Corporate culture at Yanfeng – interview with Michal Koniar, OTC- Order to Cash Finance Lead
Yanfeng has a very open and inclusive culture. Also, jointly defined values, whether in relation to customers or colleagues. In our company and team, communication is open, if someone has a work problem, we try to solve it. This also applies if someone thinks of an improvement, so we try to implement it immediately.
What brought you to Yanfeng?
I was interested in a project, which was kicked off 6 years ago in the Finance department of Yanfeng. The company was changing its accounting system from SAP to QAD. It sounded great to participate in the definition, implementation, testing of the new accounting system and, most recently, support its use and improvements.
In 6 years, you have moved through various positions. What motivated you to constantly work on yourself?
In the first few years, it was exciting for me to contribute to the improvement of the accounting system to ensure that it was suitable for the daily needs of the company. Gradually, as I became the Order to Cash Team Leader, the satisfaction of the team came to the fore, which, among other things, resulted in an extraordinary improvement in the results of the OTC department and the fulfillment of the goals.
You currently hold the position of OTC Finance Lead at Yanfeng. Please try to give us a brief overview of it.
OTC is account receivables department, so first of all we make sure that customers pay us for our products on time. That is the primary goal. However, this would not be possible without correct set – up of customers, processes and especially the invoicing itself. I lead a team of people who know exactly what to do in the event of a problem with invoicing/non-payment by the customer, and I supervise the compliance of these processes.
What are the most common daily challenges you face?
In addition to overdue invoices and their solution, we mainly encounter challenges that are common nowadays. Customers make various system changes, or new business is awarded from the new customer and everything needs to be set up in the system in the most appropriate way.
Moreover, we are currently taking over several activities from the US Accounts Receivable team. Considering the transition, I was offered to become Manager of Order to Cash department for EMEA and North America and I accepted this interesting challenge. The transition also opened growth and development opportunities for our accountants. Thus, I am glad that I and my counterpart in US can hand over our former positions and experience of team leaders to our internal people who took over these responsibilities.
What do you appreciate about your employer’s approach?
The opportunities it provides to anyone, who is interested. It is not a problem at all to start in our department, and if the employee has the will and the potential for further growth, he/she can rotate to various departments not only within the financial department, but also to those that negotiate business directly with automakers.
How do you perceive the company culture?
Yanfeng has a very open and inclusive culture. Also, jointly defined values, whether in relation to customers or colleagues. In our company and team, communication is open, if someone has a work problem, we try to solve it. This also applies if someone thinks of an improvement, so we try to implement it immediately.
How do you perceive cooperation within the team?
The mood in the team was always very friendly, people were helping each other to solve problems, but I have to admit that, paradoxically, the covid pandemic and its consequences as a home office significantly improved our collaboration and thus the results. This was ensured by new online tools, but especially by the new organization of time, when people no longer had to travel to work every day and could use this time for work as well as for free time activities.
Has the flexibility of your working hours changed after covid? Do you work from the office or do you have the option working from home?
Nowadays, we work from the home office, but everyone has the opportunity to come to the office at any time. In the near future, we plan to meet as a team at least once a week in the office to discuss work topics. But not only work staff… because we have great coffee 😊.
What advice would you give to anyone considering a career at Yanfeng?
Send us your CV! We are a dynamic and growing company in which something new is constantly happening, and I think that everyone will find a suitable position for themselves that would fulfill them.
Thank you