In conversation with Soufyan El Boulahiati
A job that offers a lot of freedom, opportunities for personal development, and frequent contact with people: that's what Soufyan found at Shift2. As an account manager, he visits municipalities throughout the Netherlands and builds personal relationships with customers. In this interview, he talks about his background, how he ended up at Shift2, and what his role entails. But above all, he discusses how he, as a new employee, built relationships with so many municipalities. Read on to discover how he approaches this and what he enjoys so much about his work.
Soufyan, how did you end up at Shift2?
I ended up at Shift2 after applying for a job at another organization within the Conxillium group. During my application process, I spoke with Antoinette van den Oever, who saw a great opportunity for me at Shift2 based on our conversation. An opportunity that perfectly matches my ambitions. I started as an account manager for the software, where I became responsible for contact with more than 200 municipalities in the Netherlands.
Social skills that I developed through my experience in the hospitality industry are essential in my current position. I am someone who cannot sit behind a desk all day, because then I miss interacting with people. I enjoy getting to know new people, and I can do that now by visiting municipalities. The freedom I am given allows me to challenge myself to get the most out of myself. Gaining the trust of the municipalities is important, and that is where I build my relationships. My educational and professional background has taught me to be customer-oriented and to deal with people, which helps me in my current position.
How do you ensure success with customers?
When I sit down with clients, I believe it is important to listen, show them why I am there, and make them feel comfortable. Honesty is essential in this regard, so that the threshold for discussing everything is low and we can continue to build the relationship. If the relationship is good, success will follow naturally.
As the youngest member of the team, I learn a lot from my older colleagues, and vice versa, they also learn from me. Age is just a number, and it's fun to come up with fresh ideas that are welcomed with open arms. Because I've just graduated, I sometimes think differently about things and like to use modern terms and techniques. When I combine that with what I learn from my more experienced colleagues about long-term relationships, I get the best of both worlds.
The customer is central to Shift2. How is this demonstrated?
We have been working with municipalities for 50 years and have built up a solid reputation as a reliable partner. When elections are approaching, we stand alongside the municipality to provide assistance and advice to ensure that everything runs smoothly.
Our goal is always to help municipalities save time, for example by using the software more intelligently. The software offers many possibilities, and municipalities use it as they always have. We can schedule a consultation or training session that offers new insights. I then go out with my colleague, consultant Maarten van der Veer, who shows the ins and outs of the software so that municipalities can make optimal use of it during the elections.
Curious about what a consultation or training session with Maarten van der Veer could mean for your municipality? Read the interview here.
After the election, we evaluate with the municipalities what went well and what could be improved. This allows us to stay on top of things and offer continuous help and advice. In September, we will then present new developments and visit or organize a webinar to explain and demonstrate these developments. I will be the first point of contact, and if more guidance or in-depth information is needed, I will bring Maarten along.
What developments can municipalities expect from Shift2?
There is a new development in Procura Elections: the Classification Wizard. The Classification Wizard is a tool that makes it easy for municipalities to classify their polling stations. Previously, this took a lot of time (often days), but thanks to this tool, the process is now automated. The wizard was created after the evaluation of the previous elections and has been well received by our customers in the run-up to the provincial and water board elections.
Another development at Shift2 (formerly Procura) is the Election Planner. This is a complete digital roadmap and planner that specifies exactly what tasks municipalities need to perform and when they need to be completed. This is another development that gives election teams a better overview and safeguards their knowledge. The Election Planner provides municipalities with a common thread and ensures that tasks and progress are safeguarded. It serves as a guideline for organizing elections without any worries and saving time.
What role do ISO certifications play in your work?
We are ISO 27001 (Information Security) and ISO 9001 (Quality Management) certified. ISO certifications demonstrate that you comply with relevant legal, business, and contractual security obligations and that you are committed to continuous improvement. It is a must to have these certifications as a software developer. It also allows you to demonstrate to municipalities: "This is who we are, and we are not standing still. We want to continue to grow." Innovation and continuous development are always important in order to provide good service to customers, both now and in the future. In my role, ISO certification is particularly important when issuing new quotes and renewing contracts.
Want to know more about ISO certifications? Henry Verdonschot tells you all about it in this article.
What are your expectations for the future?
For the future, I expect growth, with development being central. Not only for Shift2, but also for myself. We are not standing still, but are pressing ahead. For example, by expanding the team, which will enable us to make progress in the coming period. And for myself, I expect and hope that I will be able to continue to help the more than 200 municipalities I currently assist as best I can and further develop the relationship. This means that I will remain in close contact with the municipalities, visit them to provide support, and keep things open for discussion.
I have truly found my place here and I really enjoy what I do. It gives me energy. Sometimes I get up, drive to South Limburg, and spend two and a half hours in the car. But I actually enjoy that. I get a lot out of my conversations. And even though I may be the youngest here, I can always count on the support of my colleagues. There's a really nice family culture here. And that's why I definitely want to keep doing this job for as long as possible!