Payt Certified Partner Visser & Visser

From the end of last year, Payt Certified Partner Visser & Visser has been using Payt’s software for its debtor management. Since then, they have seen enough evidence to speak of shifting payment morale among its customer base. Visser & Visser also offers Payt’s software from that moment on as an application for its own customers, including support with implementation and use. This expansion of services is a logical consequence of the growing demand for advice on automation and application use that is observable in accountancy.

Customers’ trust

Because Visser & Visser has set up its own management with Payt, customers automatically come into contact with its use as a debtor. The responses they give are often positive. “Our customers experience our debtor management as very professional and meticulous. Matters such as various payment methods and the fact that you as an administrator always remain in control of the communication contribute to this, ”says Timo van Houdt, Payt expert and implementation specialist at Visser & Visser.

“Because customers are increasingly knocking on their door with questions about digitisation and process optimisation, it takes little effort to convince customers to start using Payt themselves. We then support in the implementation and improvement of its use. Our Team Online - initially designed as support for the internal organisation - is constantly developing new ways to offer our customers the best service.

This fits seamlessly into the renewed services that you as an accountant nowadays want or even have to offer. Our customers - but companies and entrepreneurs in general - are increasingly looking for solutions to improve processes and are increasingly looking to their accountant. Our role is more that of an independent consultant than a commercial salesperson. Existentially, the expansion of services with support in the implementation and use of Payt affects our entire company, because that gives us as an accountant a strategic advantage. ”

Shift in payment behavior

As for any other accountancy firm, debtor management is an essential part of the organisation for Visser & Visser.

Van Houdt: “With an annual turnover of € 25 million and thousands of customers, our debtor management is one FTE; it requires a lot of work. For this reason, Payt has long been in the picture as a solution to streamline debtor management and the processes surrounding it. My arrival late last year created the momentum to integrate Payt into accounts receivable management and as part of our services. ”

The use of Payt has cut two sides for Visser & Visser: on the one hand, customers experience an improved and professional service from their accountant that goes beyond traditional accounting advice. On the other hand, Visser & Visser as an organisation benefits from better payment behaviour and easier debtor management. Van Houdt: “Our administration sees the optimisation of our debtor management reflected in an accelerated cash flow. It may be a little too early to speak of a causal relationship, but statistically we see that payment terms are shorter on average. ”

Smooth transition

Thanks to the commissioning of Payt, the debtor management of Visser & Visser has also been organised more efficiently. There is an improved rhythm in communication to customers. Establishing communication and status of processes increases the grip on getting customers (still) paid. The change that the use of Payt entails, initially caused some resistance from the organisation, but now it is silent.

Van Houdt: “In an organisation with three hundred people, countless opinions are buzzing, but recently I called our debtor manager. “Is everything okay, I can’t hear anything anymore?” I asked. To which her answer was: “There is also nothing at all. It is just going well! “An important indication for management. After all, she and her team are the people who work directly with it. ”

Culture cover

What has helped determine the successful change of Visser & Visser is that from the start management has focused on careful communication and paying attention to the required culture change. “We communicated clearly to customers about the reasons for starting with Payt. What will change, why and what will they notice, ” says Van Houdt.

“At the same time, we have internally steered a new way of working. Until now, our relationship managers took up contact about debtors. Our signal was: as an organisation we will support the use of Payt, where centralisation of management is important, as well as structured communication and a focus on data. Then we have to wait and see how it works out, but by indicating: ‘debtor management now determines the course of events’ and the ‘stay-from-my-customer-syndrome goes out the door’, we have very quickly successful our way of management. ”