From software manufacturer to business consultant

Liemar Software is much more than just a software manufacturer. With its unique ERP system LiemarX, it not only grants a steel fabricator or metal construction company peace of mind and insight, it transforms those companies into a well-oiled machine. "How close we are to our customers is unparalleled," says Niels Oudenaarden, commercial director of Liemar Software. "With us, you choose the click and the people, so that together we can grow to unprecedented heights."

Liemar Software has its very own vision of service. "We don't actually have customers, but rather a lot of colleagues," says Oudenaarden. "That makes that we have very long partnerships with many companies, with some relying on our service for more than 25 years. And there's a reason for that. With us, it doesn't start with a transaction at the front end. No, we go through several phases. And it starts before we even close a deal. We get to sniff each other out and explore to what extent people are willing to really go along with the transformation. In that phase we determine the parameters and what we are going to do with each other. We effectuate that with a handshake. Then it just begins."

Breathe

"Everyone promises service, with you there is service," is a random quote from a Liemar customer. "Isn't that fantastic when you hear that," Oudenaarden believes. "And we are constantly working on that. We call proactively and are always available and helpful." W. ten Ham Constructie also praises the service: "The longer we work with the software and the people of Liemar, the more satisfied we become. It really is a relief compared to our previous supplier. With Liemar you really get the services a service package is meant for. Oudenaarden: "During an implementation project, we get under a company's skin and there is a lot of discussion, partly because we often (re)organize and (re)structure existing processes. We ask critical questions and hold up a mirror to customers. In this way we get to the essence, to the way in which you achieve the greatest return without unnecessary work. In the phase that follows, people then immediately see that our software and services really pay off."

The secret

The "secret" to long-term customer relationships, according to Oudenaarden, is that you can make strategic business decisions based on the insight the software provides. "Decisions that have an impact on the really long term. We also grow in that phase. Because once we're on the carrier, we don't jump off," he jokes. "Our services then go far beyond just delivering and servicing the software. We share knowledge and give business advice." Of course, Liemar also continues to continuously develop the software. "For now we are super satisfied with LiemarX, although a new release will follow later this year: a visual remake with also technical improvements under the hood. In the background we are also already developing a completely new version, but we won't launch that for several years," Oudenaarden reveals. "The current version is still state-of-the-art, widely applicable, and thanks to the Workplace app, the digital workshop is also fully integrated."

Not only in the Netherlands but also in Belgium, Liemar Software has been an established name for many years. "We find that with our unique approach we can also help customers in Belgium a whole number of steps forward. Not by simply digitizing existing processes, but rather by setting up processes in a fundamentally different way and thus taking companies to a higher level. With the added advantage that instead of having three full-time FTEs, for example, they can manage with half an FTE. This makes life a lot more pleasant. Less effort and still more efficiency. That makes both us and our users very happy!"