Serving Success: How Zenchef Transformed Its Subscription Business with Efficient Billing and Global Expansion

Zenchef had just over 2,500 customers when it started working with Chargebee, then it grew to serve over 8,000 customers in 15 countries across Europe. In 2023, it united with Formitable and Resengo to enhance its product and brand and reintroduce itself in Europe as a dining-out technology platform for both restaurant owners and diners that now serves over 16,000 customers.

The Problem

Zenchef initially developed an in-house billing solution, dedicating a significant portion of its engineering resources to its upkeep. However, as this system became increasingly burdensome, consuming half of its engineering capacity, Zenchef sought a more efficient alternative and transitioned to Zuora. Yet, the transition wasn't without its hurdles. Zuora demanded considerable development time to achieve full functionality, and Zenchef encountered various challenges during this period. Notably:

Complex API: The complexity of Zuora's API presented a significant obstacle, complicating integration and usage.

Unfamiliarity with French Accounting Rules: Zenchef's setup team faced challenges due to Zuora's lack of familiarity with French accounting rules, causing friction in the implementation process.

Complex Interface: Zuora's user interface proved difficult to comprehend, impacting user experience and overall efficiency.

Slow Subscription Actions: Standard subscription actions such as adding an add-on and changing a subscription start date within Zuora's platform were time-consuming, impeding operational efficiency and responsiveness.

Unresponsive Support: Zenchef faced issues with unresponsive support from Zuora, exacerbating challenges during the transition period.

The Solution

After a frustrating two and half years with Zuora, Zenchef researched their options and chose Chargebee. Julien Balmont, Co-Founder & CTO of Zenchef says, “The goal was to have a subscription billing and management platform like Chargebee, that doesn't demand your daily attention or mental energy. When everything runs smoothly without a hitch, your attention is free to zero in on steering your business. This becomes crucial, especially in uncertain economic times. You get to concentrate on your business and its growth without being bogged down by system concerns.” Chargebee helped Zenchef seamlessly migrate thousands of customer accounts, contacts, and active subscribers from Zuora. 

Zenchef selected Chargebee for its:

• Flexible and easy-to-use interface

• Intuitive API oriented for developers

• Compatibility with French accounting solutions

• Competitive pricing and a convenient monthly subscription model

• Highly responsive customer support

“Chargebee is user-friendly and intuitive, eliminating the need for time-intensive training or documentation. This ensures that everyone within the company can easily grasp it, saving valuable time. The responsive customer support further enhances the overall advantage of the system.”

Julien Balmont, Co Founder and CTO, Zenchef

The Impact

Empowered by Chargebee, Zenchef has not only achieved remarkable outcomes but has also navigated significant business challenges with agility and resilience.

• Revitalized Revenue Streams: With Chargebee’s intelligent dunning system, Zenchef successfully recaptured an impressive 60% of previously unpaid accounts, breathing new life into their revenue streams.

• Adherence to Regulatory Standards: Zenchef seamlessly generates credit notes tailored to diverse credit needs, strictly adhering to Revenue Recognition and Reporting standards such as GAAP and ASC 606. This commitment ensures not only financial integrity but also regulatory compliance.

• Precision in Decision-Making: Chargebee’s robust subscription and billing solution grants Zenchef unprecedented control over its business health and growth. Accurate and real-time reporting and metrics empower them with insights for informed decision-making, fostering a proactive approach to challenges and opportunities.

• Global Customer Engagement: Leveraging Chargbee’s features, Zenchef enhances customer experiences with multi-language support (English, French, and Spanish), multi-currency capabilities, and global tax support.

Since 2018, Zenchef has seamlessly scaled its business by over 60%, even amidst the challenges of COVID-19. Remarkably, they not only retained all customers during the pandemic but also witnessed an accelerated pace of digital transformation in the restaurant industry throughout 2020 and 2021.

The ability to scale and grow without complexity is pivotal for Zenchef. With Chargebee, they effortlessly sign up more customers, introduce new products and add-ons, expand into new countries with different currencies, and experiment with new pricing strategies. Crucially, Chargebee’s Support Team proves instrumental, offering quick and effective solutions.

Julien attests, “Chargebee has a highly trained internal team, and as soon as we reach out, we quickly get an answer to allow us to keep moving our business forward.”

The Future

Anticipating future growth, Zenchef is excited about its partnership with Formitable and Resengo. They are navigating complexities such as selling via multiple entities, managing multiple currencies, and handling VAT. Despite these challenges, Julien expresses confidence in Chargebee's ability to support their evolving needs. Zenchef’s journey with Chargebee signifies not just successful subscription and billing management but also a resilient, adaptive partnership that propels them toward future growth and innovation.

Julien sums it all up saying, "Chargebee is a partner you can rely on when you want to grow and test new business opportunities."

Ready to harness the power of subscription billing and management to drive revenue growth for your subscription business? Get a demo