How Fyrfasen successfully digitized its paper invoices

After the very first invoicing run with Billogram, it was clear that they had surpassed their internal goal of 60% digital invoices. In total, they saw a 33% reduction in the number of paper invoices during the first five months. During the same period, the number of direct debit customers also increased by 31%. This is a change that customers can easily make themselves, directly on the digital invoice, without the need for a form or unnecessary manual steps.

In the interview, Thomas explains his perspective on why they succeeded, what prompted the company’s digitization offensive, and what they are now looking forward to with Billogram's service.

Thomas Pedersen, Head of Customer Service at Fyrfasen Energi

What made you look for a new provider?

“We wanted to work with a partner who could clearly drive the digitization issue for us in this area and who had our end customer in mind. We want to be as digital as possible so we can spend time creating customer value where human presence is most beneficial. There is also, of course, an environmental aspect to this; everyone needs to think about reducing prints and postal mailings. So, we looked for a partner who was at the forefront.”

How was Billogram different from your previous provider?

“We came from a traditional print partner and therefore hadn’t realized how big a difference Billogram would actually make, as you offer so much more. This meant the project became a bit bigger than expected, but it has definitely been worth it, given the results. I, and many others, were convinced the whole time that this was going to be good.”

Was this one of your larger digitization projects?

“Yes, as a project, absolutely. But despite its scope, we have learned an incredible amount from this, which we will take with us moving forward. We had worked on digitizing paper invoices before, but back then the distribution was the opposite of today, with over 70% on paper and a slow pace of change.”

How has the collaboration with Billogram been?

“It has worked well, and we all agree that the willingness has really been there, even in cases where things haven't gone as smoothly as we hoped. But as someone in our company said: 'I don't think I've ever been with a company that wanted to help so much.'”

You quickly met your digitization goals. How were you so successful?

“First, we were proactive and communicated the change well in advance. In connection with this, we ran a campaign where we donated SEK 10 to the Swedish Childhood Cancer Foundation for every customer who switched to a digital invoice. This led many to convert even before the switch. Then, we were quite aggressive and used Billogram's digitization tools. We started sending digital invoices to all customers who had provided an email address and could then track who opened and paid their digital invoice. These customers then continued to receive their invoices digitally, and this was quite a bold move on our part.”

How was this “offensive” received?

“Well, not many people chose to keep their paper invoice, but those who wanted to were, of course, allowed to. Customers have also called in after losing their invoices, and because Billogram creates a digital invoice for every paper invoice, customer service can send out a new one instantly via a link. In these cases, the customer realizes the convenience of a digital invoice and then switches. So, we've had these kinds of success stories!”

That sounds very positive.

“Yes, and we also have foreign customers with second homes in Sweden who appreciate getting their invoice digitally on the same day the invoicing is done. In addition, the Swedish postal service is changing, and you may not be able to expect mail delivery every day in the future.”

So you don’t regret your more aggressive strategy?

“I won't pretend that there weren't a lot of calls and emails; it certainly led to an initial increase in customer service cases. But this change is necessary for us to achieve our digitization goals—to create space for more valuable time with our customers. The environmental aspect is just as important; if we reduce the number of printed papers that need to be transported by truck and car, we are making a positive impact on the environment. It’s also important to remember that by doing this, we have modernized ourselves and helped our customers take a big step forward, and this includes customers of all ages. For us, it has also been very important that our customer feels secure with the solution.”

Do you know if it has become easier for customer service to handle payment cases?

“Yes, we see a big advantage with the timeline on the digital invoices, where all events related to the invoice are visible. This makes it easy for both parties to have a discussion about what has happened. It’s clear when the invoice was sent, if the payment failed, and so on.”

Are there any other benefits you’ve experienced with the service?

“First, we can now offer e-invoices directly when talking to the customer, which didn't work with our previous provider. It also makes it possible to offer digital business invoices via Billogram, so we are now facing an interesting digitization journey there.”

What do you hope to achieve with Billogram in the future?

“First, we want to settle into the new solution before we make more changes. Then, together with Billogram, we want to further refine the product. This is to meet the wishes in the creative feedback we have received from many customers. This includes things like the invoice’s design, number of pages, and so on. Our digitization work will also continue. I see great opportunities with the information box on the invoice, where the customer can easily convert to a digital invoice via SMS or QR code.”

Do you feel you can recommend Billogram to other companies?

“Yes, absolutely.”

Do you have any tips for others who are facing a change?

“My tip is to have a good understanding of the transition involved in switching to such a modern product and be ready to meet with customers in connection with the change. Communication is incredibly important; customers need to understand early on why we are making the switch and how it will work.”

Is there anything you would like to recommend about digitization?

“My tip is to start communicating what will happen well in advance and to be bold and proactive, if that is the goal. Otherwise, it will be slow and take a long time, as it did for us before. This was a real boost, and it turned out great.”

Do you feel you have become a more digital and modern energy company?

“We are a relatively small company that, through collaborations, tries to work with different types of changes. In this way, we can be quick-footed in an otherwise very traditional industry. Implementing a change like this also helps us stand out in a competitive industry.”

Have you been asked what it's like to be a Billogram customer?

“I remember our CEO, Cecilia, received comments about us switching to Billogram from people who were impressed that we were taking this step and daring to modernize.”

We are also very impressed with what you have accomplished and look forward to following your work in the future!

“Thank you very much!”

“We want to be as digital as possible so we can spend time creating customer value where human presence is most beneficial.” — Cecilia Norberg, CEO of Fyrfasen

Would you like to learn more about the results you can expect with Billogram's digital platform for invoices and payments? Contact us!