By digitizing their documents and embracing AI-powered processes with DocuXplorer, Water Utility Services streamlines how they manage documents, customer requests, and internal workflows.
For accredited agencies responsible for public health and safety, outdated manual processes can slow operations, create compliance risks, and frustrate customers.
This was the challenge facing Water Utility Services in Houston, Texas. The company performs water quality testing for public water systems, analyzing samples for bacteria that indicate potential contaminants in drinking water.
As a state-affiliated agency, Water Utility Services must comply with regulatory standards and maintain accurate records. Yet, for James Flores and his team, the paper-based document management workflow created inefficiencies. Compliance reporting and customer requests for test results required extra time and effort, with documents stored in filing cabinets and needing to be manually retrieved.
To modernize their workflows and better serve customers, Water Utility Services adopted DocuXplorer. James found the results have improved organization, searchability, and document access while saving time (and even postage).
Adopting a fast, secure, digital system allows Water Utility Services to remain competitive with other labs and better deliver on customer and compliance obligations.
Water Utility Services follows a structured workflow each month:
Historically, this process relied on printed paperwork, Excel spreadsheets, and physical file storage. When customers or state regulators requested reports, the team had to manually search for documents, print or copy them, and mail them out.
This multi-step process created delays in customer communication and took more time than was necessary for compliance reporting. Plus, they had to rely on the mail system to get customers what they needed.
Additionally, many of Water Utility Services’ competitors were using LIMS software, allowing them to automate sample tracking and data management. Without a comparable digital system, Water Utility Services risked falling behind.
Before implementing DocuXplorer, every document request from customers or state agencies required a minimum of an hour of manual effort. Paper files had to be located, copied, and mailed—an inefficient process that drained staff time and slowed response times.
Now, the Water Utility Services team operates at a new level of efficiency.
When customers request reports, James Flores and his team no longer need to dig through cabinets, pull physical documents, and manually compile records. Instead, they retrieve the exact file in seconds using DocuXplorer’s AI-powered search.
“That’s a big thing for us to have that search capability for our files—making that portion of our work digital and being able to search without having to go in the file room and find them by ID number.” — James Flores, Compliance Manager
This shift has not only eliminated unnecessary labor but has also saved on postage and printing costs. Previously, the team had to print, package, and mail documents to customers, adding days to their process. Now, reports are sent digitally, ensuring that clients receive critical information instantly—a game-changer for regulatory compliance and customer trust.
James' team has gone from spending 2 days and $20 in postage processing each request to 60 seconds (and no cost) with one click.
For customers who rely on Water Utility Services to maintain compliance with state regulations, response time is an important component of the partnership. With instant document retrieval, James’ team strengthens customer relationships by delivering reports faster.
This increased efficiency also enhances the company’s reputation by demonstrating their commitment to efficiency and accuracy. Public water systems and agencies can trust Water Utility Services more than before because they can access documentation as soon as they need it, keeping their operations on track.
Water Utility Services also improved internal documentation workflows, particularly for Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and compliance tracking.
“We have to keep an archive log because the files are with the state. If I access them, I have to document what I'm getting, who I'm getting it for, and sign and date it. This new system provides all of that. It tracks what I'm looking at and what the customer is looking at.”
Another pain point state-affiliated organizations like Water Utility Services deal with is audit preparation. Customers can have anywhere from 1 to 25 samples per month, and each requires five chain of custodies.
Before DocuXplorer, James had to:
Now, the entire process takes seconds.
“Now I just type in the public water system name to do a deep search and it pulls all those files within seconds. I don't even have to look for them.”
With audit requests occurring at least five times per month, this expedited document retrieval process saves hours of manual effort.
Water Utility Services is now focused on expanding its digital transformation efforts to further enhance efficiency and customer experience.
A key goal is to enable customers to directly access lab results without submitting a request, as well as knowing the status of documents at any stage of the process.
“Instead of customers having to ask, Is this report ready? Or if the customer comes back and says they didn't receive a report or they lost the report in an email…if I know it's in DocuXplorer, then I'm going to know where the process is.”
As the company grows, its collaboration with external partners will also benefit from automation. With DocuXplorer as the foundation for their digital document ecosystem, Water Utility Services is well-positioned for continued efficiency, compliance, and customer satisfaction.
