ATR Systems Saves Nonprofit $100,000 and 125 Pounds of Paper
Philadelphia, Pa. July 2012 – The Arc of Philadelphia and the Philadelphia Developmental Disabilities Corporation (PDDC) have saved more than $100,000 over the last fiscal year by using a workforce management solution from ATR Systems. The solution, which minimizes compliance risk, helps controls labor costs, and improves productivity, enables Arc to reinvest saved time and money into its mission of helping individuals with disabilities.
Warminster-based ATR Systems outfitted Arc, one of many nonprofit clients, with an easy-to-use solution that includes two biometric hand-readers and a telephony system for punching in and out, and web-based software that together automates employee time and attendance and integrates with payroll. Arc has been using the system since September of 2011.
Before the solution, The Arc of Philadelphia’s human resource personnel were manually entering data from printed time sheets for 200 of its part-time and full-time employees. Now, an employee either punches in/out with the biometric hand reader, which measures the size and shape of the employee’s hand, or via the telephony system, which is a phone service that asks for their employee ID to verify a punch transaction. Managers can access the software from any computer at any time. They can also receive an e-mail notification if an employee forgets to punch in, each time a time-off request is made and more.
“Not only did transferring to a web-based system free up two weeks of time for our HR staff, but saved the organization the time it took to address and fix errors,” said The Arc of Philadelphia’s Director Nofre Vaquer. “We are very happy with the system. You can imagine the paperwork trail. Every week there was an issue.”
The organization was also able to skip a biweekly manager’s meeting to address payroll errors as well as save more than 13,000 sheets of paper, or 125 pounds, and the cost of ink to print.
“In aggregated and flexible spending, maximizing productivity hours, as well as what we are saving on payroll errors, we’re saving an estimated $100,000 in the first year after implementation,” Vaquer said. ” These funds have been crucial, especially this year where when fiscal budgets have been reduced together with the amount of grants and donations. We have been able to minimize any deficits and concentrate even more funding to our programs.”
The Arc of Philadelphia first began looking for an automated time and attendance system to streamline its detailed time, attendance and payroll processes.
“I reached out to other organizations who had similar systems and researched different companies,” Vaquer said. ” I had about six companies present to me, the cost, and the pros and cons. ATR Systems is the one that did the best job.”
Arc has 500 employees, 100 of which work onsite and 120 who work off-site at several PennDot Driver’s License Centers on 12 locations around the Philadelphia and neighboring counties. In addition, Arc also has 300 “training” employees or clients who receive job training and work opportunities on site.
“We look forward to even more efficiencies in years to come,” Vaquer said.
About The Arc of Philadelphia
The Arc of Philadelphia and its sister company, The Philadelphia Developmental Disability Corporation, are nonprofit organizations that promote citizenship and choice for people with cognitive, intellectual, and developmental disabilities. Together, they offer job training, employment services, cultural arts and home and community support, providing people with disabilities choice and encouraging self-determined lives. The Arc of Philadelphia was founded in 1948 and is one of the first Arc chapters of the United States.
About ATR Systems
ATR Systems is a family business located in Warminster, Pa., that specializes in selling, implementing and supporting a host of automated time and labor management solutions to a range of clients across the nonprofit, educational, manufacturing, hospitality, municipal and health care industries. Founded by Tom Hoover in the basement of his Doylestown home in 1973, ATR Systems is now located in the Warwick Commons Industrial Park and led by son Michael Hoover. ATR Systems is a member of the Sustainable Business Network of Greater Philadelphia.