Interview with Pierre Marneffe, founder of Kompa

Batinfo: Who is your solution aimed at and what problem does it address?

Pierre Marneffe: Our solution is primarily aimed at tradespeople and small and medium-sized construction businesses, including electricians, plumbers, roofers, and renovation specialists. We specifically target small businesses with 1 to 30 employees. For these professionals, administrative tasks still represent a significant portion of their daily work, with an average of ten hours per week spent on non-productive activities such as taking notes on construction sites, preparing quotes, managing invoicing, and tracking accounting.

The main obstacle encountered in the field is the sheer number of tools: everyone manages CRM, quotes, invoicing, or accounting with different software programs, which are often complex, poorly adapted to real-world situations, and rarely designed for non-tech-savvy users. This leads to duplicate data entry, numerous risks of errors, and ultimately, a considerable waste of time for the teams.

Our goal with kompa is very clear: we want to give back time and serenity to construction professionals, so that they can refocus on their core business, i.e. the construction site and the customer relationship, and not on administrative constraints.

Batinfo: How do you address this issue and in what way is your solution innovative?

Pierre Marneffe: Kompa was designed to be the simplest and most efficient solution possible. Our approach is based on the idea that the tool should adapt to the situation, not the other way around. For example, we allow a tradesperson to create a complex and precise quote in just one minute, using only notes taken on WhatsApp, whether it's text, photos, or a voice message. It's a true revolution in how things are done.

In practice, the tradesperson enters or dictates their note during a client meeting or upon leaving a worksite. For example, "replace a boiler with a Frisquet Hydroconfort 80L boiler, repair a section of wall measuring 3,20 m by 2,40 m" – the note is immediately transmitted to our application, which automatically transcribes it into a text editor. Then, they simply click on "convert to quote": the note is then handled by our intelligent assistant, which drafts the entire quote, ensuring the required level of detail and compliance with industry standards.

The strength of our solution lies in the automation of all the tedious little tasks: no double entry, documents generated instantly from field data, and the ability to manually edit the quote if needed before validating and sending it. In just a few clicks, the professional can view their quote as a PDF, download it, send it directly to the client, request an electronic signature, and start the project.

This all-in-one approach is reflected throughout the application, which now covers all key functionalities: contact management (CRM), quote generation, invoicing, schedule tracking, and accounting. We wanted a tool that wasn't limited to just one aspect of management, but that supported the company across all administrative areas, from prospecting to project completion.

Finally, our innovation also lies in its ease of use: using WhatsApp as an entry point or the Kompa mobile app means that any professional, even those with limited digital skills, can quickly get to grips with it. Our ambition is to make technology invisible, serving real efficiency in the field.

Batinfo: How can your solution be implemented?

Pierre Marneffe: The Kompa implementation was designed to be truly seamless and supported, even for small teams without a dedicated IT department. The company first creates its account on the platform. Support is provided to configure the workspace: this involves importing basic information, customer contacts, catalogs, and suppliers. This initial phase remains very quick because we assist the user with everything related to retrieving existing data.

Then, employees can immediately start using Kompa from their smartphones, in the field, without having to return to the office. They simply send their notes, photos, or voice messages, which are automatically transformed into documents or actionable data, such as quotes, purchase orders, or invoices.

We also worked on integration with existing tools to avoid requiring users to change all their habits. For example, Kompa can connect to the company's accounting or banking systems. This ensures continuity in processes and allows for hybrid use when needed.

Generally speaking, adoption is very rapid: it only takes a few days for teams to see the difference, save time, and truly simplify their daily operations. We remain available at every stage to provide training and support, but the key is that the product speaks for itself. With Kompa, building professionals finally have a tool designed to meet their specific business needs, without unnecessary layers or technical jargon.

Interviews with Pierre Marneffe, founder of Kompa (LinkedIn)