Copy: Ester Schop
Illustration: Studio van Laar
In 2019, Bas Eggelaar took the plunge and started his own consulting company. Until then, he had worked in the HR field for about twenty years, predominantly in high-tech and manufacturing.
We wanted to prevent others from falling into the same pitfalls as we did during an HRIT implementation.
When Bas worked as Global VP HR at Inalfa Roof Systems and later founded the Centre of Excellence HR Systems & Analytics, with Europe as part of his responsibilities, there was a wave of standardization. That wave was prompted by the many recalls in the automotive industry. Inalfa Roof Systems, which supplies sliding roofs to various car makes, did not have any systems in place to make the standardization move, and consolidating HR data was impossible at the time. The processes themselves were not yet standardized either.
Processes to be standardized
After going through a supplier selection process, Inalfa chose Workday, which was implemented globally, and also required the data and processes to be standardized. Bas: “That project was quite successful, but I did come to the conclusion that purchasing the software and bringing in an implementation partner was not enough.”
“I already knew that I needed my own project manager, and I assumed that this would be sufficient. But then you go into a project and it turns out you are also responsible for the data, the testing, the business analysis and the change management. I had no idea!”
I don’t talk to change management. I come here to test
He looked for interim specialists and discovered that the quality varied greatly and that interim professionals often work individualistically. “I had a good test manager, but he simply said ‘I don’t talk to change management. I come here to test’. Whereas those things are really related.”
Furthermore, he discovered that testing an HRIT system is very different from testing other software. Soon, he wondered why there wasn’t already a company dedicated to this kind of projects with proven methodologies and with quality assurance. This led to the beginning of SuccessDay.
Every pitfall
Bas tells us that during the Workday implementation at Inalfa, he ran into just about every pitfall imaginable. Last year, Bas decided to take SuccessDay to the next level. “We wanted to prevent others from falling into the same pitfalls as we did during an HRIT implementation. What we do with SuccessDay is unique. When we provide professionals, they always work according to our own methodologies and all our projects receive quality assurance. We were the first in the Benelux and our approach is catching on. Otherwise we wouldn’t have been able to expand to 35 people so quickly,”.
Fancy consultancy clubs
SuccessDay has few direct competitors. Of course there are sole practitioners who can fill certain roles, but they rarely work together. The fancy consultancy clubs of the Zuidas (Amsterdam) manage similar HRIT projects, but their approach – and corporate culture – is very different from SuccessDay’s. “What we do differently is that we are not an implementation partner. We are independent and are really on the customer’s side. One of our customers recently called us his ‘second skin’. We look with a critical eye if needed. Not only when dealing with the implementation partner, but also when it comes to our customers. We play devil’s advocate to get them to figure out what is good for them.
If you are not independent as an advisor you cannot guide a selection process
“And at the same time we make sure that the implementation partner and the software supplier deliver a better quality product as a result. Sometimes they act like contractors who – and I am exaggerating – are already working on the next job while the job is being done. Whereas we are truly dedicated to working with our customer towards a successful go-live. If a customer is not satisfied, we fix it,” says Bas.
How SuccessDay works
In order to be able to choose a good supplier and the right package, SuccessDay offers independent advice. Working platform-independently was a conscious choice. “If you are not independent as an advisor you cannot guide a selection process. We always adopt an open, honest and transparent attitude. We enter into a dialogue with the client: where are you aiming for as an organization? What does this mean for HR and what is the purpose of using the software?” After all, software is a means to an end, not an end in itself, Bas explains.
Once the software and the partner who will configure it have been chosen, SuccessDay uses a quick scan to see if the organization is really ready for the pressure cooker that awaits them. “The trend in HCM implementations is that it has to be done faster. In the past you might have had nine months, nowadays the trend is to have something live in 18 weeks. With the quick scan we take a critical look at what roles you need. This is often followed by a phase zero, in which we help clients establish data and process standards. Sometimes this literally means helping a client determine what the definition of an FTE will be, or what the job catalogue will look like. In addition, we establish clear project governance and determine the design principles needed for process standardization. It is essential to think about this in advance”, says Bas.
Independent party
During implementation, SuccessDay helps the customer fill the roles on the customer side. The roles they can fill are project management, change management, data, testing and business consultancy/analysts. Bas: “We regularly provide feedback on how the process is going and where the risks are – even the risks for which we are not responsible. In addition, we are on the steering committee of all of our customers so that we can be the independent party supporting our customer.”
If you put a fantastic system in place for your data, it doesn’t automatically mean that a recruiter will use that data.
Next, SuccessDay also focuses on helping people use and interpret the software, because if you put a fantastic system in place for your data, it doesn’t automatically mean that a recruiter will use that data. How do you ensure that the system is embraced and that the best possible results are achieved?
Additional products and services that SuccessDay offers are specifically aimed at the Workday software:
- Smooth Landing (support during go-live in resolving non-technical tickets and knowledge transfer)
- Workday AMS (support after the go-live, release management, solving technical tickets)
- Workday Fastlane Traineeship (offering experts to be trained by SuccessDay in Workday and in business consultancy skills. This was prompted by a major shortage of Workday professionals in the Benelux)
Work hard, play hard
The reason SuccessDay’s services are so popular, according to its founders, is because it is a pragmatic organization, no-nonsense, and with expert knowledge. “Our most important core value? Work Hard, Play Hard. We didn’t invent that slogan ourselves, of course, but it really applies to us. Relaxation is important. ”
“Of course you have to do overtime in the weekend sometimes, but in return you have an unlimited number of days off and – if the weather is nice and the schedule allows – you can go for a bike ride at three o’clock in the afternoon,” says Bas.
Other core values are ‘Fair & Square’: say what you think and do what you say; ‘Family’: relying on each other’s professional qualities and acting side-by-side with the client; and ‘Go get them’ – which means not being satisfied until the job is successfully completed. Customer satisfaction is what truly matters in the end.
Affinity for HR
Moreover, SuccessDay stands out from the big consulting clubs in that they have in-house professionals with an affinity for HR, who are trained in the systems in which they advise. In addition, the rates are reasonable. They are just above the interim rates, but with that you get a team of professionals instead of a sole practitioner, and the aforementioned quality guarantee.
We don’t take young people straight out of college to put them through a pressure-cooker culture
SuccessDay does not hire young graduates just to place them in a high-pressure environment. While that may teach someone how to configure a system, it does not equip them to truly advise clients. That’s why all juniors at SuccessDay have at least two to three years of work experience and receive tailored training. Senior consultants often come from large implementation partners and are ready for a role on the customer side, where they can make a broader impact. The tone of voice often matches that of the clients—practical, direct, and focused on results. “Getting things done” is more than a motto. Clients regularly share that SuccessDay is able to address what needs to happen right now while also keeping sight of the bigger picture. An open and honest dialogue is part of the company culture.
Very satisfied
All this ensures that the implementations of HRIT systems at customers managed by SuccessDay do not end in the horror stories you so often hear. Bas: “So far, all our clients are very satisfied and we are really very proud of that.”
