Making an inefficient process efficient

Since joining Finext, Willem has been involved in implementing software for Finance planning, Supply planning and Workforce planning. Willem has a lot of client contact to ensure that he and his team can put the client's financial processes into a planning tool. "For this, I ask questions of the customer, work things out and validate this back with the customer." Willem tells us that the goal with the customer is to structure the process. Willem and his team take care of this. The customer then only has to provide the input and the system can then turn this into a financial report. Digitizing this process ensures that the customer has to perform fewer human actions. "Actually, I am always solving an inefficient process together with the customer," he says.

Lots of customer contact

Willem spends roughly 30% of his time doing customer contact. The rest of the time he works on various tasks. For example, developing calculation models, writing formulas but also preparing presentations. "Working together with the customer towards the best solution in the system requires a lot of interaction with the customer. That is precisely what makes my work so fun and varied." In the morning, Willem often starts with a stand-up with his project team. In this they discuss together with the customer what tasks will be performed that day and what they need from the customer. He then gets to work on his tasks and as soon as he has a question, he shoots straight into a meeting with the client. Willem's days are very varied. He has several projects running and it may happen that a customer has an urgent issue that needs to be solved. "You have to ensure proper prioritization and feedback to the customer about what will and won't work."

"Working with the customer on the best solution in the system requires a lot of interaction with the customer. That is precisely what makes my work so fun and varied."

More and more responsibility

The past five years have flown by and actually for Willem it feels like he has only been working at Finext for a short time. Nevertheless, in these five years he has already been given many responsibilities and is super challenged. Finext's working method, the freedom in his own development and the professionalism of his team ensure that Willem gets a lot of energy and learns quickly. If you have questions you have to raise the alarm yourself, but you are not inhibited.
The growth in responsibility was especially evident when, on his second project, he was able to go to the customer on his own. "It went very well, the project went well and the customer is still very satisfied with the software," he says. This is something I am really proud of according to Willem. This contact with the customer is therefore a part that Willem really enjoys and in which he wants to develop himself. "More towards pre-sales. Thinking along with the customer about the possible solutions to a problem." Willem explains that he finds it especially cool to put down a clear story, to offer solutions and to convince and take the customer along in this. To achieve this, he wants to gain a lot of experience. He wants to observe his more experienced colleagues, take training courses and above all be involved in practical situations.

"Socially, the traineeship is also very useful. You get to know people who are in the same stage and have the same questions. I found that very cool."

A flexible start at Finext

A beginning that is somewhat different from most Finexters. Willem started working part-time at Finext. This gave him the opportunity to finish his thesis for his study and still be busy in practice. After Willem finished his studies, he started his traineeship at Finext about six months after he started working for us. Although he had been working for some time and had already learned a lot, the traineeship was still very instructive. In addition to the training sessions, Willem also got to know more people. "Socially, the traineeship is also very useful. You get to know people who are in the same phase and have the same questions, which I found very nice."
Meanwhile, the traineeship has developed further and new Finexters get a broad introduction to different solutions and themes. This was not yet the case with Willem; he applied specifically to work with the planning tool Anaplan. A direction he still really enjoys. The nice team in which he could start working right away also gives Willem a lot of energy and pleasure in his work.

Why Finext?

When we ask why Willem works at Finext, he has a clear answer. "Because I believe in the philosophy." Getting a lot of responsibility as long as you go after this yourself, he likes that. This has to suit you, Willem believes. If you run up against something then it's up to you to sound the alarm and then everyone will be happy to help you. Finext's way of working is not for everyone. But if you really want to take that responsibility and show initiative, there is no better organization than Finext, says Willem.