Volkswagen Semler Finance can now concentrate on core operations

For more than a century, Semler Group has been the trusted name in the importation of cars to the Danish market. In 1948, a prosperous partnership with Volkswagen was forged, one that endures to this day. If you purchase a Volkswagen, Audi, Seat, Škoda or Porsche in Denmark, Semler Group is the company that has imported the car.

In 2019, Volkswagen Semler Finance emerged as a joint venture between Semler Group and Volkswagen Financial Services AG. Their mission was clear: to provide customers and dealers with the most flexible and comprehensive products and services in financing, leasing, insurance and mobility.

To deliver services that align with the values represented by both Volkswagen and Semler Group, it was crucial for Volkswagen Semler Finance to enter into a Managed Services agreement with a suitable partner.

"It is essential for us that our Business Central solution is supported by an external partner who stays abreast of the latest developments and can assist us with our daily challenges and the regular upgrades from Microsoft. We chose Cepheo as they were the provider capable of meeting most of our requirements," explains Jens Larsen, Head of Finance at Volkswagen Semler Finance.

Focus on the core business 

According to Jens Larsen, there was no doubt that Volkswagen Semler Finance's Dynamics 365 Business Central solution should be supported through a Managed Services agreement rather than by addressing the task internally:

"The advantage of a Managed Services agreement is that we can focus on our core business and avoid spending too much time on the administration of our Business Central solution. We are a small organization with limited resources, so we must be razor-sharp in prioritizing our time," says Jens Larsen.

The collaboration with Cepheo began in June 2021, and since then, Volkswagen Semler Finance has experienced significant improvements:

"We have managed to keep the internal time required to maintain a modern and constantly updated ERP system to an absolute minimum. On average, we spend less than 5 hours per month updating our solution," says Jens Larsen."

Partnership to support big ambitions

The strong and proud roots within both Semler Group and Volkswagen translate into significant ambitions for Volkswagen Semler Finance, as their goal is to become the most digitized financing company in Denmark. The Managed Services agreement with Cepheo has enabled Volkswagen Semler Finance to digitize the majority of their accounting processes, significantly reducing manual work.

"We have become highly cost-effective, and within the international Volkswagen Financial Services organization, we are seen as best-in-class when it comes to digitizing our accounting processes and minimizing manual work. Departments in other countries come to us for insights," explains Jens Larsen.

The objective of becoming the most digitized financing company in Denmark played a pivotal role in Volkswagen Semler Finance's choice of a Managed Services partner, and Cepheo has indeed met their expectations.

"Our collaboration with Cepheo is characterized by trust and agility. Cepheo's team addresses any challenges we have quickly, and they have a strong business understanding of our setup, allowing them to promptly respond to our needs," concludes Jens Larsen, looking forward to the ongoing development of their partnership with Cepheo."