IJsExpress accelerates invoicing with PayByLink & AFAS

IJsExpress has been streamlining its invoicing process through AFAS with PayByLink since 2018. Huib Groeneveld, Administration and Procurement Manager, explains the reason for this long-standing collaboration: “With PayByLink, our customers can pay effortlessly with a single click, making our accounts receivable management far more structured and automated.”  

The leading commercial ice supplier in the Netherlands

With 25 years of experience and over 2,000 customers, IJsExpress is the largest commercial ice supplier in the Netherlands. Operating from Dordrecht, eight sales representatives deliver ice cream nationwide, including to well-known retail chains. In 2018, IJsExpress sought a solution to simplify the payment process for its customers.

Less work, more successful payments

IJsExpress chose PayByLink to lower the payment barrier, as Huib explains: “Unfortunately, in our industry, late or missed payments are more common than average. We wanted to enhance payment convenience, eliminating the need for customers to log in to their bank accounts to transfer payments manually. With PayByLink, they can settle invoices with a simple link, completing everything in just one click.”

An impressive 87% of the payment links sent via PayByLink by IJsExpress are successfully processed.

Seamless integration with AFAS

With PayByLink, IJsExpress has also optimized its accounts receivable management. Huib elaborates: “Previously, we handled this manually in AFAS, which was time-consuming. Now, with PayByLink, everything is automated—from sending invoices to payment reminders and logging transactions in AFAS. The two platforms communicate seamlessly, ensuring we always have accurate and up-to-date information. This eliminates manual work and saves us significant time.”

Flexible invoicing

IJsExpress manages invoicing and collections via AFAS but sends invoices through PayByLink. This approach offers greater flexibility, especially in the email template customization. “Maintaining our brand identity in invoicing is important to us, as it fosters trust and consistency,” Huib explains.

This flexibility extends to workflow configuration, as Huib continues: “We had complete control over designing our flows, from content to timing. We use two distinct flows: one for standard invoicing and another for direct debits that fail in AFAS. In those cases, we resend the invoice through PayByLink with customized messaging and timing. Each flow requires specific settings and deadlines, and it’s great that we could tailor them precisely. Additionally, we can decide which customers to run through PayByLink and even update email addresses within the link if necessary.”

IJsExpress still offers traditional bank transfers alongside link-based payments. “That option will always remain available. What’s great is that even those bank transfers are recorded in PayByLink and AFAS, preventing incorrect reminders and ensuring accurate bookkeeping.” Furthermore, PayByLink integrates with 27 different payment gateways. “When IJsExpress switched from Mollie to MultiSafePay in 2023, the transition was seamless,” Huib concludes.

The convenience of automated invoicing

Beyond faster payments and increased flexibility, what are the key benefits of using PayByLink for IJsExpress? Huib summarizes: “We now have fully automated workflows for sending, tracking, and reminding customers about payments. Everything is well-organized with minimal manual effort from both our team and our customers. This saves us significant time, effort, and energy in payment monitoring, allowing us to focus on other aspects of the business. I would definitely recommend PayByLink!”