Het Kantoor van Morgen (The Office of Tomorrow) is a Belgian interior architecture firm specializing in redesigning and rebuilding office spaces. Their mission is to transform traditional offices into modern, efficient workspaces tailored specifically to their clients' needs. With a team of four owners and additional project management staff, they handle projects typically ranging from €300,000 to several million euros, focusing heavily on creating sustainable, future-ready environments.
Challenges before Planyard
Before adopting Planyard, the team at Het Kantoor van Morgen faced significant difficulties managing their financial processes. They experimented with various software tools but consistently struggled with incomplete functionalities that required manual adjustments in Excel. This reliance on spreadsheets introduced frequent miscalculations and errors, making it challenging to provide clear, accurate budget reporting to their clients.
"Before Planyard, we always had to export and continue working in Excel, leading to mistakes and incomplete data. We needed a solution that centralized everything." - Maarten Van Heucke, one of the company's owners.
Software selection process
Het Kantoor van Morgen went through a lengthy process of evaluating and testing various software solutions over several years. They explored multiple platforms, each promising comprehensive functionality but ultimately falling short in crucial areas.
Most of these alternatives required the team to export data and perform additional manual work in Excel, leading to the very inefficiencies and errors they were trying to avoid. The lack of complete integration and functionality across estimating, budgeting, contract management, and reporting meant these tools were unsuitable for their growing needs.
"We tried multiple solutions, each for a year or two, but none offered a fully integrated solution. We always ended up exporting to Excel, which defeated the purpose." - Maarten explains.
Choosing Planyard
Ultimately, Maarten and his team chose Planyard because it offered exactly what they needed—a fully integrated, end-to-end solution designed specifically for construction and renovation projects. Planyard provided seamless functionality across estimation, budgeting, contracts, and ongoing budget tracking, eliminating the need for manual data exports or adjustments.
"The flexibility and completeness of Planyard stood out. Also, their support team’s responsiveness to adapt the software to our specific workflow convinced us we had found the right partner."
Implementation and ease of use
The initial setup involved some upfront preparation, but the ongoing process was straightforward once the initial templates and structures were in place. Maarten emphasizes the ease of use after the initial phase:
"Once you prepare the initial detailed estimation and templates, the rest just flows. It’s crucial to spend a bit more time upfront, but it simplifies everything down the line."
Adopting Planyard was initially met with some hesitation, especially among team members accustomed to traditional Excel-based methods. However, as the benefits became clear, employee buy-in quickly followed.
"Initially, some preferred Excel because it seemed easier. But once they saw how Planyard reduced mistakes and simplified reporting, everyone understood the value and adapted quickly."
Impact and benefits
Planyard has significantly improved efficiency and accuracy for Het Kantoor van Morgen. By eliminating manual data entry errors, the team now delivers precise and transparent financial reports to their clients, building trust and reducing confusion.
"Previously, mistakes meant uncomfortable conversations with clients. Now, those errors are virtually eliminated. The peace of mind this brings to the team is invaluable."
The platform also saves substantial time, enabling the team to spend more energy on value-driving activities instead of administrative tasks. As Maarten explained, "Planyard gives our clients a clear, detailed financial picture at any moment during a project. It eliminates misunderstandings and shows them exactly where their money is going." Clients consistently respond positively, feeling reassured that their projects are thoroughly managed.
"Clients are amazed when they see the depth and clarity we offer through Planyard. It immediately boosts their confidence in our processes."
Overall, Planyard has significantly elevated both internal workflows and external perceptions of professionalism and reliability for Het Kantoor van Morgen.
Helping clients see the best project scenarios clearly
Planyard’s scenario-building feature has been transformative for Het Kantoor van Morgen. This capability allows the team to easily compare different contractors' offers, present clearly defined scenarios, and quickly demonstrate the financial impact of various options to clients.
"The scenario functionality helps us quickly illustrate the impact of choosing different contractors," Maarten explains. "It’s intuitive, fully connected, and far more effective than our previous Excel-based solutions."
Maarten emphasizes how scenarios streamline the tendering process: "With Planyard, everything is connected. You simply click on a line to view and compare contractor quotes immediately. It’s powerful and simplifies decision-making for our clients."
Outstanding support
Another highlight of Maarten’s experience with Planyard has been the high-quality customer support. The responsive support team actively collaborated with the firm, adapting the software based on feedback during implementation:
"In our initial months with Planyard, the team actively engaged with us to refine the product to our specific needs. Their responsiveness and adaptability made all the difference."
Future growth and improvements
Looking forward, Maarten sees Planyard as essential to professionalizing their operations and supporting future growth. He suggests ongoing improvements, particularly in export functionalities and easier handling of complex project scenarios, but remains highly satisfied:
"Planyard supports our evolution, minimizes mistakes, and positions us as a professional, trustworthy partner for our clients. It's key to our growth strategy."
In Maarten's words
"Planyard is the complete financial evolution of a project from start to finish. It’s straightforward, professional, and builds client trust through accuracy and transparency. It’s exactly what we needed."