Behind the Scenes with Our Dooap Co-Founder

This month we went "Behind the Scenes" with Antti, a Dooap co-founder who now focuses on business development for Dooap. We discuss what some of the driving factors were for creating Dooap and how we've maintained our processes amid these challenging times. 

Dooap: As a co-founder of Dooap, can you share what were some driving factors for developing Dooap?  

Antti: All the founders of Dooap have worked in the Dynamics ecosystem for many years and are also very well versed in the accounts payable process. With extensive experience in those areas, we felt there wasn't the right solution in the market to serve that specific client segment. We wanted to be able to create a totally new and user-friendly experience exactly for that purpose.  

Dooap: In your work with prospective clients do you hear common issues that organizations' are looking to solve with an AP automation solution? What are some of the typical obstacles that they are facing? 

Antti: A lot of organizations still have an accounts payable process that is mostly paper-based and requires an intensive amount of manual work in the whole finance operation. The process can easily lend itself to be very error prone. Most prospective clients are looking to streamline their process and save their employees' time as well as bringing more transparency to their entire process, such as cash flows.

During the pandemic, we’ve seen a new angle as well. Our solution has helped clients be able to cope with the challenging environment with digital processes that remove the need for paper and enable working from home. It's also important that we've been able to support our clients remotely during this time. 

Dooap: Do you feel your experience in purchase-to-pay processes has influenced how you interact or relate with prospective clients?  

Antti: I would say that clients are really aware of their challenges and needs and recognize that there are different solutions for their requirements. The key is to help the organization adapt to a new way of working with modern digital processes.  

Sometimes, prospective clients might be worried that adopting a new tool will be a lot of work on top of their normal tasks. With Dooap though, onboarding is simple and does not require a lot of time or effort. When people use the tool, they realize how simple it is and they’re also able to speak with other users to get a peer level reference.

Dooap: Once a client is signed on with Dooap, how do you ensure they are seamlessly transitioned to the project phase?

Antti: Throughout the whole sales process we have a solution consultant present. They provide demos and answers to any questions throughout, which makes it simple to transition to the onboarding phase. We also work through internal hand-off meetings and keep detailed documentation about the project. There is always a dedicated person to the project, so we become very familiar with each client. 

Dooap: Can you tell us a little bit about how your work process has changed since COVID? 

Antti: Before COVID, all the remote elements were in place already. Now, we don’t meet face to face with clients, prospective clients, or colleagues, but we were already well equipped to handle remote demos and meetings. The in-person interactions are what I’m missing right now, those informal discussions, insights, and knowledge transfer. I work in Finland, so that just means my afternoons end a bit later than in the States, but I’m used to working different and flexible schedules. Knowing my teammates well has also made the change to remote work very natural.  

It’s great that we’ve been able to help clients cope with the challenging situation, but I’m also proud of our team and how we’ve been able to navigate these challenging times. My personal philosophy is to be there for our team to enable and support them to succeed in their jobs and develop professionally and it's great to see how people are taking steps forward. Most of the time we are awake, we are working, and it just doesn’t make sense that you would suffer at work, it’s important to feel safe and respected and enjoy that time, otherwise you are ruining your life. 

Dooap: How do you ensure you’re well connected with the Dooap team in the United States while you’re in Finland?  

Antti: The #1 thing is I don’t start my days early in the morning because of the time difference. I start later in the morning or around noon, and at that point most of my European colleagues are working, so for the first half of my day I chat and operate with my Finnish counterparts. In the late afternoon/evening I begin working with my U.S. counterparts. It’s great to be able to collaborate with everyone throughout the day. 

Dooap: You have four boys, how have you been able to acclimate to the work from home environment with your family? 

Antti: That’s true, I have four sons ages 7, 9, 17, 19. One of the things that has helped in a sense is that the oldest one has already moved into his own place this summer, so we have only 3 boys at home. But I will say for the younger boys the homeschooling in the spring was a new challenge for me and my wife since the boys needed some more attention, but now this fall since schools are open in Finland there’s more peace at home to work. In the past I've been traveling a lot and now we have more face-to-face time than in a long time, so no complaints in that sense. 

Dooap: Any Austin places you're going to miss until you're able to visit again? 

Antti: Barbecue and tacos of course. What I really love in Austin is the climate. Having the warmth compared to the dark and cold weather in Finland is what I really miss. The nice Texas weather is great outdoor sports and I have a personal goal to complete a marathon once a year. Last year I was able to participate in the San Antonio marathon, but the next marathon I will likely end up doing in chilly circumstances in Finland.