Housing corporation Domijn is about more than just renting out houses; they want to offer their tenants a real home. They do this with more than 250 employees for 30,000 people in Enschede, Haaksbergen and Losser. In order to keep everything on track and to be able to do their job as well as possible, the innovative Domijn recently made the switch from the old Umbrella system to our new one. Embrace Customers product. That focuses on Omnichannel integration and more efficient use of modules as Telephony, Web chat and E-mail.
This is a switch where Embrace and Domijn joined forces, and of course we want to know more about that. That's why we spoke to Sylvie Meijer (Project Manager I and A), Geke Bakker (Front Office and Knowledge Management Employee), and Miriam Groot Nibbelink (Knowledge Management) van Domijn about their experiences and approach to this transition.
Preparing for the transition
The transition to the new Embrace Customers started with a first introduction. Sylvie explains: “We had received a sneak preview long before it was officially announced. It made a big visual impression, especially the new interface and integration options.” Miriam also agrees: “Thanks to the User Day in 2023 we already had our first encounter with the new Suite (the new Embrace Customers).”
To properly prepare for the transition, Domijn decided to appoint a small group of ambassadors from various departments to supervise the transition and gather feedback. Sylvie explains: “It was nice that the Suite was already technically ready, which gave us peace and space to focus on the organizational side. That's where Embrace really took care of us. We went to work with a small club to find out what was different and what to look out for. Then, together with Marjolein Horstman, Consultant at Embrace, we made a detailed plan. The ambassadors played a crucial role. Thanks to them, the pressure was a bit off. They helped other colleagues and were already spreading knowledge within the organization.
“It was nice that the Suite was already technically ready, which gave us peace and space to focus on the organizational side. That's where Embrace really took care of us.”
From idea to reality thanks to the right approach and training
It is clear that Sylvie, Geke and Miriam wanted the switch to take place, but it still had to be supported by the entire organization.
Miriam explains: “Some of the management team members initially did not immediately see the advantages compared to the old system. The biggest challenge was to sell this to the organization. Nevertheless, we quickly saw the possibilities and the beautiful design of the new system.” Sylvie adds: “We took plenty of time to learn how the system works. It really started to come to life when the ambassadors got involved. Their feedback and that of other colleagues helped us think about the right training methods.” So ready for the transition!
And that transition consisted of training courses that were thoroughly addressed, as Geke explains: “It was an opportunity to review all work arrangements and processes. The Back Office got a glimpse into the kitchen of the Front Office, which led to greater understanding and collaboration.” Domijn gave all training courses physically in the office. That was a conscious choice. Geke: “Because it takes the longest to log into the test environment and there is a lot of difference in people's digital skills. If you do it physically, colleagues can also help each other.” Miriam adds: “We decided to provide the training courses physically in the office so that we could provide immediate support.”
Step-by-step success with a phased implementation
The implementation of the new Embrace Customers took place in phases, with the Front Office changing in April and the Back Office in May. Geke explains: “Thanks to the ambassadors, the employees already knew that the transition was coming. The Front Office was enthusiastic about Marjolein and the fact that they were able to ask questions. The implementation went like a train, everyone quickly started practicing for themselves.”
Miriam explains how they made sure that employees had time to get used to it: “We gave all employees ten days to work in both the old and the new environment. Almost everyone immediately switched to the new Suite after the training. This approach also worked well at the Back Office.” Sylvie stresses the importance of flexibility: “We wanted to get the old environment out immediately at first, but still decided to use both systems side by side for a week. This gave employees the space to switch at their own pace.”
The collaboration with Embrace
Domijn himself wanted to work with someone from Embrace to make everything run smoothly. This collaboration with Embrace, and specifically with Marjolein, was experienced as very positive. Sylvie: “Marjolein's positive and open attitude was very nice. Together, her technical knowledge and our organizational input formed a strong whole. The training courses she provided were crucial to the success of the implementation.” Geke: “Marjolein's personal guidance helped us enormously. She made sure that we were able to set everything up right from the start and provide all the training sessions ourselves in three weeks.”
“Marjolein (Embrace)'s personal guidance helped us enormously. She made sure that we were able to set everything up right from the start and provide all the training sessions ourselves in three weeks.”
Visible results and more touchpoints
The results of the switch are clearly visible within Domijn. Sylvie: “The transition went smoothly thanks to the detailed preparation and phased approach. It was intensive, but worthwhile. It provided greater understanding and visibility of the capabilities of the Embrace Suite.”
Miriam notes that there are more contact moments and that employees now know better what is possible within the system. “In terms of difference, we see that a lot of Back Office employees take notes and post more on their timeline. Because we showed the possibilities of the new Suite during the training courses, we get more requests to put things into the system. People know where to find the project team better because they now understand what is possible. We're seeing a lot more contact points from the Back Office.”
Tips and tricks, advice for other corporations
Before making the switch, Domijn would like to share a few tips that have really worked well for them and can also be used by other corporations. So take advantage of it!
Geke: “The combination of technical support from Embrace and internal ambassadors worked very well for us.” Sylvie also mentions the importance of positive and engaged employees as ambassadors: “It is important to choose positive and engaged employees who can maintain the right atmosphere. We looked at the human side and the adoption side to make it successful. Because Embrace had already done the technical preparation, there was time to gradually get the rest of the organization used to the new way of working.” Miriam adds: “It also helps to link faces to the project, so everyone knows where to go with questions. That still works now!”
“The combination of technical support from Embrace and internal ambassadors worked very well for us.”
The switch to the renewed Embrace Customers product has brought Domijn a lot. Through a thoughtful approach and good cooperation with Embrace, they have implemented a future-proof system that helps them achieve their goal: offering tenants a real home.
Are you also ready to make the switch and enjoy all the benefits that the new Embrace Customers offers? Don't hesitate to contact us, we're always here for you!
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