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Figures tell the story of a business. At SBB, they firmly believe in this. And with the rollout of Bizzcontrol they make those figures even more comprehensible for their clients. “Essential, because our role is shifting from accountant to advisor,” say CEO Raf Dom and product manager corporate finance Kirsten Buermans.
Raf has been CEO of SBB for a year and a half, and was already working for the accountancy and advisory group for almost ten years prior. The challenge, says Raf, is to make your advice resonate even better with your client. “Plus: to offer even broader advice. Relieve your client as much as possible.”
“For that, you need the right people. And yes, we also struggle with the tight labor market. Recently, I was at a networking event with 600 entrepreneurs, and they all have the same issue: finding staff.”
Offices with 25 employees are ideal
“The accountancy sector in Flanders continues to consolidate. SBB is now a large organization with nearly 600 employees, and we aim to strengthen this position to continue providing optimal care for our clients. We have a four-year acquisition path in mind, during which we expect to expand to 900 employees. What is important in this regard is that we remain strongly locally anchored.”
“On the one hand, we want to expand our existing offices. We currently have 26 offices, some of which still have growth potential. By striving for offices with about 25 employees, we can optimally organize service delivery for our clients. On the other hand, we are focusing on broadening our offerings.”
“However, we do not let ourselves be rushed. The acquisition market is on fire, and at SBB we try to remain calm. This way, we take care of our budgets and strive for integration of acquired offices.”
One-stop shop for all customers
“We are also expanding our services to meet the growing expectations of our customers. For the agriculture and horticulture sectors, we are already the one-stop-shop. We want to roll out this model for other sectors as well. Through acquisitions, we can accelerate in this respect. However, we will always remain critical. Rather than a quick acquisition, we want to be sure that the offering meets our customers' expectations and that successful integration is possible.”
“And to elevate our services to an even higher level, we are also acquiring the best tools. Silverfin and Bizzcontrol are perfect examples of this.”
Conversation with the customer changes
“We chose Silverfin to make our closings more efficient, replacing tools we had developed ourselves. Silverfin optimizes the entire closing process and helps us meet all compliance requirements, leaving more time for advisory consultations. To explain the figures to the client, analyze, and look to the future, we have chosen Bizzcontrol.”
“And we did not take this lightly,” says Kirsten. “First, we mapped out exactly what we and our clients need, and then we compiled a shortlist of tools that meet those requirements. We tested them. Bizzcontrol came out on top, and fits perfectly with Silverfin.”
“Even before Bizzcontrol, of course, we talked about numbers during the annual discussions. We reviewed the balance sheet and income statement, based on statutory reporting.”
“With Bizzcontrol we can partly move away from that. When we discuss expenses with the client, the most important ones automatically appear at the top in Bizzcontrol. You don’t start with the first line of the chart of accounts, but with what is most important for the company. This changes your conversation with your client.”
No old and new way, everyone through Bizzcontrol
SBB launched Bizzcontrol for a limited number of larger clients. "At each office, we involved people in the story," says Raf. "Shortly thereafter, we decided to activate Bizzcontrol for all companies. No 'old' and 'new' method. This is easily accepted because our colleagues notice that Bizzcontrol and Silverfin form a great tandem."
Kirsten: “By better visualizing the figures, we can discover opportunities and risks together with the company. Although figures may not seem exciting at first glance, they bring your company's story to life when presented correctly.”
Not only the income statement and balance sheet, but also cash flow
“A question we often get: I am doing well, my revenue is increasing, so why don't I see that reflected in my account? You could build a whole Excel sheet for that, but Bizzcontrol shows you cash flow much faster and clearer. It is such a value-add because the tool perfectly fits the shifting role of the accountant: from bookkeeper to advisor.”
“The analyses you present to your client from Bizzcontrol are the ideal conversation topics,” agrees Raf. “Think, for example, of the evolution of direct and indirect costs over the years and the impact on the margin. That is exactly what the client wants to discuss with their accountant. It is no longer about statically reviewing the profit and loss statement.”
Little training required to use it
Implementing a new tool in an organization with 26 offices and 600 employees. Easy, Kirsten? “Well, we are in an environment that is constantly changing. Our colleagues have already encountered so many new tools, it's understandable that there is sometimes some fatigue. You have to anticipate this and be certain when selecting your tools. Ultimately, such a tool needs to be integrated into your daily operations and become as indispensable as your pen or laptop.”
“What enhances acceptance is that Bizzcontrol is so intuitive. You don't need much training. This allows us to shift our focus from the technical use of the tool to the practical application of it during the advisory meeting.”
“The Bizzcontrol team has supported us fantastically in this regard. Nicholas and Kerensa have handled all the training.”
Bizzcontrol not just for larger clients
“Some larger clients today create their own management reports in Excel based on figures we provide. Such reporting can now be done for them via Bizzcontrol. But it's certainly not only the large ones who are interested.”
“For instance, we have a smaller construction company. The business leader finds looking at the figures once a year insufficient. Rightly so. Together with the client, we have determined their personal KPIs, which they monitor in Bizzcontrol. In this way, they, together with their accountant, detect risks faster and make better choices.”
The question is sometimes present, but the need is almost always there.
Kirsten: “It is also our role to spark interest in financial analysis among entrepreneurs. Not every client explicitly asks for it, but that doesn't mean it's not valuable. If you demonstrate the added value of tools like Bizzcontrol in an understandable way, you can often convince them.”
Everyone is an entrepreneur
SBB counts a large number of agriculture and horticulture businesses among its clients. “Good for 35% of our revenue,” says Raf. “They are SMEs with specific challenges, who encounter similar issues as other companies. In that sector, they are often already very close to the numbers, so the use of Bizzcontrol can be an advantage.”
“Besides SMEs and agriculture and horticulture enterprises, organizations in the social profit sector also benefit from Bizzcontrol. Larger non-profits request their own license to be able to track their budgets monthly.”
Are tools like Bizzcontrol and Silverfin an asset in the war for talent? “Young accountants expect you to have the best and newest tools,” says Raf. “They have been introduced to them during their education and want to continue using them in their jobs. As an employer, you must keep up.”
Proud of what we do
A pet project of Raf is the image of accountancy. “You often hear: ‘the tax authorities are difficult, the deadlines are a burden’. Sometimes we present ourselves too negatively. And yes, there are challenges. But the deadlines and the tax authorities are not going to disappear, it is up to us to deal with them as best as possible.”
“To attract young people, we must improve our PR. In my New Year's message at SBB, I emphasized that we should project more pride. Through our advice, our clients grow in revenue, staff, services, and profitability. We should be proud of that.”
“Imagine if there were no accountants. Who would support the businesses? I have handled many cases in the past. The best part is when someone starts a company and five years later has ten employees and opens a second location. That’s why we do it.”
Kirsten: “It is sometimes said that the job of an accountant will not mean much anymore because everything is being automated. That's not true. The profession goes hand in hand with digitization, and new tools open up new opportunities to support businesses even better.”
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