Case Study
The Story of EnergieFonds Drenthe
EnergieFonds Drenthe (EFD) finances energy-saving projects across the province of Drenthe. They offer six types of energy loans ranging from 5.000 to 150.000 EUR, many with staged payout flows that include reservations, optional advances, and final payouts. They typically finance up to 70 percent of project cost.
After the invasion of Ukraine in 2022, natural gas prices skyrocketed in the Netherlands. As a result, the demand for energy loans more than doubled for over a year. EFD's team worked hard to maintain short turnaround times, but the surge pushed employees close to burnout. Mistakes increased and the process became harder to manage.
Before SmallTicketSolutions
When the old process couldn't keep up
EFD relied on an online form that submitted applications by email to the back office. Each application triggered a long sequence of manual tasks:
- Information and documents collected through email
- File uploads stored in shared mailboxes
- GDPR risks due to email‑based processing
- A single handler responsible for each application
- Four‑eyes checks done manually for contracts, advances, and payouts
- Contracts often manually adjusted based on loan specifications
- Identity validation done through video calls
- Proof of subsidy and specific required declarations uploaded inconsistently
- Many fields on the intake form only applied sometimes, creating confusion
- Every deviation required manual back‑and‑forth
When volume doubled, this process became unsustainable.
Old processing times
The total time a case handler actually spent working on this application. Such as writing emails, reviewing documents, or archiving files.
60+ minutes
Reservation - from application to signed contract
~60 minutes
Advance - from applicant request to payment
~60 minutes
Payout- from applicant request to payment
~60 minutes
Booking - updating financial administration
Why they chose SmallTicketSolutions
The turning point
We already had a working relationship with EFD, initially around modernizing their website form. During early discussions, we demonstrated an existing automation engine we had built for Dutch Social Housing organizations. The moment the team saw a structured pass/fail workflow combined with simple question flows, the direction became clear. The existing form asked too many questions, and some fields were only relevant in specific situations. Applicants also struggled with printing and signing certain declarations before uploading them again.
EFD needed a system that:
- Asked only relevant questions
- Asked everything upfront
- Eliminated back‑and‑forth
- Collected documents consistently
- Automated identity validation
- Removed manual contract adjustments
- Offered certainty at each step
The concept naturally evolved into the applicant‑led self‑service chat.
After SmallTicketSolutions
Where EFD stands today
EFD’s full process now runs through guided self‑service chats that collect all details and documents upfront. The Platform validates completeness, applies EFD’s rules, and automates every step that does not require human judgment.Operational improvements
- Higher applicant satisfaction
- Dramatic reduction in phone support
- Error rate near zero
- Bookings fully automatic
- Contracts always correct
- Handlers no longer overwhelmed
- One handler who nearly burned out now has time to focus on higher‑value work
- Application volume remains significantly higher than pre‑surge levels, with no drop in turnaround speed
Status requests dropped noticeablyBecause applicants can track their request and the process is much faster, fewer people call to ask for updates.
New processing times
The total time a case handler actually spent working on this application. Such as writing emails, reviewing documents, or archiving files.
~10 minutes
Reservation - from application to signed contract
~8 minutes
Advance - from applicant request to payment
~8 minutes
Payout - from applicant request to payment
1 Second
Booking - updating financial administration
Crunching the numbers
The results speak for themselves
The table below shows how dramatically the touch time dropped once automation took over when EDF went live.
It's no surpise that the fund manager said:
"SmallTicketSolutions reduced our handling time and relieved so much operational stress. The difference is truly night and day, we only wish we had made the switch sooner."
Ready to automate smarter and operate faster?
Schedule a 30 minute discovery call and see how SmallTicketSolutions fits your operation.
