You have to move with the times, but with the current (too low) rates for physical therapy, it’s hard to invest, knows Anne Kluivers of Voorschoten-based physical therapy practice Paulides + Partners. “So when you can get a subsidy for much-needed digitization and cybersecurity, that’s incredibly nice.” With the voucher from Let digitalization work for you, Paulides + Partners expanded its services with a clear app in which patients can find their exercises, among other things.

20 years of experience

Anne Kluivers has been in the Paulides + Partners partnership for three years. But she has been working at the Voorschoten physiotherapy practice for almost 20 years. Together with 17 colleagues, she ensures that Voorschoten residents can come to Paulides for just about any physiotherapy complaint.

For their patient data and administration, Paulides + Partners has been using a healthcare-proven software package for years. This package needs expansion and innovation to keep up with the times.

“Innovating is quite an investment,” Anne explains. “And in healthcare the money is not there for the taking. Especially not now that the rates for physical therapy have hardly increased for years. So the voucher from Let digitization work for you was really a godsend for us.”

Exception

Anne heard about this low-threshold grant opportunity at a meeting of Voorschoten’s business association. “I raised this great opportunity with my fellow partnership members and they also responded positively. We applied for the voucher through the Key Region Leiden (formerly Economie071) website and received an approval. In doing so, an exception was made for us to the rule that the voucher must be tendered to a company in this region. Our practice has been working with this vendor for more than 43 years. And within healthcare, it is incredibly important that we work to high safety standards.”

With the expansion of the software, Paulides + Partners can send its clients a questionnaire even before the intake interview. “That saves us administrative pressure and it makes the intake process go faster,” says Paulides + Partners. It also gives patients the ability to download a care app that lists appointments, physical therapy exercises being given and other information and tips.

The colleagues at Paulides + Partners with Anne in the middle of the bottom row.

Home Visits

The new software also allows physical therapists to access the system via their cell phones. That allows them to access patient records and schedule appointments during home visits. “It’s very nice to be able to access records securely via our mobile. It saves a lot of scribbles and notes on paper that have to be sorted out or entered later.”

The next digitization step is to automate part of all administrative operations using AI. Anne is very much looking forward to that.

“Like the rest of healthcare, we are weighed down by the administrative burden. All the data we have to enter takes up a lot of our time. If AI can take over some of that, it will be a godsend for the sector. But when that will be is still a question mark for me, too. I am a physical therapist, not an ICT or AI specialist. And as healthcare people, we prefer to deal with people, because that’s where our heart lies.

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Wondering what digitization could mean for your business? Check out our project site, complete the digiscan, schedule a coaching call and attend one of the workshops below.

• November 11 (Leiden or Leiderdorp): LinkedIn Branding using AI (for advanced students).
• November 18 (Voorschoten): AI: Opportunity or Crisis? What does AI mean for your business?
• Nov. 25 (Leiden) – Personal Brand on LinkedIn with AI (basics)

UPDATE 9 oktober: Het maximaal aantal van 60 aanvragen is bereikt. De mogelijkheid tot aanvragen van een voucher is daarom gesloten.

Vandaag, 6 oktober om 12.00 uur, kunnen ondernemers via onze projectsite een voucher aanvragen voor digitalisering binnen hun bedrijf. De regeling is bedoeld voor ondernemers uit de gemeente Katwijk, Leiden, Leiderdorp, Voorschoten en Zoeterwoude.

Uitdagingen en kansen

De urgentie om met MKB-vraagstukken rondom digitalisering aan de slag te gaan is groot. Wat nu gewone handelingen zijn, zoals online boodschappen doen, met je telefoon betalen, verschillende slimme apparaten met elkaar verbinden en op grote schaal digitaal vergaderen, was enkele jaren geleden nog aanzienlijk minder ingeburgerd. In hoog tempo landen deze ontwikkelingen in alle sectoren en maatschappelijke domeinen waardoor het impact heeft op iedereen. En dus ook op ondernemers in het mkb. Daar zien we dat digitalisering nieuwe kansen biedt, maar mkb-ondernemers tegelijkertijd ook voor nieuwe uitdagingen stelt om deze kansen goed te benutten. Kennis en tijd ontbreek vaak bij hen om goed aan de slag te gaan. Het initiatief ‘Laat digitalisering voor je werken’ helpt daarbij met coaching, workshops en een voucherregeling.

Het is een samenwerking van vijf gemeenten, de ondernemersverenigingen en de onderwijs- en kennisinstellingen uit de 071-regio. De vijf gemeenten die actief bijdragen aan dit project zijn: Katwijk, Leiden, Leiderdorp, Voorschoten en Zoeterwoude. Het project wordt mede mogelijk gemaakt door de Provincie Zuid-Holland.

Lees op de projectsite voorbeelden van ondernemers die al een voucher hebben benut, zoals Palfinger uit Zoeterwoude.

A company website is the company’s online business card. Therefore, it is crucial to keep it up-to-date so that potential customers can immediately see what the company stands for. Using a digitization voucher from Key Region Leiden, Wouter van den Aarsen of Palfinger invested in a new website that not only increases visibility, but also improves security levels and is ready for AI integration.

Increased online visibility and ease of use

“Our new website is a big step forward,” says Van den Aarsen. “We operate in an innovative and technical sector, and our old website did not do justice to that. Thanks to the voucher, we now have a modern, user-friendly site that reflects our identity much better and is also ready for future digital applications such as AI.”

Municipality supports digital growth

The voucher was presented to Palfinger by Alderman Paul Olthof of the municipality of Zoeterwoude. “It is great to see that Palfinger is investing in digital visibility and security. The new website is therefore a valuable step towards a future-proof company,” Olthof said.

Digitization offers opportunities

“Investing in digitalization is essential for the success of entrepreneurs,” Olthof says. “As a region, we are happy to contribute to this. With initiatives such as the digitization voucher, we make companies and our municipality stronger and future-oriented.”

Entrepreneurs who want to work on digitizing their business can apply for a voucher or participate in workshops organized together with business associations. These associations, like the municipality of Zoeterwoude, are project partners in this initiative.

Apply for a voucher yourself?

Do you also want to work on digitizing your business? Apply for a voucher from Let digitalization work for you, an initiative of Key Region Leiden. “In October, the new voucher round will open. Schedule a coaching session now via the website to prepare your application,” says project leader Dwayne van der Klugt. “And be quick in October, because gone is gone!”

Digitalization allows entrepreneurs to generate more sales, but you have to invest in it. Cees van Duijn, owner of Duijn Bouw from Katwijk, decided to do just that and used a voucher from Key Region Leiden to professionalize the appearance of his website. On Friday, September 26, he received the voucher from Katwijk Alderman Jacco Knape.

Request a voucher as well.

More professional look online

“Our previous website was now about eight years old and no longer matched who we are as a company and what we do today,” says Cees van Duijn. “Because we had and have enough work, this simply wasn’t a priority. Still, we felt it was important to have a professional image towards partners, clients and other parties we work with. Especially now that we are also active with development and new construction projects, our old website gave a wrong image of Duijn Bouw. When we took the step towards a new website, we came across the voucher scheme. Thanks to this voucher we were able to make the site even more professional. The result is a digital business card that we are proud of and that really shows who we are and what we stand for.”

Alderman supports digitization

Alderman Knape handed over the voucher: “It is important that entrepreneurs continue to invest in themselves and their business. With this voucher scheme we want to encourage entrepreneurs in Katwijk to take the step towards digitalization. Nice to see that Cees van Duijn is so actively involved in this.”

Digitization offers opportunities

“Whether it’s improving your website, opening a web shop, or optimizing your digital security – digitization is an ongoing process,” said the alderman. “It requires constant attention as well as investment. That is why we are pleased that we can support entrepreneurs in Katwijk with these vouchers.”

Apply for a voucher yourself?

Do you also want to work on digitizing your business? Then apply for a voucher from the project Let digitization work for you. “On October 6, the new, and for now last, voucher round starts. Schedule an interview now via the website to prepare your application,” says project leader Dwayne van der Klugt. “Be quick, because gone is gone!”

Let digitization work for you opens a new voucher round on Monday, October 6 at noon. This scheme is specially designed to support SMEs in the municipalities of Katwijk, Leiden, Leiderdorp, Voorschoten and Zoeterwoude in their digitization efforts. Entrepreneurs can receive up to €5,000 back from their investment. The application requires a quote from a supplier. So take action now.

‘The voucher scheme has been a great success for a number of years, which is why we are very pleased to be able to issue a good number of vouchers again this fall so that entrepreneurs can cash in on the opportunities digitalization offers,’ said Dwayne van der Klugt, who is supervising the project from the participating municipalities.

Also listen to this radio interview.

What is the Voucher Scheme?

The voucher scheme is a financial incentive that helps companies digitize their operations. The voucher can be used for a wide range of digitization projects. From digital marketing, think about improving a website or webshop, to cyber security. Depending on the size of the company, an entrepreneur can receive € 1,000, € 2,500 or € 5,000. A minimum of 25% of the costs is always borne by the entrepreneur. The remaining costs are borne by the participating municipalities, supplemented by a subsidy from the province of South Holland.

Chatbot neemt receptionisten veel werk uit handen in druk hoogseizoen

How to Apply.

Starting Monday, Oct. 6, the voucher can be easily applied for through the digitaliseringwerkt.nl website. The application requires a quote from a supplier. So request this on time. More information can also be found on the aforementioned website.

Workshops

Last round of vouchers?

Let digitalization work for you started as a project of Key Region Leiden, the economic cooperation in the Leiden region. This cooperation has been scaled up and operates from July 2025 under the name Key Region Leiden. Strengthening entrepreneurship is still an important pillar in this. A continuation of the vouchers in 2026 is therefore being considered. However, this is not yet certain. Therefore, take advantage of this opportunity before it is too late.

More information about the voucher scheme and the application form can be found at digitaliseringwerkt.nl.

On days when Holiday Park Koningshof is fully booked, the Rijnsburg family business receives as many as 1,100 guests a day. Crazy, then, for the people behind the reception desk. Fortunately, they got help answering simple questions. A chatbot tells guests, among other things, what kind of coffee makers are in the rental properties and what time to check out. Courtesy of digitization vouchers from Make Digitization Work for You.

Pim Kromhout (36) who runs the vacation park with his sister Penny, finds the chatbot a godsend. But more importantly, the receptionists are happy with it. And they are. It takes a lot of work off their hands now that the answers to simple questions can all be found online.

Pim and his sister took over the business from their parents six years ago. They are the third generation in the business, he says proudly. “It’s nice when you get to continue the business of your parents and grandparents. That you build on their work is special.” The informal atmosphere and personal attention characteristic of family businesses is very important to Pim. “We maintain that as best we can. It’s an important part of our hospitality.”

A chatbot fits well into that ambition. “People increasingly arrange their affairs online. But calling, we find, is still faster. So especially for quick questions, we still get a lot of calls. Then you don’t want to be on hold for a long time to find out if there is a tea towel in the accommodation.”

1400 phone calls

The answer to all such questions is now much easier to find on the website. A comprehensive frequently asked questions section supplemented by a chatbot gives guests quick answers. “Last season, the chatbot was accessed an average of 8 times a day. It saved our front office 1,400 phone calls and emails. That’s really nice because in high season it’s super busy here. Moreover, this way you serve your guests very quickly. That is also very much appreciated.”

The frequently asked questions section and chatbot were created by the company that maintains Koningshof’s website. “They did the technical part. We did the content part. Together with the receptionists, we came up with the main and sub-questions. That was very fun and instructive to do because together we thought again very carefully about the guest experience.”

Second voucher

For Koningshof, this was the second time they received a voucher. Previously, they used one for digitization. “Then we modernized our reservation module. Since that modification, you get to see alternatives if the preferred period or accommodation, is full.”

Some government grants require a lot of work, Pim knows. “But these vouchers didn’t. It’s really very easy to apply. And if you have questions, you get quick answers. That’s nice, too. So when it turned out that we could apply a second time, we brought forward our investments in a chatbot – because you always pay part of it yourself, too. So as far as we are concerned, the incentive policy to make digitalization steps works!”

Visit www.digitaliseringwerkt.nl to apply for a voucher.