Ruben Pals started as a supply chain analyst at ICT Incore two years ago, straight from the lecture halls. ICT Incore, part of ICT Group since September 2023, is located in the Beurs van Berlage in the heart of Amsterdam. At ICT Incore, you are given the opportunity to discover what your qualities are, where your expertise lies and what you want to delve into.
It all started with the invitation of a recruiter to talk to ICT Incore. "It was the first company I talked to and it was an instant hit," Ruben says enthusiastically. "I had thought that applying for a job would come with a lot of pressure, but that wasn't the case at all. The people at ICT Incore immediately put me at ease, were very open and genuinely interested in my qualities and wishes."
Ruben has never regretted his choice for ICT Incore. "Studying and working seem to be a world of difference and I was really ready for working life, but at ICT Incore there is a nice work-life balance that you have a lot of influence on. That makes the transition less significant. We work very hard and have a good time together. The rule is that you take the overtime you work as soon as possible. Moreover, you can work flexibly, both at home and in the office. That is very much appreciated by everyone."
"In addition to the fact that we work great assignments for large clients, we also have a lot of fun together."
-Ruben Pals
Retail, food and construction
ICT Incore has about 55 employees. The company is the producer of the Supply Chain Portal, a web application for cooperation between the various chain parties in the retail, food and construction sectors. Ruben explains: "A retailer has to deal with a supplier, a carrier, an agent and a consumer. Our customers work internationally and operate all over the world. Our software ensures that all parties can communicate within one tool."
As an analyst, Ruben was increasingly asked to present demos to customers. "I really enjoyed doing that and apparently I radiated that," he laughs. "During such a meeting with customers, you sit around the table with a variety of people and tell them about our application. To do this, you need to have substantive knowledge of the product and functional Supply Chain knowledge. This ensures that you can properly translate situations outlined by a customer into functionalities of the product."
Ruben continues: "At ICT Incore, we take a good look at everyone's areas of interest, strengths and preferences. For example, I have a colleague, also an analyst, who has an affinity with the construction industry. She is now the contact person for our client in the construction sector. In the meantime, she has been able to broaden her construction knowledge and is busy recruiting potential new customers in the construction sector. Maybe that perspective was the deciding factor in my application. Back then, we were already talking about room for your own growth and development within the organization. And now that we are part of ICT Group, the possibilities have only increased."
"At ICT Incore, you are given the opportunity to discover what your qualities are, where your expertise lies and what you want to delve into."
ICT Group
In his sales role, Ruben will also have more contact with other business units. "Super instructive and valuable," he says, "and it gives ICT Incore opportunities for new customers and new markets." Ruben sees another advantage for himself and his colleagues: "We can make use of all the training courses that ICT Group offers with its own Academy." Ruben recently stood for election and was elected to the works council of ICT Group. "My main motivation is not only to have a say at the coffee machine about where we need to go with ICT Group and ICT Incore, but also to actually stick my neck out for it," he explains. "Moreover, I find it very interesting for myself to learn how things work in such a large company."
Collegiality and togetherness
ICT Incore is a flat organization where analysts, programmers, testers and staff members work side by side. There is a relaxed atmosphere, there is a lot of collegiality and togetherness. "In addition to the fact that we work great assignments for large clients, we also have a lot of fun together. We often organize drinks and other fun things, such as padel with colleagues, game nights and sailing through the canals of Amsterdam. There are always a lot of colleagues at the Friday afternoon drinks as well," Ruben explains. "That's how you get to know each other better. I'm a social person, so I really need that."
