Sunriver Resort issues employee reimbursements using Zelle®
Client Story: Sunriver Resort
About Sunriver Resort
Sunriver Resort is a 3,300-acre all-seasons getaway destination and conference center offering renowned golf, award-winning spa services, suites and condominiums, and outdoor pool facilities. Located just 15 miles south of Bend, Ore., surrounded by the Deschutes National Forest, the resort is growing along with the area’s business and population.
In addition to managing the resort operations, the company houses the local airport, operates several eateries on premises and runs a realty business.
- The challenge: Transition to a more efficient and secure method for issuing employee reimbursements
- The solution: U.S. Bank Disbursements via Zelle®
A more efficient payment process
Sunriver Resort was looking for a way to save time and costs associated with employee reimbursement payments, which the company had traditionally made by check. The company wanted to reduce the time accounts payable staff devoted to issuing reimbursement checks and that executives were spending approving those payments. Another goal was eliminating the need for employees to pick up and cash those checks.
Because Sunriver Resort, with its small team, also didn’t want to worry about storing people’s bank account information, it began evaluating Zelle® as a payment alternative.
Transitioning from paper to digital
Sunriver Resort started looking for ways to use Zelle® payments after hearing about the network and its advantages from U.S. Bank, a Zelle Network® partner.
Because the company does all its banking with U.S. Bank, it was only logical to work with the bank on the Zelle® project.
The Zelle Network® allows businesses to send money using only the recipient’s U.S. mobile phone number or email address. It eliminates the costs of printing and mailing checks and avoids the risks associated with collecting and storing payee bank account information needed to initiate the same payments through the Automated Clearing House (ACH) network. Zelle® would give Sunriver the ability to directly transmit funds from its bank account to the accounts of its employees, making those funds instantly available.
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The convenience factor
Sunriver initially introduced Zelle® reimbursements as an option for department managers, who have travel expenses and receive reimbursements as often as twice a month. They’ve loved it, particularly since a number of them work off-property and a digital payment option eliminates extra trips into the office.
Word of the convenience of digital reimbursements spread quickly — the managers were great spokespeople for Zelle® — and Sunriver now offers this alternative to check payments to the rest of its employees.
The dollar volume of Sunriver’s Zelle® digital transactions has been on the rise, climbing from a little less than $66,000 in 2021 to more than $712,000 in 2024. In the latter year, 39 employees received Zelle® reimbursements.
Keeping payments secure
The ability to avoid storing sensitive information on Sunriver’s own servers — which the company would have to do if it made electronic payments via the ACH — was a compelling benefit and has been a major plus from a risk management perspective.
A streamlined payments solution
With Zelle®, Sunriver has increased the efficiency of its employee expense reimbursement payment process.
Zelle® is an easy tool to use, according to the accounts payable staff. They prepare the batch, get it approved online by Sunriver executives, send it over to the bank, and the payment is immediately deposited into the recipient’s account. And, importantly, they don’t have to worry about storing payees’ personal information — something the company’s IT and security people appreciate.
For more information about Zelle® and other payment innovation options, check out this overview from the treasury management team at U.S. Bank.
Are you ready to discuss Zelle® or other faster payment options?
Making faster payments helps organizations of all types improve their internal team functions and the customer experience. Talk to a U.S. Bank expert about Zelle® and other digital payment options today.
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