The DocuSign Agreement Cloud helps freelancers become tax efficient

Temper is a Dutch award-winning scaleup digitising the freelance economy by cutting out paperwork.

Background

The Netherlands has a thriving freelance economy, with recent research showing that 1.1 million people now consider themselves as self employed, compared to just 600,000 in 2003. Amsterdam-based Temper operates an online platform where companies and freelance professionals can find each other.

Integrating eSignature from the DocuSign Agreement Cloud™ is dramatically simplifying the way freelancers make themselves available to the business community via Temper’s platform. This includes how they navigate processes like obtaining a VAT number from the Dutch Tax and Customs Administration.

The result is an accelerated process and a better user experience for freelancers by digitising offline processes.

 

Digitising the flexible work model in areas of retail and hospitality has proven so successful for Temper, they’re now expanding into logistics.

Identifying the problem

Temper’s online platform simplifies the flexible work process in the hospitality and retail sectors by cutting out the middle-man: clients simply post shifts online and freelancers (or FreeFlexers) can apply.

But Temper noticed that many FreeFlexers did not apply for a second shift after completing their first shift for a client because they needed a VAT number. The current application process regarding VAT numbers has not yet been digitised by the Dutch tax authority. It was a time-consuming and environmentally unfriendly process involving downloading, printing, completing, scanning and sending the relevant VAT application form to Temper.

35% of submitted forms had to be repeated due to mistakes.

Finding the way forward

To improve efficiency, reduce drop-off and enable FreeFlexers to start working for themselves, Temper turned to the DocuSign Agreement Cloud to automate interactions with FreeFlexers.

Choosing DocuSign’s Sign solution, Temper integrated both PowerForms and eSignatures into their website.

Bas de Muelemeester, CRM Manager at Temper, says, “Your ability to operate successfully as a business directly correlates to how easy you make it for people to do business with you.

It was important for us to modernise our processes in order for our users to succeed.”

Today, FreeFlexers complete and sign their VAT application forms hassle-free, directly through Temper’s website, minimising off-putting paperwork. It’s enabling them to easily apply for a VAT number.

The average time between the first and second shift is reduced by 44%.

Not only this, but Temper also cut the time the Temper team spend checking forms and increased the customer lifetime value of a FreeFlexer.

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Author
Mangesh Bhandarkar
GVP, Product Management
Published
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