If you ask Alex what he does, you won't immediately get a standard answer. After all, his work as a consultant is anything but predictable. One day he is at a client's office in Zaandam at 6:30 in the morning, the next day he is at home preparing complex projects. "No day is the same, and that's exactly what I love about this work," he says with a grin.
But how did he end up here? What drives him? And why is he called Flowant's "hairbrush oil" by his colleagues? Let's get to know Alex better.
"I've always had the urge to create and improve things," Alex says. That started with an engineering degree, followed by business administration. Yet he never had the ambition to become a consultant. "You grow into it," he explains. "In previous jobs I noticed that I was always busy improving processes. At some point I thought: why don't I make that my job?"
And so it happened. Meanwhile Alex has been guiding industrial companies in optimizing their organization, processes and performance management with a focus on the manufacturing industry and tank storage for over 20 years. I have gained a lot of experience and in-depth knowledge in these sectors. This allows me to add a lot of value there and customers really like that experience. You understand each other very quickly and can quickly join in.
According to Alex, consulting is all about collaboration and client relationships. "I don't consciously gain trust," he says soberly. "I just do my job: I walk around the shop floor, ask a lot of questions and show that I understand the industry."
A good consultant draws solutions from within the team itself. This is especially true when there is resistance to change. "Getting people to think and participate is crucial. I often say, 'Just try it. Doesn't it work? Then we adjust the way we work or even stop doing it completely differently.' That approach helps."
The biggest challenge? Managing expectations. "Beforehand, you have to get clear on what a customer really wants. Sometimes a customer doesn't even know that himself." An example? A tough work session in which everyone disagreed with each other. "I had put a lot of time into it, but during the session I doubted for a moment whether we would come out of it. Afterwards, it turned out that we were headed in the right direction after all. Those are the beautiful moments."
Alex gets his satisfaction from successfully completing a project. "When something you thought was difficult goes well anyway - that's what I do it for. And when clients come to us afterwards with more complex questions, you know you've done something right."
Working with Flowant's team is a breath of fresh air for Alex. "We work without bureaucracy, are flexible and complement each other perfectly. Everyone brings their own strengths and there is absolutely no fuss about organizational matters."
His role within Flowant? "I'm the most entrepreneurial of us. I connect people and make sure everything runs smoothly - kind of like a hairspring oil."
Where Alex sees Flowant in five years? "More projects with large and smaller clients and a permanent team of freelancers that we serve them with, focusing on quality, not growth or more. Maybe even strategic collaborations or acquisitions."
And his personal dream? "To create a community of Alfa and BMW enthusiasts with a fun hang-out and workshop, where we tinker, buy and sell. Just for fun"
Until then, Alex will continue to do what he does best: simplify complex processes, help customers grow and in the meantime expand Flowant. All with the same energy, drive and passion with which he started.
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