From three partners to a growing firm

When Daniël joined DMVB in 2019, the firm had three partners and four employees. In the meantime, that has grown considerably. This growth brought with it a familiar challenge: finding suitable staff in and around Essen, just outside the major cities, proves not to be straightforward. Recruitment happens mainly through their own network. Digitalization thus became not just an extra tool, but a necessity to handle more work with the same team without losing client contact.

"Automation saves us an incredible amount of work today", says Daniël.

Removing repetitive work, without carelessness

This time savings allows DMVB to serve more clients without employees becoming overburdened. Yet Daniël guards the line between efficiency and thoroughness. Automation must never lead to incorrect or careless communication with clients. That's why DMVB, together with Oniroco, chose an approach where AI prepares work, but people retain final control.

A Belgian, reliable AI partner

DMVB now works with a wide range of accounting software such as Adminpulse, Exact Online, Billit, etc. Public software such as ChatGPT is not permitted for use: answers can come from the wrong jurisdiction, and what is correct in the Netherlands is not always correct in Belgium. Daniël therefore prefers to call Oniroco "the ChatGPT for accountants", because the platform works with Belgian databases and does not make sensitive information public.

In practice, Oniroco proposes an answer as a draft in the mailbox. Automatic sending is deliberately disabled; each answer is first read and reviewed.

"I no longer have to search for it myself during emails, because the AI searches for it for me. A good example of this was 'triangular trade within VAT' where I was still curious about the answer the AI would give. I'm often amazed at the accuracy that comes out and is immediately prepared in my mailbox."

Before DMVB began processing data in AI, Oniroco created an AI policy and rolled out an AI policy in the firm. This protects colleagues against incorrect use of AI and ensures everything is in order for the EU AI Act.

Monthly optimization, step by step

Every month, during the first six months of the collaboration, DMVB sits down with Oniroco to discuss new agents and time loss. This allows the team to systematically grow in their use of the platform and to progress further in its implementation each month. Access to AI features is deliberately phased: senior staff have more scope than juniors, who must first build up sufficient basic knowledge to critically assess answers.

Human contact as a flagship

Despite all automation, personal contact remains central at DMVB. Clients are seen in person at least once a year, often around year-end closing, and many prefer to simply drop by. For Daniël, this is not a contradiction with digitalization, but a result of it. Automation takes over the repetitive work, leaving more time for the conversation that really matters.