The robots are coming. But they’re not coming for your job. In fact, deploying AI and automation can be a great way to accelerate progression in accounts receivable (AR) careers.
Why? Because it releases you from doing repetitive manual tasks, through which it’s hard to distinguish yourself. Instead, it frees you up to work on strategic initiatives, giving you better opportunities to shine.
Here's an example. After joining Cpl, Ireland’s largest talent solutions provider, in 2012, David Martins worked his way up from Senior Credit Controller to Senior Credit & Collections Manager. In this role, he advocated for and led the implementation of Quadient AR. The results were dramatic – including plummeting days sales outstanding (DSO) and increased customer satisfaction.
David’s leadership in this initiative caught the attention of upper management. He was promoted to Senior Treasury & AR Manager in 2024 and Associate Director of Treasury & AR in 2025. As David puts it, “Implementing Quadient AR was one of the best decisions I’ve made in my role.”
How did deploying automation and AI lead to such an impressive career trajectory? Because it delivers success across five key areas.
1. It delivers meaningful improvements to cash flow and other financial metrics
After deploying Quadient AR, Cpl’s DSO fell from 12 days pre-implementation to 7 days in Year 1, 5 days in Year 2 and just 1 day in Year 3. This significantly improved cash flow and strengthened financial stability.
Furthermore, the AR team has been able to set and monitor performance metrics with greater precision.
The result? You have tangible proof that you’re delivering exceptional business value and are worthy of a promotion.
2. It enables deeper visibility and better decision-making
If you manage AR using emails and spreadsheets, it’s hard enough to ensure that invoices get paid on time – let alone provide accurate financial reports for executives.
But when you use a solution like Quadient AR, you can develop sophisticated, real-time reports at the touch of a button. This enables you to provide far better support to business stakeholders, such as the CFO managing and forecasting cash flow to make investment decisions, and the sales teams craving insight into customer accounts.
3. It fuels closer collaboration with other business functions
When leaders look for someone to promote, they want a team player. Someone who’s able to look beyond the walls of their function and deliver broader value to the organisation.
AR automation can help. It frees up time so you can focus on higher-value tasks, such as working with other parts of the business to anticipate and address challenges.
It also acts as a bridge between different business functions, such as sales and AR. Traditionally, these business functions speak different languages, and it’s easy for misunderstandings to occur. But with an automated AR solution, you can be sure everyone’s looking at the same figures. In Cpl’s case, Quadient AR enables the sales and AR teams to work together more effectively, proactively addressing potential issues before they escalate.
Using an automated solution can also earn you respect in other parts of the business. For example, the CFO, Chief Risk Officer, Chief Compliance Officer and Chief Audit Officer will appreciate you adhering to accounting standards, minimising errors and mitigating financial and reputational risks. And if you’re currently using an on-premise system for AR, your IT team will be grateful to see you move to a cloud-based solution that they don’t have to manage.
4. It drives better customer experiences
Sophisticated AR solutions include portals and automated reminders that streamline the payment process for customers, making transactions smoother and more transparent. This leads to higher customer satisfaction and stronger long-term loyalty.
Accurate, timely invoicing also helps sales teams maintain a positive rapport with clients. And when disputes do occur, it’s helpful to have a robust resolution process to fall back on.
All of this shows that when you deploy automation, you create a better experience for customers. And that’s laudable.
5. It creates an opportunity to demonstrate leadership skills
When you deploy automation, you prove that you’re not someone who blithely accepts the status quo. You show initiative. You see an opportunity to use technology to improve things, and you seize it. That kind of bravery turns heads and earns admiration from executives.
As David reflects: “One of my primary goals has always been to continuously evolve our processes and team, and this transformation [deploying Quadient AR] has not only benefited me but has also had a far-reaching impact on the entire organisation.”
Of course, change can be scary. And it can be hard. But choosing the right partner makes all the difference. If you select Quadient AR, you get a dedicated customer success manager who offers personalised training for your whole team, help with change management, and ongoing support.
The bottom line
The key to using automation to turbocharge your career success is to do your research and look for a solution that aligns with your organisational needs. David recommends involving all relevant stakeholders – including IT, sales and the business – early on, and showing the efficiency you can bring through automation. The goal is to convey how the long-term benefits will outweigh any short-term challenges.
Based on his own experience, David strongly recommends that others in the AR industry take the leap and implement automation technology. As he puts it, “AI won’t take your job, people who know how to use AI will!”
Interested? Find out more and book a demo!