that DATAMARK will work to find ways to continually improve the rebate process,
and also to identify opportunities in other business areas that can benefit from an
outsourcing engagement.
ABOUT DATAMARK
DATAMARK is a leading provider of digital mailroom management, data entry,
document processing and business process re-engineering solutions for Fortune 500
companies, government agencies and other large organizations.
Founded in 1989, our company is the strategic business process outsourcing partner
for Top 10 companies across several industry sectors, including transportation and
logistics, healthcare, insurance, banking and financial services. With onshore and
offshore centers, DATAMARK delivers process optimization, technology and
Enterprise Content Management solutions to help organizations achieve efficiency
and profitability in all back-office business functions.
For more information on how DATAMARK’s business processing solutions can
reduce operating costs while improving efficiency, flexibility, and customer
satisfaction, call 800-477-1944 or email info@DATAMARK.net.
DATAMARK, Inc.
123 W. Mills Ave., 4th Floor
El Paso, TX 79901 USA
www.DATAMARK.net
6 ©2012 DATAMARK, Inc www.DATAMARK.net