Accountancy Manacc, a family run accounting firm, has long been committed to delivering holistic accounting services to its clients for the past two generations. However, the complexities of ever-evolving regulations, the tough market for hiring new accountants, and the need to embrace digitalisation presented significant challenges. To address these, Manacc turned to Penneo, to transform their paper based accounting processes to a smooth digital integration.
“In an onboarding process there are quite some documents that need to be signed. By making sure that this process runs smoothly you immediately make a good impression and start that collaboration on a good basis. Penneo’s ease of use certainly helps to make an immediate fresh start with a new file.” – Jan Peeters, Director of Accountancy Manacc and certified tax accountant
Navigating regulatory complexities, labour shortages, and digitalisation
Accountancy Manacc faced numerous challenges, including navigating complex and ever-changing regulations, dealing with a tight labour market, and keeping up with rapid digitalisation.
“The complex regulations certainly pose a challenge for us. Those regulations are constantly changing,” said Jan Peeters stressing that maintaining quality amidst these changes was a major concern. “In themselves, changes are not so much of a problem, but the quality of those regulations often leaves a lot to be desired and it leads to a lot of legal uncertainty”, he added.
“In addition, we are also confronted with a very tight labour market, so finding enough skilled staff is a major challenge. That’s mainly because of the quality, which, well, must remain at the same level. And thirdly, digitalisation. Things are constantly changing”, Jan Peeters added.
The need for a streamlined document management process, especially during onboarding, was crucial to making a positive first impression and starting client relationships on the right foot.
Manacc’s move from paper to embracing digitalisation
Manacc was able to streamline the signing process, reducing the need for physical meetings and extra phone calls, reminding customers to sign and enabling faster turnaround times. “The ease of use of Penneo, that helps in letting things flow smoothly, with those documents being returned quickly, that is a much more pleasant way of working than having to call a customer ten times”, Jan Peeters reflects.
“The office, founded by my father in 1989, originally kept everything on paper. These cabinets are reminders from that era. We used to have much more, but now they mostly hold a collection of colors and aren’t used much. It’s amusing to see such artefacts now, as our office is almost fully digital.”
“We used to do a lot more on paper and this has now moved to the digital world. This also requires some critical attention because you can digitise for the sake of digitisation and we try to avoid that. So it should always be an added value, both for clients and for us”, said Jan Peeters.
Software integrations as a key to success
One of the reasons Mannac turned to Penneo was its ability to integrate with their existing Document Management System for their accounting services – M-Files. This integration was pivotal in transforming their work processes to meet clients’ expectations of an easy and efficient digital experience.
SoftAdvice, a certified delivery partner providing integration with M-Files and Penneo, has enabled Manacc to quickly adopt the transformation with M-Files for their accounting services. “The collaboration with Manacc is an interesting collaboration for SoftAdvice, because Jan has a very deep technical background, but also understands an accounting firm very well. So the combination of both ensures that we have a very good and interesting partner.” – shared Patrick Vervloesem, Managing Partner at SoftAdvice.
The implementation of Penneo brought tangible benefits to Manacc. “Now concretely, the integration of M-Files x Penneo during an onboarding process, will easily save us two to three hours per file. During the annual accounts cycle, this will easily save us one hour per file and this is every year”, said Jan Peeters. These time savings, when multiplied across numerous files, resulted in hundreds of hours saved for Manacc’s accountants.
Beyond the quantitative improvements, the quality of service experienced by clients improved significantly, with digital processes being perceived as much easier compared to traditional paper-based methods. “The pleasantness of the process and its smooth running are just as important. And customers also experience that”, Jan Peeters added.
About Accountancy Manacc
Accountancy Manacc, led by siblings Jan and Inge Peeters, has a rich history rooted in a family of accountants. Founded by their father in 1989, Manacc has grown into a reputable firm known for its commitment to quality and innovation. With Jan focusing on the technical aspects and Inge handling personnel policies, the duo has successfully navigated the evolving landscape of the accounting industry. Their collaboration and shared vision continue to drive Manacc forward, ensuring they remain at the forefront of digital transformation and regulatory compliance.
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