This case study was first published on our partner’s website, Økonomibistand.no, and you can read the article in Norwegian here.
If we are to slow down the pace of the negative climate development, it is crucial that everyone – including organisations and businesses – contribute by changing the way we work.
The Norwegian congress and events agency, Fjell og Fjord Konferanser AS, has a strong focus on the environment. In this interview, Visma partner Økonomibistand, sat down with one of their customers to talk about how one of the largest events agencies in Norway has become more environmentally friendly by switching to a cloud-based system:
Hi, Renate! Can you tell us a little about who you are and what your company does?
– Of course! I’m Renate Ellingsen and I have worked at Fjell og Fjord Konferanser (Mountains and Fjords Conferences) during the last 19 years, the last year as a General Manager.
It all started in 1994 as a family-run company and today we are 12 employees. We are one of the largest congress and events agencies in Norway, and we assist companies and organisations with smaller and larger events, both here at home and abroad.
How exciting! Many of your customer references emphasize efficiency in what you deliver. Are you equally efficient “behind the scenes”?
– Before we switched to Visma.net ERP, we had a server-based system, which generated a huge amount of paper every year. It was also very time-consuming and difficult to keep up with the bookkeeping at all times.
A big plus is that the accounts do not generate as much paper anymore. This is positive for both the environment and the economy!
Also read: Can a robot be sustainable?
What would you highlight as the one thing that slowed down the process the most?
– Manual filing is the activity that stole most of our time before we transitioned to a cloud-based system. This was often given a lower priority during hectic periods, meaning that when you finally sat down to do the task, it was a large pile of paperwork that took a lot of time to work through.
It was the same thing with payroll, filing and not least the manual process of online bank transfer payments — it took a lot of time.
It sounds like you have freed up valuable time by transitioning to the cloud! How did the process of switching to Visma.net ERP and Payroll begin?
– It started with the desire to keep up with the times, and making a hectic everyday life more efficient was the main motivation.
At the same time, we wanted to eliminate paper vouchers and reduce our paper consumption, which is also grounded in our “Miljøfyrtårn” (Eco-lighthouse) certification that we were awarded in 2019.
That is awesome, and something to be very proud of! Waste reduction is the most important thing we can do to combat the environmental problems associated with waste – and reducing paper consumption is a good example of this. How was the decision-making process, did it take long?
– I have thought about changing the system for a long time, it’s something I have been thinking about for the last few years.
When I was stepping into the CEO position, I felt like I just had to get started with this process as I needed to streamline my workday and solve my tasks in a more efficient manner. From that starting point, the decision-making process itself did not take very long.
– Both Visma.net ERP and Payroll have freed up huge amounts of time for us – and I’m almost always up to date with all bookkeeping.
Did you consider other systems in your evaluation process?
– We have had Visma Global in the past and were happy with it. I also suspected that the process of moving all information over into a new system would be easier.
I looked at other solutions to compare, but I quickly decided on Visma. Also, we have been a customer at ØkonomiBistand for a long time, and so I had no reason for switching suppliers as we have always been very satisfied collaborating with them. They are good at following up, offer a high level of knowledge and good service.
Also read: Work smarter with digital solutions.
We are very glad to hear such feedback – thank you very much! How would you say the delivery process of the systems has been?
– The delivery has gone smoothly, we have received very good service and follow-up through the entire process. Some smaller issues during the “moving process” have appeared, but it has always been solved in a good way.
Everyone I have been in contact with when implementing both Visma.net ERP and Payroll has been incredibly nice and service-minded.
– Not least, it’s positive that employees get the paycheck directly in the app, especially with regards to GDPR.
Finally, is there anything you would like to say that might be of help to others who are thinking about switching to cloud-based systems?
– It was a scary idea to go from something safe to something more “unknown” when it came to something as important as the company’s accounts. But, I have been guided safely through the entire process and today I am incredibly pleased with the choice we made.
Both Visma.net ERP and Payroll have freed up huge amounts of time for us – and I’m pretty much always up to date with all bookkeeping. Not least, it is positive that employees get the paycheck directly in the app, especially with regards to GDPR. A big plus is that the accounts do not generate as much paper anymore. It is positive for both the environment and the economy!
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