Streamlining Water Utility Invoicing with Ropo

Financial processes are developed through long-term collaboration

The long-standing collaboration between Kuopion Vesi and Ropo is built on open dialogue and continuous joint development. The partnership keeps the water utility’s financial processes running smoothly while supporting a more customer-centric service.

The collaboration began in 2020, when the City of Kuopio and the Municipality of Siilinjärvi established a joint water utility company, Kuopion Vesi Oy. The formation of the new entity prompted a renewal of invoicing and customer information systems, which in turn created the opportunity to rethink receivables management as a whole.

“The goal of the invoicing reform was to accelerate receivables turnover and ensure we had sufficient expertise and resources for sales ledger management,” says Tarja Rinne, CFO of Kuopion Vesi.

Initially, Kuopion Vesi considered handling invoicing and the sales ledger in-house. However, an outsourced solution proved to be the most practical way to manage the full scope. Ropo was chosen as the partner thanks to its comprehensive service offering and extensive experience with invoicing and receivables management processes in the water utility sector.

Ropo’s service brings together invoice delivery, payment monitoring, sales ledger, and reminder and collection processes into one seamless flow. Built on a single platform, the solution leverages automation to streamline processes and reduce manual work.

“It’s essential for us that invoices are accurate, reach their recipients, and that payments come in on time. Ropo’s service supports these goals exceptionally well,” Rinne says.

Kuopion Vesi’s CFO Tarja Rinne (left) and Customer Service Manager Laura Malo work in close collaboration with Ropo to develop financial processes and customer service.
Photo: Matias Honkamaa.

Customer service tailored to the water sector

Kuopion Vesi is responsible for water services in the Kuopio and Siilinjärvi area, serving approximately 120,000 residents. As the largest water utility operator in the North Savo region, the company manages water services for urban areas across its service region.

Ropo’s service accommodates the specific needs of the water sector – from payment management processes and, when necessary, water disconnection procedures, to the demands of customer communications. The partnership has improved the customer experience around invoice payment, while also freeing up internal resources at Kuopion Vesi to serve its customers.

“Ropo has deep expertise in engaging with our customers on payments and overdue invoices. The service hours and channels available are also broader than what we could provide on our own,” says Laura Malo, Customer Service Manager at Kuopion Vesi.

Joint development through close cooperation

According to Rinne, working with Ropo has improved overall control and made financial processes more efficient.

“The partnership has streamlined receivables management and accelerated our cash flow. At the same time, we’ve achieved cost savings in invoice delivery as well as in systems and staffing,” Rinne explains.

She describes the collaboration as smooth and solution-oriented from day one. Processes are continuously developed together, and the partnership supports broader operational renewal as well.

“Ropo actively develops its own service, listens to our needs, and encourages us to develop our own processes too. That shows up concretely in our day-to-day work,” Rinne sums up.

One area of joint development has been digital invoicing, and Kuopion Vesi’s digitalization rate currently stands at over 72 percent.

In operations like water utilities, where invoicing volumes are high and recurring, the benefits of digital invoicing are particularly visible in efficiency gains and an improved customer experience.

“The share of digital invoices at Kuopion Vesi has grown positively in recent years. This development supports smoother processes and cost efficiency alike,” says Ria Korja, Client Success Manager at Ropo.

Through Ropo’s service, all invoicing and payment data is brought together on the Ropo One® platform, making the information easy to use and enabling real-time, transparent monitoring. Kuopion Vesi also uses Ropo OneView®, Ropo’s comprehensive reporting and analytics service, to easily track key financial KPIs.

“Transparent reporting supports the management and continuous development of financial processes,” Korja says.

In addition to Kuopion Vesi, Ropo’s clients in the water utility sector include Helsinki Region Environmental Services (HSY), Tampereen Vesi, Lahti Aqua, and Hämeenlinnan Seudun Vesi (HS-Vesi).

Kuopion Vesi is a water utility company owned by the City of Kuopio and the Municipality of Siilinjärvi. As the largest water utility operator in the North Savo region, it is responsible for the production and distribution of clean drinking water and the treatment of wastewater for approximately 120,000 water users in Kuopio and Siilinjärvi. The company manages water services in its area in an environmentally sustainable way and supports the region’s growth and development through its operations. Read more about Kuopion Vesi.

Ropo is the Nordic market leader and pioneer in invoicing technology, transforming the invoicing flow end-to-end. We help companies unify and streamline all invoicing processes to create a seamless workflow, providing full visibility, elevated customer experience, and improved control with a single overview. Committed to exceptional service and our one-platform strategy, we proudly support over 10,000 clients across Finland, Sweden, Norway, and Denmark. Read more about Ropo.