How Kolleno Helped EPI Reduce 90+ Days Balance Overdue by 79%

About EPI Fire Protection and Security

EPI Fire Protection and Security knows how to manage risk. For over 30 years, the company has delivered critical fire and security services across the Greater Toronto Area, supporting buildings that can’t afford to compromise on safety.

Yet while their frontline operations were built on precision and responsiveness, the same couldn’t be said for the company’s financial processes. The accounts receivable workflow was overly manual, time-consuming, and scattered across systems that didn’t talk to each other. 

As overdue balances increased and client communications became harder to track, it was clear EPI needed to modernize its approach to collections. That’s when they turned to Kolleno.

The Challenges

As EPI Fire Protection and Security continued to expand, their finance team found themselves under growing pressure. The problem wasn’t with their service delivery—on-site work was efficient and professional. The issue lay in what happened after the job was done.

1. Manual Accounts Receivable Processes

EPI’s collections process was completely manual. Following up on unpaid invoices meant checking QuickBooks, composing individual emails, logging reminders in calendars, and hoping nothing slipped through the cracks. For a company running multiple jobs across multiple sites, this lack of automation became a major time sink.

“We were spending more time chasing payments than we were on actual financial strategy,” said Jonathan Zafrani, General Manager at EPI Fire Protection & Security.

2. Fragmented Tools and Communication

The team relied on a patchwork of systems—QuickBooks for accounting, inboxes for reminders, and spreadsheets for status tracking. None of them were connected. As a result, valuable context was lost between systems, while critical follow-ups were often delayed or duplicated.

3. Slow, Inconsistent Client Outreach

Because follow-ups were manual, they didn’t always go out on time or in a consistent tone. Some clients were contacted immediately, while others were chased weeks later. There was no standard workflow, no automated reminder system, and no central log of previous communication. And in the fire protection business, where trust and professionalism are everything, that inconsistency carried real reputational risk.

4. Poor Visibility Over Receivables

There was no way to quickly answer the question: “Which accounts are at risk?”. The finance team had no centralized dashboard showing overdue invoices, payment trends, or aging breakdowns. They had to pull reports, compare spreadsheets, and manually scan through records to get a sense of where things stood.

The Solution

Why Kolleno AR Management?

EPI was looking for a platform that could streamline their accounts receivable from end to end. The finance team needed automation to reduce manual tasks and provide real-time visibility. Most importantly, they needed a consistent way to manage customer communication without hopping between tools.

They were looking for:

• Automated workflows to manage collections and follow-ups efficiently
  
• A centralized dashboard to monitor overdue balances and team activity
  
• Seamless integration with QuickBooks to eliminate double data entry
  
• A secure, easy-to-use portal for clients to pay invoices faster
  

Kolleno delivered on all fronts. Unlike generic software add-ons, Kolleno offered a specialized AR solution that was built with operational visibility and automation at its core—making it the perfect fit for a high-volume service business like EPI.

“We realized that Kolleno would help us save a significant amount of time by automating manual tasks and organising all communication in one place,” said Jonathan Zafrani. “It stood head and shoulders above all the other tools that we looked into, in terms of its functionality and usability.”

Workflows for AR Management

Before Kolleno, EPI’s collections process depended entirely on manual effort—emails were typed from scratch and reminders were logged manually. Unfortunately, this meant that follow-ups were inconsistent. There was no central logic behind when clients were contacted or how overdue accounts were prioritized. The process didn’t scale, and as invoice volumes grew, the cracks became impossible to ignore.

Kolleno’s automated workflows changed everything.

With customizable rules and intelligent triggers, EPI could set up workflows that aligned perfectly with their business. Emails were now automatically sent at key intervals based on invoice aging, with escalation paths built in for persistent non-payment. Communications were standardized, timely, and tracked. No one was ever left wondering if a reminder had gone out or when to follow up next.

These workflows also made the team more strategic. High-risk accounts were flagged automatically, allowing staff to intervene where needed. Meanwhile, lower-risk invoices continued to follow the automated cadence. Every step—from first reminder to final escalation—was managed without manual oversight, yet retained a professional tone that reflected EPI’s brand.

What once took hours of task tracking and inbox monitoring now happened in the background. That freed up the team to focus on resolving disputes, deepening client relationships, and driving value—rather than just collecting balances.

According to Jonathan Zafrani, “We’re no longer babysitting overdue invoices. Kolleno does the chasing, and we only step in when we need to.” 

A Centralized Dashboard

Before Kolleno, visibility into accounts receivable was scattered and slow. The finance team relied on exported reports and outdated spreadsheets. They constantly had to switch between platforms to figure out which invoices were overdue and what follow-ups were pending. There was no single place to see the full picture.

Kolleno’s centralized dashboard changed everything.

Now, every key insight lives in one clean, customizable view. The team can monitor overdue balances, track promises to pay, view invoice aging trends, and see client communication history—all in real time. No more digging between systems just to gain an understanding of what’s happening. Each team member has a personalized view based on their role, while managers get top-level visibility across accounts and performance metrics.

The dashboard also surfaces key patterns in the company’s collections operations. Which clients are consistently late? Which workflows are driving results? Which accounts need immediate attention? These questions used to take hours to answer. Now, the team can answer them at a glance.

“The dashboard changed how we work. We finally have a real-time, complete view of our collections landscape,” explains Jonathan Zafrani.

With this level of insight, EPI shifted from reactive to proactive. Instead of waiting for problems to appear, they could spot them early—and solve them before they impacted cash flow.

Seamless QuickBooks Integration

QuickBooks had long been the backbone of EPI’s financial recordkeeping—but it wasn’t designed to handle collections at scale. The finance team was constantly toggling between QuickBooks, emails, and spreadsheets just to manage follow-ups and track who owed what. This patchwork approach slowed everything down and left plenty of room for oversight.

Kolleno’s seamless QuickBooks integration brought all of that under control.

From the moment the two systems were connected, invoices created in QuickBooks automatically synced into Kolleno—complete with customer details, due dates, and payment statuses. There was no more double entry or copy-pasting. Once an invoice was paid through Kolleno, that information flowed straight back into QuickBooks, keeping records accurate and up to date without lifting a finger.

The integration didn’t just improve data hygiene—it created a smooth, end-to-end process that connected invoicing, collections, and reconciliation into a single, efficient loop. No delays. No duplicate work. No risk of chasing payments that had already been settled.

“It’s made everything tighter,” said Jonathan Zafrani. “Kolleno and QuickBooks work together seamlessly. It feels like one system, not two.”

For a fast-moving service provider like EPI, this real-time connection meant faster decision-making, fewer errors, and more confidence that the numbers they were working from were always correct.

A User-Friendly Payments Portal

Before Kolleno, getting paid was often harder than it needed to be. Clients would request invoice copies, lose payment details, or delay sending funds due to a lack of clarity on what was owed. EPI’s finance team spent hours each week fielding payment-related emails, resending PDFs, and following up to confirm transfers. The process was not only inefficient—it slowed down cash flow.

With Kolleno’s secure payments portal, all of that changed.

Now, when an invoice is issued, clients receive a personalized link to their own branded portal where they can view outstanding balances, check payment history, and settle invoices instantly—without back-and-forth or confusion. The portal supports multiple payment methods, including bank transfers via open banking and major card payments, offering flexibility that matches the needs of EPI’s diverse client base.

The interface is clean and professional. Most importantly, it’s easy to use. Clients no longer need to chase down invoice files or hunt for bank details—they have everything in one place, available on demand. For EPI, this has meant fewer payment delays, fewer email queries, and a notable improvement in the client experience.

“Clients tell us how much easier it is to pay now,” said Jonathan Zafrani. “It’s professional and fast, reflecting the kind of service we want to provide.”

In short, the payment portal didn’t just help EPI collect faster—it helped them look sharper and serve their clients better.

The Onboarding Experience

Rolling out a new financial system can often be disruptive—but with Kolleno, onboarding was smooth and structured. The Kolleno team worked closely with EPI to configure workflows, integrate QuickBooks, and ensure data flowed accurately from day one. Training sessions were short and targeted, while the platform’s intuitive interface meant the team could hit the ground running.

“The entire implementation was simple and professional. Kolleno’s team was always on hand to answer any questions we had, and they went out of their way to tailor the system to our needs”, explained Jonathan Zafrani.

Kolleno provided step-by-step support throughout the entire process, ensuring the system worked for EPI’s unique needs without adding complexity to their already busy operations.

The Impact

Kolleno had a huge impact on EPI’s finances. In just three months, the company saw a complete turnaround in their collections performance.

• 79% reduction in 90+ days balance overdue
• 37% decrease in total overdue invoices
• 67% reduction in median days late
  

But these numbers only tell part of the story.

Behind the metrics is a finance team that now works faster and smarter. With Kolleno handling the repetitive, manual work, team members were able to focus on what matters most: improving cash flow, strengthening client communication, and supporting the company’s broader operational goals.

Cross-team collaboration also improved. With data flowing seamlessly between QuickBooks and Kolleno, EPI’s teams could finally work in sync.

What started as a tool to speed up payments ended up reshaping how the company thinks about accounts receivable—and laying the foundation for long-term growth.

Ready to Transform Your AR Process?

Book a demo today to see how Kolleno can help your team automate collections, get paid faster, and work smarter—just like EPI Fire Protection and Security.

Find the solution by use case:

• Collections & AR Management
• Cash Application Management
• Credit & Risk Management
• Disputes & Deductions Management
• Team & Task Management