Opti.Cast: An interview with Thomas Guntermann, agency owner

Process documentation from the client’s perspective: He was sceptical at first, but now he recommends it wholeheartedly. In conversation with Dr Thomas Guntermann, agency owner of the Guntermann GmbH.

 

Paul Liese: A very warm welcome, Mr Guntermann. Thank you very much for joining us and for sharing your impressions of procedural documentation from a client’s perspective. Perhaps you could briefly introduce yourself to our viewers: Who are you? What do you do? What does your company do?

Thomas Guntermann: My name is Thomas Guntermann. I am 53 years old. I started out as a journalist; I used to present radio programmes and produce television programmes, and I have been a freelance communications consultant for about 15 years. We started out as a traditional PR agency, specialising in press and public relations, and media relations. Over the last eight years, this has shifted significantly towards consultancy in digital communication, social media and everything to do with Google – SEO (search engine optimisation) and SEA (search engine advertising). We currently offer a comprehensive range of consultancy and services in this area.

Paul Liese: So, digital products.

Thomas Guntermann: Exactly.

Paul Liese: And then your consultant from ECOVIS KSO approached you and said, „We’ll draw up some procedural documentation.“

Thomas Guntermann: Yes. We were quite surprised at first, as we’re a small company based in Cologne. We’re a GmbH, a small agency with five permanent staff and five to six freelancers. But we’re also part of a partnership. There’s an agency in Dortmund and another technical agency in Cologne. So, all in all, there are about 25 of us. And you can imagine, when you’re working in the digital sector – we see ourselves a bit as a creative agency too – and something like Procedural documentation When you hear that, your first thought is: „Goodness me! What on earth are we in for now?“ But it wasn’t that bad at all.

Paul Liese: No?

Thomas Guntermann: No.

Paul Liese: How did it go?

Thomas Guntermann: It went very well. As is usually the case with creative people or those of us in the communications sector when it comes to accounting matters: we’re glad we have ECOVIS and that they take care of it for us. They guide us through the processes. But this procedural documentation was actually quite useful for putting our own workflows to the test and seeing whether we’re doing things well enough or whether we could make them even more efficient. Where are we wasting resources? Where could we improve? And the whole process that Mr Rinkewitz went through with us was really helpful in that regard.

Paul Liese: So, would you recommend that other companies facing a similar situation – in terms of meeting this requirement for procedural documentation – do the same?

Thomas Guntermann: Absolutely! Because at first, you want to keep what you don’t know – it’s a human reflex – at arm’s length. But once you start looking into it and find out a bit more, I’ve learnt that this is what the tax authorities want. It’s been like that for a while, but now the screws are slowly being tightened to the point where you can’t keep up. And the argument that really should convince everyone – and ultimately us as well – was when Mr Rinkewitz said: „You have to do this, otherwise you’ll have to pay a fine.“ That’s when, at the very latest, you should start looking into the matter. However, I’ve since come to believe that it actually does help you get a better grip on your own processes.

Sitting it out is not an option

Paul Liese: Well, there are two options at this stage – or even three. One option would be to sit it out, which isn’t really an option. The second option is to do it yourself as an entrepreneur. After all, you do know your own processes. The third option is to use a consultant. Why did you say you’re doing this with a consultant?

Thomas Guntermann: That’s generally how it works for us. We’ve outsourced our entire accounts to ECOVIS. They handle our payroll. They help us with our profit and loss accounts, our annual accounts and so on. And I’d be completely out of my depth if I were to tackle a project like that myself. My job is to look after my clients. That’s where my skills and expertise lie, and where I feel most comfortable – that’s my area. That’s my playing field, that’s where I play. And for everything else, I’ve got ECOVIS. That’s their playing field; that’s where they operate. I’m always really glad that we’re such a good team; we work together really well, each in our own area. I trust them, too. They do a good job. And for me, that’s half the battle.

Paul Liese: What do you see as the outcome of this project?

Thomas Guntermann: I don’t think we were in as dire a state as we’d imagined. There were a few areas where we realised: „Oh yes, that’s right. We need to make improvements in certain processes, such as IT and so on, and how we then approve the invoices.“ But it wasn’t that bad at all. It was actually a bit like going to the dentist. Beforehand you think, „Oh my goodness“, and then it turns out not to be that bad at all.

Paul Liese: Like a giant monster without teeth.

Thomas Guntermann: Yes, exactly. We’re really happy now. It’s just like going to the dentist. When you come out, you think, „It wasn’t that bad after all“. It turned out well.

Paul Liese: Do you have any feedback for ECOVIS – or for us as a software developer supporting ECOVIS – on what could be done differently or better?

Thomas Guntermann: I’m actually quite pleasantly surprised. I’m usually rather sceptical about technical solutions. But I can live with this quite well. To be honest, I was expecting the worst.

Paul Liese: Right, thank you very much for your time and for the interview.

Thomas Guntermann: I’d be delighted.

Paul Liese: And I wish you continued success with your business.

Thomas Guntermann: Thank you very much.