Mittelrhein-Verlag simplifies fee processes with FeeCon

With the introduction of FeeCon, Mittelrhein-Verlag (Rhein-Zeitung), supported by alfamedia, has made the editorial fee process more efficient and transparent. The new system simplifies billing and significantly improves collaboration with freelancers.

From initial idea to implementation

The motivation for the reorientation was the desire for more clarity: ‘Why is money going out for what?’ This question led editor-in-chief Lars Hennemann to work with alfamedia to design a process that offers precisely this transparency. ‘With FeeCon, we have not only tidied up internally, but have also carried out real product development in collaboration with alfa. This system enables us to understand exactly how funds flow and what we get in return,’ explains Hennemann.

In the course of the project, many old structures were broken up or new, up-to-date ones established for the first time: contracts with freelancers have been standardised, and fees will now be calculated based on clearly defined parameters – all based on standardised ‘T-shirt sizes’ for text lengths and ‘packages’ for media types. With these new contracts, all parties involved can now clearly and consistently understand which services are to be provided and billed at which conditions, starting from the moment the order is placed.

A well-thought-out workflow

FeeCon is deeply integrated into the alfa EditorialOrganiser, which means that the Rhein-Zeitung can initiate the appropriate workflow as soon as the assignment is created. The editorial team can now directly assign tasks, for example an article type XL with fixed specifications for the exact scope. With one click, the order is forwarded to FeeCon in a partially automated manner. All relevant data comes together here, while the fee recipients successively fulfil their tasks.

Even more important is the involvement of the editorial team from the very beginning: the Editorial Organiser determines in detail what type of article is needed. The structure of the orders is clearly recorded and displayed directly in the system. This means that every department and every freelancer knows immediately what needs to be done, and there are no ambiguities afterwards.

‘FeeCon offers complete control over assignments and fees,’ emphasises Rainer M. Wilbert of alfamedia. ‘It brings real life from the editorial department into FeeCon. This direct connection between the editorial and accounting departments ensures a smooth and transparent process.’

This significantly reduces the workload of the editorial team, who now spend less time making verbal arrangements and following up. Hennemann emphasises: ‘We are very happy that FeeCon has enabled us to drastically reduce micromanagement. Now we can focus even more on creative and content-related work.’

A joint success

The project presented special challenges, including the adaptation of hundreds of contracts with freelancers. But thanks to the targeted approach and the close cooperation between the alfamedia and Mittelrhein-Verlag teams, it was a real success. Hennemann is full of praise: ‘alfa showed the necessary patience and found the right mix of flexibility and adherence to deadlines. In the end, we got a system that not only works, but really leads to an improvement.’

We are proud to be part of this transformation and look forward to continuing to support Mittelrhein-Verlag in its quest for innovation.