Simac's Projects & Changes department was struggling with staff turnover and inefficient processes, which delayed projects. To put out the fires and create more peace in the organisation, Simac needed a clear structure and streamlined process. They also wanted to automate a number of internal processes and follow up on customer requirements.

The workload for employees was very high. They were constantly working with several customers at the same time, which made planning work and projects very difficult. In addition, the need for more task transferability hampered cooperation and support within the team. While the number of staff decreased, the workload increased. Although staff were highly motivated, there needed to be more precise coordination of work. As a result, employees tended to act independently instead of cooperating and asking for help.  

Luuk started by building trust within the team and getting in-depth knowledge of the work and departments. This was achieved by walking along with the work and carrying it out himself. He was independently responsible for projects and changes of several large customers within the retail domain. By looking closely at what people needed, he was able to give them direction and resolve their challenges. He then implemented process improvements for the customers he was responsible for. This led to immediately visible results and timely adjustments. These improvements were developed in collaboration with the customers by having open conversations about their needs and possible solutions. 
Then, his findings were shared with the team. Because Luuk was able to demonstrate progress through concrete results, I was able to allay any suspicions. By having open conversations, priorities were set, and improvements were gradually implemented. For instance, Luuk introduced a weekly kick-off meeting with a dashboard for more efficient work management. A system can only be challenged in stages. But it can change little by little. Finally, the team looked at other departments and customers to identify possible improvements based on their experiences. This led to optimal cooperation in the chain, allowing customers to be served faster and more accurately. With all employees involved connecting, a dialogue emerged, reducing mutual resistance.

The various improvements led to a better grip on workload and processes, allowing us to distribute tasks more efficiently and escalations to be spotted earlier. Customer satisfaction increased significantly due to faster and error-free execution. The automation of tedious tasks such as documentation saved time and reduced errors. Most important was the improved atmosphere within the team and in contact with other departments. This brought more control and made firefighting a thing of the past. This constant search for improvement and close cooperation with customers was crucial to success, and flexibility and hard work were essential to progress. It's about more than just your plan but the process. Make sure you create support. That takes time and puffing, but the moment you launch such a plan together, you automatically have ambassadors who don't give up at every setback. On the contrary, they say: 'This is my plan, and I will put my back into it!