When you walk onto the site where Revive is located in Ghent, you immediately see that you are dealing with a unique company. The eye-catching company building has a powerful, transparent, industrial look and feel. The building was developed by Revive to house their company. Spaces not used by Revive are rented out to companies with a similar dynamic approach. The large windows allow you to see right through the building. On the right, a group of men is using their break to play a game of table tennis. A little later, in the meeting room, we speak with Jeroen Coupé (Chief Technology Officer) and Sofie Daneels (Customer Success Manager) about the unique company they work for and the IT search that led to MyBuildAssist.
To begin with, what exactly does Revive do?
Sofie: “Revive is a project developer with a very unique vision on living; actually an outlier among project developers. Revive invests in the sustainable transformation of old, abandoned urban areas.” Jeroen continues: “What we actually do: around cities, we buy abandoned, polluted land that we regenerate into sustainable residential neighborhoods where it is pleasant to live. We build high-quality finished residences with lots of green space. The green aspect in the city is especially important to us.” But it is more than that. Revive also has a social goal, namely to build a community that integrates into the existing environment. To this end, they contribute various initiatives such as a neighborhood shed. Jeroen: “From the moment we own a new site, a long process of design, procedures, and permits begins. At that moment, we hand over the site to the neighborhood, social-cultural organizations, and small entrepreneurs who have creative plans for the vacant buildings on this site. In this way, social cohesion is already being stimulated even before the neighborhood is developed.”
You have been using MyBuildAssist for 5 years now. How did you previously process data from client dossiers? And what made you decide to change this?
Sofie: “Previously, we kept all client data and choices from the client journey in a spreadsheet program. At a certain point, the overloaded spreadsheets proved to be inefficient and not user-friendly enough.” Jeroen: “This had to be different in this day and age. Especially for a company like ours, which likes to be on the move and for which efficiency is important. Also, towards the clients, we find it important to serve them adequately when it comes to project management. As an IT geek, I searched for replacement software to support project management. Because we couldn’t find suitable software, the idea arose to develop our own software. That turned out to be a costly and time-consuming process. Through our network, we were unexpectedly pointed to MyBuildAssist. The contact was quickly established, and MyBuildAssist turned out to have exactly what we were looking for!”
Can you tell us what working with MyBuildAssist brings you?
For the clients, it is very convenient that all information about the project can be found on one platform, from general project information such as delivery dates to personal dossiers with individual client choices. This keeps the construction process clear for the clients. Moreover, it is extremely user-friendly, which stimulates involvement in the construction process and enhances the client experience. These advantages are felt both on the client side and on our side. For us, the speed and efficiency of the project management process increase. It is also easier to comply with privacy legislation because everything is managed in one application. In short, it is a solution for us. And we are not even using all the possibilities yet; in that respect, we learn every day.”
Are there any disadvantages?
Sofie: “Previously, we reached a limit in terms of user-friendliness, and the chance of making mistakes was greater. Now that this has been eliminated, a forgotten password is the most common problem. The disadvantages are therefore negligible. Clients who are a bit older sometimes need to adjust, but they quickly get the hang of the program. The average clients of today and the future will feel right at home”.
How do you see the future with MyBuildAssist?
Sofie: “We have chosen not to convert previously started projects to MyBuildAssist and to complete them in the ‘old way’. So I am really looking forward to setting up all projects via MyBuildAssist in the near future. And that we have discovered and added new options so that functionality and automation increase even more. Having documents electronically signed and invoicing via MyBuildAssist is a wish for the future. Just like customizing the platform at the project level.” Jeroen adds: “That the clients come into a recognizable digital environment of Revive where MyBuildAssist functions behind the scenes. Including its own web page (URL). That would be the ideal situation for me as an IT person. But for now, we are especially happy that we found MyBuildAssist”
Summary
- Set up all projects via MyBuildAssist
- Have documents electronically signed
- Invoices directly in the residence dossier on MyBuildAssist
- Customize the platform.
Jeroen: “That the clients come into a recognizable digital environment of Revive where MyBuildAssist functions behind the scenes. Including its own web page (URL). That would be the ideal situation for me as an IT person. But for now, we are especially happy that we found MyBuildAssist!”
These points have all been implemented, thanks to the great collaboration!
