Michael Hardenbol wants to create an impact for his clients
Michael started to wonder: is there a way to expand my horizon, perhaps as an architect? He looked for opportunities outside of Nextview. But then the corona virus hit and he waited for a bit. Eventually he chose to take the next step in his career and applied at a major consultancy firm. “I wanted to work on bigger, more challenging projects. I wanted to learn more and this company offered a lot more services to clients.” However, he quickly concluded that “the grass is not always greener.”
Since Michael started working at Nextview in 2014, much has changed already. From working with SAP only, to combining it with Salesforce, to eventually focussing solely on Salesforce. It took some time to get used to working with Salesforce because the technology simply is different, Michael says. “We started with smaller projects. Which means that the workflow is quicker. Quick delivery and quickly adding value to the customer. My role was mainly focused on implementation and support.”
Working for the end user
His hope was that by working at a bigger company, he could also take on bigger projects. Unfortunately, it turned out that his daily work still mainly revolved around creating only incremental changes. “There was no room for developing my skills, apart from one training I received.” But above all, he missed the Nextview way of working. “At a big consultancy firm we get hired to do a job and that is sort of it. At Nextview on the other hand, we really work as a team to help our client forward. We work for our end user by helping them get the best solution possible. And when I think we can do things even better, my colleagues are open to my feedback.”
“At Nextview, we really work as a team to help our client forward.”
Sense of trust
Another quite relevant aspect that he now appreciates even more, is the culture at Nextview. “We all work together for the same cause. Every Monday we do a kick off of the week. We discuss which projects are coming up, but also share which bottlenecks lie ahead. We get a good sense of how the company is doing. Take the start of corona for example. The fact that things might have gone awry was not hidden from us. That gave me a sense of trust. They were open about it but at the same time they let us know that they were aware of what might happen. They definitely made an effort to involve everyone.”
“Looking at the pace in which Nextview is growing, I can trust that there are interesting projects ahead for me.”
Personal touch
Likewise, in day-to-day contact with his colleagues Michael notices that everyone is in it for the team. “At Nextview, no one is working on their own island so to say. If someone asks a question in our group chat for example, there is always someone willing to help out.” Hence the decision to get back to Nextview was made quickly. “Nextview is my professional home.
Enjoying work is important to me and that is something I always had at Nextview. My colleagues are people I can truly rely on. When reaching back out, I got a positive response. One of my colleagues actually came by my house to discuss what I wanted to do next. I get energy from working in an architect role. And looking at the pace in which Nextview is growing, I can trust that there are interesting projects ahead for me. I’m really glad I can come back. I’ve already had interesting conversations. It’s that personal touch that I’m looking forward to.”