Why don't you start by telling us about what you do at Curit?
Yes, I'm a consultant in the area of Production, including planning, where I've been allowed to dig into Advanced Planning Board and Master Scheduling - that is, forecasting. In addition, I work with PDM Engineering and a bit with configuration.
Many of our customers already have a process for forecasting based on input from their customers, so it's about understanding this process and then finding the tool in IFS that best supports this. Maybe they also have a good idea of how they want the forecast to be distributed in IFS. And yes, there are a lot of buttons we can press within the different tools to make sure they meet the needs as precisely as possible.
How do you use your work experience in your current role?
I really use the experience of having sat on the other side of the table where our customers are sitting today. In the past, I've been the one who needed guidance and help from consultants. Most recently, I was a supply chain manager, where my job was to plan production, purchasing and warehousing. With this background, I have a very good understanding of the issues and challenges inherent in the processes. This means that I can quickly understand the challenges that the customer faces and provide input on how to solve them in IFS. At the same time, I have a process-related understanding, which means that I can challenge the customer, which can be a great advantage in the search for the best solution.
I find that because I've sat where our customer sits, it creates a really good working relationship where there is trust and respect. My background has also helped me feel comfortable in my current role as a consultant, as I have practical experience of the processes that our customers work with. As a consultant, I focus on making the process work for the customer, and then I have to find the right solutions in IFS for this.
Which task would you highlight as being particularly interesting?
Helping Ib Andresen Industries find the right planning tool is a really challenging task. Today, they have a customised solution that is based on customer quotas using a very complex setup. Therefore, the starting point was to make a complex customisation in IFS to support it. In the analysis process, I challenged Ib Andresen Industries on their needs, which resulted in the task actually being solved in standard IFS instead; it has been an exciting process to be involved in. It has been interesting to think about possible solutions and to challenge and ask questions about their actual wishes and needs. And great praise to Ib Andresen, who in this context has shown me and Curit great trust by saying ’Okay, let's do it another way’.
What has it been like starting at Curit?
I have been happy to start at Curit, where I have been well received. At Curit there is a slightly younger team than I have worked with before. I feel that there is more dynamism and I find that very exciting. However, I had to get used to being ’the new guy’ who had to ask a lot of questions because I didn't know all the routines. But as I said, I was welcomed, received training and was then thrown into the tasks. It was a bit challenging at times, but also incredibly educational, and I'm sure I wouldn't have become so familiar with IFS so quickly if I hadn't been given that push. I also appreciate the social events at Curit and the good atmosphere, so all in all I'm really happy with my move.