“You print the lease, schedule an appointment, have it signed, scan it again... that should be possible more efficiently, right?”
At Veenvesters, they thought the same thing. So the housing association started digital onboarding via Embrace's customer tracking system; Customers. The process is now fully digital and tenants and employees are reaping the benefits every day.
From handwork to clarity
Previously, Veenvesters worked with another supplier's rental app and the onboarding process consisted of many separate steps, spread across different departments. “This led to error sensitivity, loss of time and uncertainty,” says Ismahane Achkaoukaou, process specialist at Veenvesters. “We wanted to create an overview. For our tenants as well as for our colleagues.”
With Embrace's customer portal, Veenvesters got just that, a visual timeline where tenants can follow the progress of their onboarding step by step. Think of digitally signing the rental contract, paying the first rent and planning the key transfer. All in one portal, without the intervention of paper documents or separate emails.
This is how you get off to a good start with onboarding
Veenvesters started by outlining the ideal process. “We first determined internally what we wanted to achieve and what the experience should look like for both tenant and employee,” says Ismahane. “Then we started testing, refining and only went live when everything was really good.”
What they learned along the way? “Never plan your go-live just before the summer vacation. And always involve one or two people from the workplace in the project. They know exactly what's going on in practice; their input is indispensable.”
Efficiency first, with room for customization
Although the process is largely automated, there is always room for customization. “Sometimes you choose to let someone sign in the office anyway, for example with seniors or when a healthcare institution has to co-sign. That's just possible,” says Ismahane. “The system is flexible enough to also properly support those exceptions.”
What does it deliver? Peace and overview
Digital onboarding provides more than just saving time. At Veenvesters, it provided an overview, peace of mind and satisfied users, both tenants and employees. Those who want to get started themselves would do well to prepare the process properly: involve people from the workplace, choose a smart time to go live and make sure your technical and legal basis is in order. With these ingredients, you can make onboarding a smooth and valuable start to the rental journey.
.jpg)
