At first glance, Cas Booij’s (26) education doesn’t seem to have much to do with the work he’s doing now. But nothing could be further from the truth. Thanks to his degree in Automotive Business Management, he can switch gears quite well—just to use a car analogy. Because shifting is handy when you’re the product owner of a project that impacts the entire kitchen sales chain.
“Right now, designing a kitchen is still done by hand; soon it will be done in the cloud.”
I’m working on the development and implementation of KPS.MAX, a 3D drawing and calculation software that allows you to design, calculate and order the most beautiful kitchens. It’s great for customers because they get a 3D image of what their new kitchen will look like. And it’s great for sales advisors, as they will soon be able to place digital orders with just the press of a button. Right now, everything is still done manually. But before that happens, we have quite a bit of work to do.
“Our project impacts many departments; I interact with the whole company.”
We develop and implement step by step. It’s our team’s responsibility to gather and connect all necessary data. For this, I collaborate with various departments within De Mandemakers Groep, from sales advisors to transportation and customer service. I genuinely engage with the entire company, help in determining the direction and make connections.
Our team looks a bit different from the other teams at Tech & Digital. I focus on project management and I am responsible for the project. My colleague Erik handles the technology and data; he's been in tech for a lot longer, whilst I've only been at De Mandemakers Groep for two years. I learn a lot from him, which makes it a great combination. Within the team we also have business analysts from different departments, as well as dedicated KPS.MAX software developers.
As a product owner, I take the lead in the entire process. One day, I’m working on the technical aspects, and the next, I’m organizing training for the sales advisors who will work with the software. Some days are challenging and intense, but I enjoy staying in control amid the chaos.
“When I sold my first kitchen, that gave me a thrill!”
I can perform my job well because I also worked in one of our stores during my onboarding period. There, I designed and sold kitchens. The first time I sold a kitchen was a real thrill! That experience makes me a better conversation partner; I understand what it's all about.
What I love about working at De Mandemakers Groep is that, despite only having a few years of experience, I’ve been given complete trust to lead this project. KPS.MAX will have a significant impact on our organization, as the entire process—from design to delivery—will ultimately be digital. Even customer service will feel the effects. The interest from the organization is huge, and I find it fantastic to contribute to this.
“After work, I hit the gym.”
Since I coordinate a lot with other departments, I prefer working in the office. There’s an informal atmosphere, and I notice little hierarchy. Of course, there’s a manager, and yes, there’s a CEO. But I can easily drop by with a question.
Do I regret not working in the automotive industry? Absolutely not. I can really apply a lot of what I’ve learned here. And I drive with my car to work, even though I live nearby. That counts too, right? Not because I’m lazy, but because I head straight to the gym after work. A nice way to unwind!
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Our team of over 70 IT professionals is dedicated to creating digital solutions for the home and living sector. Find out how surprisingly digital De Mandemakers Groep is and how surprisingly fun Team Tech & Digital is.
