Cloud Group grows and breaks clichés in the Telecom landscape
”Technically strong and above all customer-oriented: that is our strength”
Start-ups dream of growth. But as soon as that growth materializes, complexity also increases. Structure and strategic insight then become at least as important. The brothers Pieter and Frederik Roelants, founders of the promising telecom player Cloud Group, know this better than anyone. In their growth story, VGD played a crucial role: not only as a financial-legal partner, but also as a strategic accelerator.
What started as a side job grew into a full-fledged tech company with almost 40 employees in ten years. Cloud Group is currently one of the fastest-growing independent telecom companies in Belgium. “We don't want to be an average operator. Our strength lies in our technical independence and our focus on service. This allows us to switch quickly and ensure quality,” says CEO Pieter Roelants. Successfully, because according to Google reviews, Cloud Group is currently the best-rated operator in the Benelux. “That confirms that we are on the right track.”
With rapid growth, complexity also increased over the years. Today, the biggest challenge for the company is maintaining focus. “Once your company gains traction, opportunities arise everywhere,” adds CTO Frederik Roelants. “And then it is tempting to pursue every idea. But you have to dare to focus and structure.”
Automate to accelerate
To manage their growth and ambitions, Pieter and Frederik Roelants sought a partner who offered more than just numbers. They found this in VGD. “What immediately convinced us was their proactive mindset,” says Pieter. “They not only think along, but often take a step ahead. A concrete example: they have automated our entire flow of purchase and commission invoices. This saves us, and our more than 300 partners, a lot of time every month.”
The processing of all partner commission invoices is done via a self-billing model, which VGD set up together with Cloud Group. “It is a fairly unique system that provides them with enormous efficiency gains,” explain Anthony De Prol and Peter Maes from VGD. This is exactly where VGD wants to make a difference: removing barriers so that their customers can switch faster. “We actively seek optimizations that boost the growth process. In doing so, we look beyond the classic accounting tasks. That is our way of truly supporting entrepreneurship.”
Advice for every growth phase
For every strategic decision, Cloud Group now asks VGD for advice. Frederik Roelants: “Recently, they guided us in buying out (the) investors. Without that step, we would probably be part of a large telecom group today. But thanks to VGD, we keep control over our own story.”
VGD's deep expertise also translates into other files. “For example, they proactively signal opportunities and ensure that we qualify for tax benefits, such as subsidies and investment deductions,” continues Pieter Roelants. “That gives peace of mind: we know that we haven't overlooked anything.”
The future? Pieter and Frederik look forward to it with confidence. “We are ambitious,” says Pieter. “Within five years, we want to be active in at least ten countries. Our technology is ready for it, and our team is too. With VGD by our side as a strategic partner, we strongly believe that we can make that leap.”
