Securing consumers' rights: ANPC eliminates bureaucracy and boosts efficiency with Azure

In its commitment to empower consumers, Romania's National Authority for Consumer Protection (ANPC) embarked on a transformative journey to digitize its operations. Tasked with transitioning its workforce to paperless workflows, ANPC implemented the intuitive Azure-powered app, Regista. This innovative solution revamped document and workflow management, saving two work hours daily and up to US$4,000 annually while delivering enhanced services to consumers. Headquartered in Romania, the National Authority for Consumer Protection (ANPC) is dedicated to safeguarding consumers' rights and interests. Operating through a network of 51 offices and around 700 professionals, the institution is committed to creating an environment where consumers are empowered and businesses operate ethically.

A crucial part of this vision entailed improving efficiency, transparency, and accessibility for Romania’s citizens. ANPC set out to optimize processes, reduce manual errors, enhance transparency, and ensure a seamless flow of information. This went hand-in-hand with ANPC’s goal to promote sustainable practices. “We had been excessively printing documents, which created a lot of paper waste,” explains Diana Nistor, Cabinet Director at ANPC. “But going paperless seemed challenging as some people in our authority aren't very familiar with the technology that has developed at an accelerated pace in recent years.” This drove ANPC’s search for an intuitive, simple solution.

Embracing a digital future

ANPC sought a central document management platform to make its operations more efficient. It decided on a Microsoft Azure-powered app called Regista, a solution by an independent software vendor (ISV) Zitec found on Microsoft AppSource.

According to Bianca Oprea, Personal Adviser at ANPC, "We chose Regista because it offered the flexibility and security we needed, to manage our documents and workflows effectively." ANPC was also attracted to the solution's user-friendly interface and excellent support, as well as Azure’s reliability and security.

To ease the transition, ANPC received tailored training sessions and support from the Regista team. “Initially, people were hesitant about the transition,” explains Nistor. “However, when they realized it wasn't as complicated as they feared, their views began to change. Now, everyone agrees that we get things done faster.”

Within the first year, approximately 255 employees across 51 offices used Regista to process, store and approve over 10,000 documents. “We receive and respond to thousands of complaints daily, as well as hundreds of other documents or requests, which all need to be registered in the system. With Regista, we can register them digitally instead of writing them down. That has saved us time, which we can use to respond to more enquiries,” explains Nistor.

ANPC has also introduced e-signatures through the new solution. “In the past, someone had to physically bring documents to the person in charge of the registry,” continues Nistor. “These documents would then have to be stamped and recorded in the register before being passed around again for more signatures. Instead of this back and forth, we use an online application to sign documents digitally.”

Initially, people were hesitant about the transition. However, when they realized it wasn’t as complicated as they feared, their views began to change. Now, everyone agrees that we get things done faster.

Diana Nistor: Cabinet Director, ANPC

Empowering citizens with an efficient team

The transformation has enhanced ANPC’s efficiency, saving the organization an estimated two work hours daily and at least US$4,000 yearly. “In the past, we had to sift through numerous registers filled with papers, reading each one to locate our documents. What used to take hours, now takes about a minute with a digital register,” Bianca Oprea explains. “The solution has also helped the ANPC reduce paper usage by around 70 percent and has even simplified internal reporting processes. “We can generate reports more easily and quickly as needed,” Nistor adds.

With a centralized platform and real-time access to documents, ANPC has successfully brought its teams and offices together more seamlessly, fostering collaboration. The institution has also instilled a sense of security to its staff. “With paper registers, documents were never truly secure,” Nistor elucidates. “With Regista, numbers are stored safely, and any deletions must be authorized by a higher admin account. This prevents the loss or manipulation of information and brings more transparency and accountability.”

But the biggest beneficiaries of the transformation are the citizens themselves, who now find it easier to voice concerns and receive timely responses. “We’ve significantly reduced bureaucracy,” shares Diana Nistor. “Digital complaints easily reach the person who will investigate them.” This has made it possible for ANPC to resolve citizen issues 70 percent faster, on average.

Looking forward, the institution's sights are set on leveraging digital innovation further to amplify its service. Among others, ANPC is contemplating on enabling task management and online reporting from any device. “Digital transformation is a process that takes time,” concludes Nistor. “But I believe that the benefits in the end are substantial and truly worth it."

In the past, we had to sift through numerous registers filled with papers, reading each one to locate our documents. What used to take hours, now takes about a minute with a digital register.

Bianca Oprea: Personal Adviser, ANPC