Business drivers
BOC, a leading gas and engineering company, wanted transactions to be as seamless as possible for its customers.
It adopted Peppol eInvoicing to:
- improve invoice processing efficiency
- enhance the overall customer experience.
A pilot with a small group of customers quickly showed eInvoicing was not only viable but helpful. The instant improvement in payment times and positive customer feedback prompted a broader rollout.
Implementation approach
With limited IT resources – a common challenge for large companies – BOC took a pragmatic approach. Using existing data flows and partners to integrate eInvoicing, it treated eInvoicing as another invoice delivery channel. The company’s strong electronic data interchange (EDI) foundation:
- enabled this low-cost, low-disruption model
- meant eInvoicing was in place in a matter of weeks.
The results drove internal change management: the finance team reported faster payments and high operational efficiency, which helped secure further buy-in across the business.
BOC made onboarding as seamless as possible for customers, increasing satisfaction and adoption rates.
Access point and cost considerations
Access point options are growing, making it easier than ever for companies of all sizes and technical capabilities to use Peppol eInvoicing.
BOC selected its access point early in the process, applying the same thinking as for EDI – standardise rather than reinvent the wheel.
The cost of setup was minimal, and the process was more efficient than most large-scale system deployments.
Business benefits and customer impact
The positive effect of eInvoicing was immediate for BOC. Customer payment times dropped, and over 80% of customers rated their eInvoicing experience at 4 or 5 stars. Some requested an end to PDF or paper invoices altogether, preferring the streamlined digital experience.
For small business customers especially, the benefit was tangible: automation replaced manual tasks like downloading, printing and rekeying invoice data. The result was easier and faster payments.
Looking ahead
BOC continues to see organic growth in eInvoicing uptake as new customer requests come in. The goal now is to build critical mass across the business landscape, and enable the 'one-to-many' advantage of the Peppol network.
Key advice
BOC’s message to other large businesses is simple: 'Treat eInvoicing as an extension of existing EDI practices. Engage your software providers early and focus on simplicity over complexity. The benefits, cost efficiency, speed and customer satisfaction are worth the leap'.