Say hello to... Dries

You have been working with us for about 4 months now. What is your first impression of ProPlanner?

My first impression is that this is a truly open and horizontal organization. Companies often say that about themselves, but here it is actually true. We are all pulling in the same direction and want to move forward together.

Our software is of very high quality, and the team actively thinks about how it can be improved even further. The open atmosphere ensures that people really listen to each other, which makes for a particularly pleasant way of working.

What I also really appreciate is that this is the first time I'm working in a modern office environment, with good infrastructure, nice workspaces, air conditioning, and all the necessary facilities. You can do your work here very well and focused, but there is also room for a chat.

What will you do to strengthen our team?

I have been hired as an integrations developer. It is therefore my task to connect external software to ProPlanner, often important systems from the automotive sector. This can range from entirely new integrations to variations on existing connections. In the international market, for example, there are often country-specific requirements for which different solutions must be provided each time. The possibilities for integrations are therefore endless.

In the long term, the intention is to develop a kind of plugin system with a fixed integration structure, to which other software can easily connect. This greatly expands the combination possibilities.

What do you get the most challenge out of?

I have many years of experience in development, but the automotive sector is still relatively new to me. The biggest challenge therefore lies in getting to know that sector inside and out. The better I understand the processes, needs, and challenges, the better I can assess which developments deserve priority and which integrations offer the most added value. Once you are at home in the sector, the code follows automatically.

Where do you hope to be in a year?

I hope to be the reference within the company regarding integrations, not only for development but also for the other departments. We need a dedicated point of contact who can provide the necessary documentation. Additionally, I want to ensure that we have working documents in place where integration partners and customers can immediately see what an integration entails and how a connection can be established.

And naturally, I want to make our integration offering as extensive as possible. Perhaps in the future there will be an Integration Team with which I can achieve these objectives.

What makes a successful workday for you?

Sometimes you get stuck on a particular problem. If you then enter into a dialogue with your colleagues about it and brainstorm together, it can happen that you suddenly come up with the perfect solution. I really draw energy from moments like that. That makes a workday successful for me.

And to conclude: what is your favorite 'work motto'?