Retail Lockbox Improves Customer Satisfaction and Reduces Cost While Improving the Environment

Retail Lockbox, Inc. (RLI) was founded in 1994 as a payment/remittance processing company serving retail, utility, governmental and other clients.  This $5 million/year African-American owned business located in the South Lake Union neighborhood of Seattle has seen its business grow by responding to customer needs and through this process also reduce waste and contribute to a healthier planet.

In the early days, RLI would receive checks, process and deposit them, and deliver copies of the checks to their clients.  Their clients would store the checks and then after a period of time shred them.  Early this decade RLI’s clients began to ask for online access to their company’s payment processing records rather than the traditional paper copies. Clients thought that this would be a way of reducing their costs of receiving copies of checks and reduce their storage and document shredding costs. 

In 2003, RLI owners Craig Dawson and Walt Townes, and the company’s executive team  embarked on this company-wide change in operations.  One of the biggest challenges RLI faced in responding to their client’s desire for online access to their payment records rather than hard copies was the initial capital expense that RLI would incur in acquiring and installing new equipment. Additionally, RLI faced a number of technical hurdles to acquire the appropriate hard ware and software to run the new service correctly, train a team of people who would be able to run the new digital service, and customize the service to each individual customer.  Additionally, at the outset some of their clients wanted this online service but many clients weren’t ready to make the switch. So RLI needed to decide if it would make the substantial financial investment in new equipment, software, and employee training for a small number of their clients with the hope that other clients would value the new service as well.

In 2006 RLI made the decision to move forward with the new technology and by the end of the year they were able to offer this service to all of their clients.

Since its implementation, RLI’s new system has scanned approximately 4.5 million images per month, saving about $10,000 per month in paper costs for RLI. At RLI’s current operations level they are able to save their clients approximately $130,000 per year in reduced storage costs. From an environmental perspective, the RLI is also now able to recycle at least 750 pounds of paper per day which is the equivalent of more than 2,100 trees per year.

Looking forward, RLI will continue to offer their environmentally scanning and documentation services, and will recycle all processed checks to reduce unnecessary storage costs for their customers.  They also plan to lower their own costs by moving in a green direction, increasing their water and electric savings through energy efficient lighting and low flow toilets.

What started out as a company simply seeking to meet demands from their largest clients has turned into a way for RLI to both reduce its operating costs, reduce expenses for their clients, reduce the use of paper, and save trees. 

To learn more about RLI visit their web (www.retaillockbox.com) and to learn about how they’ve been able to meet client needs, improve their bottom line, and improve the environment call the company’s CEO Craig Dawson at 206- 624-2871

If you have stories about other companies who “greening” their operation while improving their bottom line, please let us know by emailing Jesse Robbins at jesselr@uw.edu.