As director, De Man is fully committed to improving processes and has an above-average interest in change management:
“The world is constantly changing, and organizations must adapt. I’ve always enjoyed guiding all the elements that play a role in that process. I deliberately don’t limit this to just IT, but specifically include the human factor that comes into play during change. At Storax, building strong relationships with our customers, suppliers, and staff has been our guiding principle since our founding. As a result, we have exceptionally low turnover and move forward as a unified team to achieve our shared goals.”
Work Smarter with Exact Software
At Storax, they carry out projects and are active in the trading business. Because of this combination, they process a lot of data.
De Man explains: “Architects regularly specify Storax in their specifications. Because of this, combined with our broad product portfolio, we process a lot of data. From an administrative standpoint, there’s definitely a tech aspect to Storax, since we handle all these specifications and projects with just under fifty employees. The biggest factor we’re dealing with is our own capacity, which means we’re constantly challenged to work smarter. For years, IT has been a crucial part of working smarter at Storax.”
“The impact of the smart software is clear, and as a result, we no longer manage things reactively, but proactively.”
Mark de Man
From Reactive to Proactive Work
Together with Alistar, Storax has further improved its internal processes through automation. Storax uses Exact Software in combination with Scan Sys and Sumatra.
De Man explains: “We come from a time when we audited the entire set of financial statements four times a year. The shift we’re making together with Alistar isn’t so much about checking everything, but rather about identifying the exceptions. Thanks to the smart software we’re using now, we can see with just three mouse clicks that something isn’t right. This not only improves management, but also creates a different dynamic internally. The impact of the smart software is clear, and as a result, we no longer manage reactively, but proactively.”
Management Based on Insights from Exact Software
Exact’s modular structure was one of De Man’s requirements: “I believe in the power of modular systems that are simple at their core and offer enough flexibility within the system to enable or disable features.”
The integration with Sumatra gives Storax the insights and dashboards it needs to better manage the organization. De Man explains: “Sumatra allows us to monitor all essential areas to gain insight into the drivers of our organization. This keeps us informed in real time about what’s happening and allows us to predict the impact on the organization. I can already see, eight months in advance, what the workload will be by the end of this year. That’s valuable information we use to guide our decisions.”
“Sumatra ensures that we can take the temperature of all essential aspects of our organization to gain insight into its drivers.”
Mark de Man
Automation is the common thread throughout Storax
De Man believes that ICT goes hand in hand with Storax's strategy:
“Thanks to our automation efforts, if an employee falls ill, I can see with a single click whether an invoice in their name is at risk of becoming a bad debt. Whereas we used to manage accounts receivable with several part-time employees, the insights provided by the software now allow us to do so more efficiently with just one part-time employee.”
For Storax, it’s crucial to be prepared for future changes. De Man: “To be ready for that, you need reliable partners. What appealed to me about Alistar is their mindset: a deal is a deal, and the various areas of expertise aren’t concentrated in just one person. Every time, we’re matched with someone who meets our specific needs at that moment. That aligns with Storax and the strategy we follow: short turnaround times and small changes that have an immediate impact on how we work. This gives us, as an organization, the agility to respond quickly to the trends that are really going to make a difference.”
Did Storax's story inspire you?
Would you like to brainstorm with Arie van Leeuwe, the account manager for Storax, about innovations for your organization? Arie would be happy to work with you and your colleagues to explore the possibilities.
Arie van Leeuwe
