Quick implementation and launch of a new business thanks to effective collaboration between the business owners, the accountant, and the WFM provider: In this case study, you’ll learn how we quickly got a new business up and running through effective collaboration.
Albert Heijn Groen (a multi-franchise company with stores in Almkerk, Strijen, and Puttershoek) recently faced a difficult challenge: Following the acquisition of the Puttershoek store, the new location had to be “migrated” very quickly into the administrative and human resources management systems of the existing stores and organization. A process that normally takes months was successfully completed in three weeks.
What makes this case and the transition to the new business a success? We spoke with Dennis Groen and Robin Groen, entrepreneurs and owners of the businesses; Stef van Dijk (management consultant at R&R); and Jorrit Jansen, a payroll accountant at the accounting and administrative firm Vermetten.
“Overall, the implementation and launch of the new store went very well. We already had experience with Loket and R&R in our other two stores, whereas the previous owner in Puttershoek used different systems. It’s important to note that this was a takeover of an existing, ‘active’ store—not a store that had been closed for a while and then reopened.”
This presents a number of challenges, such as contamination with outdated information and the transition from existing to new systems and work processes. For this reason, too, it was exciting to see if we could get the first payroll payment out on time. Fortunately, we were able to do so, thanks to the hard work of R&R and Vermetten.
When you take over an existing business, you want to be sure that employees are paid correctly and on time starting with their first new pay period. The takeover of the store by other business owners creates uncertainty for the employees, which is precisely why they—and we—must be able to rely on accurate pay. We had also spoken with other business owners here and heard that this often leads to challenges and problems. In this process, you’re always dependent on various parties, and that can quickly lead to delays. For example, certain required information was provided very late by the Albert Heijn organization.
“Fortunately, thanks to our many years of successful collaboration, we have short lines of communication with R&R and Vermetten. Together, we set the right priorities, made the right decisions, and acted quickly. That’s how we managed to get everything up and running in a short amount of time. That was an important first step, and now we can continue to build on that foundation and further improve the system and our work processes based on our ongoing insights.
It was great to see how everyone was involved in the project, including former employees, such as the supermarket manager. Using the existing store in Almkerk as the starting point for the entire process helped tremendously in speeding things up. That way, you don’t have to start from “zero.” We were able to adopt the entrance, the layout, and so on from an existing, proven concept all at once. That was one of the reasons we were successful in such a short time.”
“The same applies to Vermetten and R&R and our mutual coordination: Subsequent projects always move faster than the first ones. This is partly because we know each other well and understand the goals, the layout, the mapping, and the business. That’s the foundation we can build on. We’ve also gained a great deal of knowledge and experience on the Albert Heijn Groen side. This has enabled us to work faster on all fronts.”
“Working with user-friendly systems also helps. The supermarket manager quickly got the hang of R&R; it was truly ‘plug and play’ and ready to use. Employee adoption of the job app went smoothly. Word-of-mouth “promotion” was key to making them aware of the app’s benefits, and they were naturally curious about their pay stubs when they received their first paycheck from a new employer. It was important to build trust with that first paycheck, and we managed to do that without any issues.”
“This positive outcome is due to several factors. We had quick access to the previous management team of the selling company and were able to consult effectively with Stef from R&R. We had all the necessary information to successfully launch R&R and its management system. Together with Jorrit from Vermetten, we considered how best to integrate the employees into Loket. It was easy and pleasant to make the switch quickly. When speed is of the essence, collaboration is truly important. We found the process to be a positive experience, and the result reflects that. Considering the tight deadline—setting up a new store usually takes at least 2–3 months—we achieved a great result with a rollout that took just 3 weeks.”
“The biggest advantage for us as business owners is that we spend less time on administrative tasks and dealing with confusion about systems and work methods. Everything was set up from the start, so we were able to focus on improving the quality of our business. As a result, we quickly saw improvements in the quality of our business.”
Our quick transition from being entrepreneurs to focusing on R&R and matchmaking ensured a smooth collaboration. Everyone had the same goal in mind and was able to find common ground quickly, so there were no bottlenecks. That also provided a sense of calm. Sometimes there were issues with AH’s pace and a lack of clear communication regarding decisions and responsibilities. That could slow down progress, but in the end, everything settled into a rhythm very quickly and is working well.
"As business owners, we'd like to say thank you for the excellent service and your practical, proactive approach. We needed things done quickly, but everything went smoothly, and we're grateful for that!"
A successful implementation ensures support and a smooth transition to the (new) workforce management system. Nevertheless, many implementations fail or—due to various circumstances—never even get off the ground. Thanks to our extensive experience with a wide range of clients and implementations of all sizes, we have been able to continuously refine our approach. Would you like to learn more about our implementation process? If so, please don’t hesitate to contact us. We’re curious about your company and would love to talk with you.
