20 Year Vet Spills Vendor Secrets

When most companies review their vendor invoices, they assume the math checks out. But for those of us inside the audit process, it’s a different story entirely.

We sat down with Anita Spenst, one of the auditors at The Laundry Guy, to uncover what really happens when invoices are reviewed line by line – and how even well-run organizations end up paying for things they never agreed to. 

When “No Big Deal” Becomes a Big Deal

One of the earliest red flags Anita remembers came from a long-time Cintas account. “Every other audit,” she recalls, “they’d mix up Prep Advantage and Uniform Advantage. Prep was supposed to be $0.02, uniform $0.06 – but they’d flip them.”

That tiny difference? Huge when you’re counting thousands of garments. “It was always brushed off as no big deal,” Anita said. “But those pennies added up to real money, every single month.”

 The $39,000 Consolidated Billing Surprise 

Another audit revealed something even more shocking. “A client suddenly switched to consolidated billing,” Anita explained, “and the invoices stopped showing proper unit prices.”

After digging into the data alongside TLG’s founder, Cardin Spenst, the team discovered over $39,000 in overcharges. 

“That one was huge,” Anita said. “It was hidden in plain sight. If we hadn’t caught it, they never would’ve known.” 

Duplicate Charges, Hidden Fees, and Pushback

Duplicate service charges are another common find. “If a percentage fee was negotiated into a fixed rate,” Anita said, “vendors sometimes still charge both.”

And when caught? “Oh, they’ll argue. One vendor actually tried to explain inflation by comparing it to gas prices,” she laughed. “I had to point out: this isn’t fuel, it’s a uniform contract. The prices don’t change from state to state.” 

We Only Raised It 3% – The Classic Excuse

Anita’s heard it all. Her favorite excuse? “Oh, we only raised prices by 3%.”

In reality, the vendor had quietly applied that increase on top of hidden base fees, compounding the overcharge far beyond what was stated in the contract.

“That’s when I say, Okay, so you’re admitting there are hidden charges. Let’s talk about that.”

What CFO’s Miss Most

Even sharp financial teams can miss obvious issues because invoices look consistent month to month.

“Sometimes vendors double the usage but cut the unit price in half,” Anita said. “So the total charge stays the same, but the math underneath is completely wrong. The CFO just sees the same dollar amount and moves on.”

Her rule of thumb for any business owner:

“Start with the bottom line. If your total suddenly shifts, dig deeper. Look for new advantage programs or big jumps in usage. That’s where the problem starts.”

Final Thoughts

Every invoice tells a story, but it rarely tells the whole truth. What looks like a few cents here or there can add up to tens of thousands in unnecessary costs over time.

At The Laundry Guy, every audit goes line by line to make sure vendors bill exactly what was agreed, nothing more, nothing less.