FastVAT x Shell
A strategic partnership based on years of expertise and innovation
Since its inception in 2012, FastVAT has established its expertise in the VAT refund market for road haulage companies and coach operators. Today, the conclusion of a partnership with the Shell Group marks a new stage in its development.
This partnership is the result of years of investment in our infrastructure and our teams, as well as our ability to adapt to the requirements of major international groups.
This is an opportunity for us to look back at the steps that led us to this achievement.
1/ A long-term commitment
FastVAT has continued to grow and evolve since its creation. Thanks to a constant commitment to quality customer relations and innovation, we have been able to stand out in the European market by offering VAT refund and excise duty management solutions tailored to the specific needs of modern road haulage companies throughout Europe.
There have been many challenges along the way, but every obstacle has been an opportunity to perfect our offering.
FastVAT’s early years were spent laying solid foundations, both in understanding market needs and in developing robust, scalable IT solutions. By working closely with road haulage companies, we have refined our processes and strengthened our expertise.
Today, our ability to offer VAT refund and petroleum excise duty services to road transport professionals is the direct result of this investment in time, resources and skills..
This partnership with Shell is the culmination of these efforts, validating our commitment to offering significant added value to our commercial partners.
2/ Optimised structuring over time
To excel in a market as demanding as the road haulage sector, FastVAT has structured its teams and resources strategically, starting by investing in its IT department.
Aware of the specific challenges facing road hauliers, particularly in terms of administrative constraints and tax compliance, we have developed high-performance, highly secure data management systems.
These tools enable us to process information quickly and accurately, guaranteeing our haulier customers optimum recovery of their VAT and excise duty, while complying with the regulatory requirements of each country.
As a reminder, excise duties can be recovered in 7 European countries thanks to FastVAT: Belgium, France, Spain, Italy, Slovenia, Croatia and Hungary.
« Since FastVAT was founded in 2012, we’ve never stopped improving our IT performance so that we can stay one step ahead and offer solutions that are better adapted to the realities of the field. » – Sébastien Schmitt, CEO
At the same time, our HR department has played a central role in building a committed and skilled team.
Thanks to the proactive management of our staff, we have built up a team in each major market who are fully conversant with the challenges of VAT refund in the language of their customers.
Our staff receive ongoing training on European tax regulations and the specific challenges of international transport, enabling us to keep our expertise sharp and up to date so that we can serve our customers better.
On the operational side, our ability to respond effectively to the varied demands of our customers has been a decisive factor in our success. Each member of the operational team is trained in the specific tax regulations of the various countries, guaranteeing an expert, tailor-made approach.
Coordination between our IT, HR and sales teams has enabled us to build a harmonious, high-performance working environment, ensuring smooth processes and exemplary customer satisfaction.
3/ Agility: our differentiating factor
Working with multinational companies like Shell requires a high degree of adaptability and organisational agility. FastVAT has demonstrated this agility over the years, adapting its solutions and demonstrating flexibility in the face of the specific requirements of large groups. This partnership testifies to our ability to innovate and adjust our offering to meet the needs of our customers.
Agility is at the heart of our approach. It enables us to respond quickly to changes in tax regulations and compliance policies, as well as adapting to our partners’ internal procedures.
This flexibility has been crucial in our relationship with Shell, as it has enabled us to respond proactively to the partner’s specific expectations.
« The partnership with Shell required a specific human and technical structure that FastVAT was able to deploy. » – Sébastien Schmitt, CEO
Our ability to remain at the cutting edge of technological innovation, while ensuring great flexibility in our processes, is a major asset in attracting and maintaining partnerships of this scale. This is also our customers’ main concern: a simple, efficient and up-to-date system.
Our technical expertise, combined with our ability to adapt, has made this collaboration possible and is a cornerstone of our success.
4/ Completion of a phase in our development
In recent years, FastVAT has implemented an ambitious growth strategy based on a network of offices across Europe, each optimised to meet the requirements of local markets.
You can now find us in France, the Czech Republic, Poland, Romania, Bulgaria, Italy, Spain, Morocco and Hungary. We are currently looking for opportunities to expand our presence in Europe.
This geographical organisation has enabled us to anticipate the needs of international customers and to improve our responsiveness to local cross-border requests.
The strategic mapping of our offices, thanks to the commercial network of our main shareholder Move Expert, was an essential step in our development plan. This networking has enabled us to obtain a clear view of the opportunities and specific features of each European market in terms of VAT refund in each country, and to structure our offering accordingly.
Thanks to this organisation, we have been able to offer Shell comprehensive and efficient European coverage, capable of responding to the regulatory complexities of VAT refund and excise duty recovery, for road hauliers and coach operators in Europe and beyond.
This partnership is the culmination of several years’ planning and work, and marks the transition to a new phase of growth for FastVAT. We are ready to continue this expansion.
Acknowledgements
This partnership would never have been possible without the work of our FastVAT teams and the support of our investors over the years. We would like to thank every member of our team for their dedication and professionalism.
Their commitment has enabled us to turn our vision into reality, creating quality solutions and ensuring exemplary customer satisfaction.
« Behind FastVAT’s success are committed employees who have always believed in our initial vision. They have helped structure FastVAT to meet every challenge that has arisen over the years.
I’m proud to have been able to grow alongside them, and to continue to do so. »
РS̩bastien Schmitt, CEO
Finally, we would like to express our thanks to the Shell Group for the confidence it has shown in us by choosing FastVAT as a partner to manage the VAT refund (and excise duty) operations of its customers in Europe.
Conclusion
In conclusion, this partnership is the result of several years of effort, strategic development and continuous innovation. It represents the culmination of this investment phase and paves the way for new opportunities.
At FastVAT, we are determined to build on this success and continue to provide VAT refund and excise duty recovery solutions that live up to your expectations.
To Find Out More
You can find this article on partnership with Shell and others linked to it in our dedicated section, by clicking here: News & Blog
