Focus Enterprise Solutions: one year later

A year ago, Focus Enterprise Solutions was  introduced, a new and independent label within the Broad Horizon group. Focus Enterprise Solutions focuses on Dynamics 365 Finance & Supply Chain Management, Extended Banking and Managed Applications, building on  the knowledge and expertise that has been built up since 1979.

We spoke to Andre Snijder about how he experienced the first year of Focus Enterprise Solutions and also asked him how he sees the future.

The first year

Andre looks back on the first year very positively: “When you’re just starting out, it’s always exciting. You just have to wait and see how it all develops: can you retain existing customers, can you bring in new projects, can you bind the employees to you and entice new employees to choose your company? Nevertheless, we have succeeded in achieving our objectives on various fronts in this first year and  even exceeding them in several cases.”

Focus on ERP solution pays off

“Of course you can think of things like turnover and things like that,” he continues, “but what I find much more important is looking at employee satisfaction and customer satisfaction. We have managed to retain almost all our existing customers, which is an important indicator for me. And we have also been able to take on new projects, under very competitive circumstances and without extensive history as Focus Enterprise Solutions to fall back on.

At Focus Enterprise Solutions we find it very important to continuously keep in touch with our customers. And although we do not yet formally measure customer satisfaction, we do notice that they really appreciate our focus on Microsoft’s ERP solution. I speak to all our customers regularly and gather valuable feedback. Of course, it is not always hosanna: we sometimes run into the wall with a customer. If, for example because of illness, we cannot quite deliver what we promised. It is precisely then that it is important to have a good relationship. Then we can look together with the team at how we can make processes or technical solutions even better. This way you ensure that customer trust in Focus Enterprise Solutions grows.”

Constructive feedback

Andre thinks for a moment and then resumes his story: “We do measure employee satisfaction, and in that area we have certainly exceeded expectations. The team gives us a lot of feedback: not only about technical matters, but also about the way we approach projects and about our services, for example. They do this not only through the formal channels, but also at company meetings or other meetings. At the start of Focus Enterprise Solutions, there were still a number of employees who first wanted to see things are going. In view of changes in the past, they were not always just enthusiastic. But that has changed radically over the past year. The team now almost feels like family and treats each other that way. Via OfficeVibe, our employee satisfaction tool, team members can compliment each other at any time. This is enthusiastically used  .”

Investing in the future

“At the start of Focus Enterprise Solutions, I indicated that I think it is important that our employees continue to develop. This is not only good for their own career, but also for the trust of customers: they want to be sure that people with the right knowledge are working on their implementation or management process of Dynamics 365 Finance & Supply Chain Management. Certifications are a good way to show this. In the past year, several employees have also been certified.

We have also defined career paths for our employees. This allows a consultant to grow into an architect, for example. This is of course accompanied by the necessary training and coaching to the next level of knowledge. But we also share knowledge with each other in a more informal way. During Company meetings, employees can also update us, to name something, about the latest developments at Microsoft and what consequences this can have for us and our services. Based on this, we can determine in which new technologies we can best invest for the future.”

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Don’t rest on your laurels

“We’ve accomplished a lot in the last year, but we’re not there yet,” Andre said. “I still think it is possible to be known in the market within five years as one of the  specialists  in the field of Dynamics 365 Finance & Supply Chain Management. To achieve this, we must continue to work on our brand awareness. I am therefore really working on further strengthening contacts with Microsoft, but also with competitors. I believe that we can learn from each other and strengthen each other. There is a market for every type of implementation partner. We have chosen a boutique approach and that seems to work well  for us, but that does not mean that it works for every company. Some will prefer to use a different approach. What is important is that you help your customers in a good way. You can then build on the foundation of trust that is created.”

Future plans

“In that context, we also formulate our future plans. We really have a whole list of things that we still want to pick up or expand this year. For example, in the coming year we want to formally measure customer satisfaction, so that we can better manage this and intervene if necessary.

Another concrete goal for the future is to seek more cooperation with sister companies within the Broad Horizon group. For example, when we do an ERP implementation, it is a long-term project. But during such a project you also find out that a customer needs other things, such as reports and management information. Now Cmotions, one of our sister companies, specializes in this. How nice is it for a customer if you can ‘click’ that knowledge and specialization in our services? That’s win-win! And of course there are many more collaborations with other labels within the Broad Horizon group. In addition, we will also really invest in the Power Platform and other technological developments at Microsoft, but also market developments within our customer segments.  In this way, we can expand our service portfolio over time. Not that we lose focus, but we want to expand existing services because we notice that our customers need them.

Two pillars

“In general, you can say that we have set up Focus Enterprise Solutions on two pillars: satisfied customers and satisfied employees. Both are important but we canprovide good services without happy, satisfied and energetic employees.

I am extremely proud of our team: how they left any doubts behind in the first year and are now fully committed to it. That they give us the confidence, the feedback we need to grow and improve and they are committed to making Focus Enterprise Solutions even better! Without this team, the first year would certainly have been much less successful,” Andre concludes.

Want to know more?

After reading this blog, do you want to know how Focus Enterprise Solutions can help you get the best out of your ERP system? Please contact us for a no-obligation conversation. Or are you a Consultant, Solution Architect or do you have a lot of experience with Dynamics 365 Finance and Supply Chain Management and would you like to work at a young and dynamic company? Check out our vacancies.