[Case study] How to optimize processes to increase cash flow

The world of business has a thousand facets. Some of these facets are so important that they can be the beginning of the end. Or, optimistically, the beginning of success.

As we all know, cash flow is vital... even essential. But how do you gain cash flow? Entrepreneurs don't always know.

When Antony Bouteiller, head of Assistance Frigorifique, took over the family business, he embarked on a new adventure with many ambitions and one major imperative: he had to deal with what already existed.

So, how do you optimize the processes of a successful small business? How do you streamline and rethink a structure that has been in existence for 25 years? In this interview, Antony Bouteiller takes a look back at the Assistance Frigorifique team, and explains why he turned to Evoliz for support.

See all software Treasury Management System

Assistance Frigorifique in a nutshell

Assistance Frigorifique was founded in 1994 and is based in the industrial zone of Saint Gelais, France. The company specializes in servicing refrigeration systems for both private customers (air conditioning, heat pumps) and professionals (industry, catering, food processing, refrigeration companies). The company's aim is to offer its customers quality services, thanks to high-performance equipment and a qualified workforce. Today, seven people work every day to satisfy their customers.

Logistical and organizational difficulties impact cash flow

When he decided to take over the family business, Antony Bouteiller was faced with 3 major issues :

• The software equipment is managed locally, and is also costly and energy-intensive. As Antony is based in Toulouse, he works largely remotely, which means he needs to have access to the company's management system everywhere, all the time.
  
• 3 different tools are used to manage sales, accounting and quotations. He realizes that these tools are not interconnectable, and he sees a loss of time (triple entry of the customer base) and an increased risk of error.
  
• The manager has no overall view of his accounting situation. He would like to monitor his sales and purchases in real time, in order to anticipate the company's financial situation and highlight areas for improvement.

Implementing the right software

On the strength of a rich professional experience and a mastery of management software dedicated to large groups, Antony Bouteiller set out to find a similar software solution, but adapted to smaller structures. After testing nearly 5 different software solutions, he set out in 2019 to discover Evoliz. By virtue of its DNA, Evoliz solves several of the manager's problems:

• firstly, its SaaS mode (100% online, no downloads), which enables him to manage everything remotely,
  
• secondly, the range of functions (sales, purchasing, banking) that make it possible to centralize the entire business on a single software package. He also found in Evoliz several functions that are rare in general-purpose software, notably status invoices and simplified stock management, which are essential to his business.

Among the software initially tested, some went further in the functionalities offered, but the heaviness and complexity of use did not suit Antony's team. Accountant, sales representative, technician... at Assistance frigorifique, everyone has to be able to use the software... and without a knot in the brain!

After a few exchanges with customer service to extend the trial period and test the data import function, Antony went ahead and chose the banana software!

Streamline your cash flow... But how?

Clean, compliant data

The choice of a software solution also depends on the guarantees it provides. The evolution of the tool, together with that of legislation, is a guarantee of quality. However, it is possible for software publishers to go a step further by submitting to an annual audit to obtain NF203 certification - the law against VAT fraud.

Every entrepreneur is aware that non-compliant documents can lead to numerous inconveniences for the company (more frequent unpaid invoices, inability to seek legal recovery, tax audits...).

Antony Bouteiller has therefore taken advantage of this software change to secure its sales process: general sales conditions are automatically added to each quotation , delivery notes are created with a single click, invoices include all mandatory information...

Thanks to NF203 certification, Evoliz puts safeguards in place within the software itself. There's no room for error. As a result, Assistance Frigorifique is guaranteed to invoice legally !

Improve prospect-to-customer conversion

Antony Bouteiller comments: "The ability to accept quotes online, in web document format, was one of the main qualities of the software that led me to choose Evoliz.

With more precise and comprehensive management of quotations, the company manager has been able to secure his sales process and now has an official commitment document. The quotation is sent via web document, and the prospect can easily accept it, put it on hold or refuse it. The Assistance Frigorifique team validates receipt of the document, visualizes its status and acts accordingly: an effective method for converting new customers. It also provides visibility on the conversion rate and order book in real time. A plus for your company's financial management!

Invoicing: save time... and money!

Every day you delay invoicing a customer is a day lost in cash flow. The ideal solution is to invoice immediately, as soon as the work has been completed. The digital tool can save time not only in creating the invoice, but also in sending the document : on Evoliz, directly by email, by post, by digital fax or even via Chorus Pro for public administration customers. In just a few clicks, the application takes care of everything. As invoices are sent more quickly, they are paid more quickly.

For example, the manager of Assistance Frigorifique notes that "Before, there could be a delay of 2 or 3 weeks, or even 1 month, between the end of the intervention and invoicing. Today, on the 31st of the month, we have invoiced for the whole month".

And to speed up collection even further, customers can pay their invoices directly online via PayPal, Payzen or Stripe ( Payplug to come) , or be debited by the company via its connection to GoCardless.

"This has enabled us to reduce DSO by 60%.

Track your supplier expenses at a glance!

See all software Treasury Management System

It's clear that to keep his cash flow under control, Antony needs to know in real time the status of his past and future expenses. Although Assistance Frigorifique has not yet invested 100% in purchasing, the company manager is already aware that he has considerably improved the traceability of his expenses.

They can now :

• know the status of their supplier invoices: outstanding, paid, overdue, etc.
• have almost direct visibility of their expenses and the respective weight of each category, so they can rationalize if necessary.
• monitor supplier price trends to negotiate contracts and reduce costs .

We often forget that a good relationship with our suppliers is as essential as with our customers. That's why it's so important to respect their payment deadlines, in order to :

• ensure the durability and quality of your collaboration - and why not negotiate special payment terms,
• keep the entire sales process running smoothly .

After more than a year's use of the Evoliz software, the results are positive for the Assistance Frigorifique team, and progress is easily measurable. For Antony Bouteiller, remote management of the company and daily monitoring are now possible thanks to "a simple tool and a pleasant interface". But changing tools is - very often - a difficult step! Shaking up work habits, training employees... it's tough! For Assistance Frigorifique, thanks to Evoliz, expense claims are reimbursed more quickly, and the free online training courses got the team on board in no time... And with a smile on their faces! A healthier cash position and greater peace of mind, with an average of + €22,000 at the end of each month!