In the first two years that Middin worked with Elari, they saved more than €25,000 in bank fees. They have been using smart debit cards for employees since 2017 and are very satisfied with them. Elari has not only saved time and reduced paperwork; it has streamlined the entire workflow. Middin is virtually cashless and operates with just one bank account instead of 148.
In the past: a hundred small petty cash funds in use
In the past, Middin had a total of 148 bank accounts and 100 small petty cash funds in use. Each bank account had one debit card, which was managed by a budget holder. This budget holder, often a care manager, could only use the card to make debit card payments in stores or withdraw cash from an ATM. The cash available at the locations also created a significant administrative burden.
Middin’s action plan
Before Middin began searching for a suitable solution, it first wanted to clarify its objectives. Marja Noordermeer, a financial associate, helped roll out smart debit cards throughout Middin in 2017. The objectives were as follows:
- Less cash at the various locations.
- Fewer bank accounts.
- Fewer petty cash funds.
- Card ledgers only for small location- and client-specific expenses. Preferably, everything is invoiced through Elari Procurement.
- Also enable online payments.
- Fewer cash discrepancies.
How did Middin roll out smart payment cards?
Middin’s healthcare staff have been using smart payment cards for years now. Where they used to pay with cash, they now use the cards. This has allowed many small petty cash funds to be closed, and cash is hardly needed anymore. Marja explains: “Only our care locations with a retail function still keep a small amount of change. That’s all. Employees can no longer withdraw cash, and it’s working great!”
What are the initial results of this project?
In the first two years that Middin has been using smart payment cards, they’ve already achieved significant results. Since switching to Elari, various administrative burdens have been drastically reduced. The central administration also has real-time insight into employees’ expenses. Furthermore, Middin has been able to close a large number of bank accounts, since the smart payment cards can be linked to a single account.
The following results were achieved:
- 127 bank accounts closed.
- 100 of the 120 petty cash funds closed.
- Virtually all locations have switched to a single bank.
- 403 smart debit cards for employees are in use at the locations.
- €25,000 in savings on banking fees for 2019.
Current results
Marja explains: “Thanks to the cards, we have significantly fewer banking transactions and, consequently, lower associated costs. It also saves employees a lot of time because they no longer have to make purchases with cash. In addition, it saves the locations and the financial administration a lot of time and effort.”
“We use the cards for in-store payments and online transactions, among other things. It works well,” Marja continues. “Our HR department makes the most active use of the cards for their software licenses. That payment method was a must when we switched to Elari in 2017, and it’s still working to our satisfaction.”
“A simpler system for day-to-day expenses.”
Marja Noordermeer, Financial Associate at Middin
“Our workflow has also been simplified,” Marja explains. “We use various smart filters. This makes accounting for expenses very easy. For example, if an employee buys something at a supermarket, those costs are automatically posted to the ‘Food’ general ledger account. Our processes have become more user-friendly and efficient. Everything is easy to find, and we can really feel that we’re saving a lot of time.”
“A user-friendly expense process that works well and efficiently.”
Marja Noordermeer, Financial Associate at Middin
Marja also mentions a few other smart features that Middin uses. “We set a limit per card that we can temporarily increase. For team outings, employees can request an increase, which the financial administration can easily reset the next day. The cards are also automatically reloaded daily to a desired amount, ensuring there’s always enough money available for groceries.”
Middin makes smart use of the Elari app
In addition to specific settings for smart payment cards, Middin also uses the Elari app. That’s because Middin also works with Elari Purchase to Pay. You can read more about that in this Purchase to Pay success story. Marja: “The app isn’t just used frequently by care managers to complete online payments. Administrative staff also use it to add receipts to their expenses and review invoices. This allows all our employees to stay mobile, which is great.”
Meet Elari Expense
Elari Expense is a unique combination of smart employee debit cards and expense reporting software. Pay with the card when you can, submit an expense report when you have to. Of course, the Elari app comes in handy here. Curious about all the benefits of this future-proof approach to the traditional expense reporting process? Then read more about Elari Expense.
