Anthony Veder sheds light on the collaboration with Bliss
Anthony Veder is undergoing significant development. In the span of ten years, their fleet has doubled, and the company continues to grow rapidly. They embrace technological advancements, resulting in continuous organizational change. As a steadfast change partner, Bliss contributes to change-related queries and leads various change processes. Sifra Westendorp (Digital Lead) and Benne Engelen (CIO) share their experience with “change as a service.”
Firstly, briefly, what is change as a service? Lisette Rietbergen, Bliss account manager at Anthony Veder, explains: “Organizations are constantly evolving. To stay ahead in the market, an organization must respond quickly and with the right solution each time. With change as a service, Bliss serves as a change partner that optimizes the duration, costs, and quality of projects. This enhances quality and reduces costs. Furthermore, by remaining involved, we can swiftly anticipate risks and opportunities. This also provides insight into patterns, allowing us to collaboratively achieve structural improvements.”
Bliss is deeply involved as a change partner in many of Anthony Veder’s change initiatives. But how did Anthony Veder determine if there was a match with Bliss?
Sifra: “We initially started with one project as a sort of test. It went very well. The ‘Blisser’ was not only involved, but Bliss as an entity was too. They provide guidance, facilitate skill development, which instills a sense of security. There’s always someone experienced who oversees and genuinely contributes from a professional standpoint.”
“We quickly scaled up to five consultants. On a team of twelve, that’s a significant contribution and it had a positive shock effect. Blissers are intrinsically involved, making it feel like they’re truly part of the team. They bring a quality boost to the department.”
Bliss believes in a partnership where they proactively engage in discussions about change. What are your thoughts on this?
Benne: “We wholeheartedly agree. To provide a good example: we have the ‘Digital’ silo, where we have questions. How do we organize ourselves around the digital theme? How do we implement projects? We see that the projects are relevant organization-wide. Bliss then comes in, and based on their expertise, they provide non-obligatory insights. Renate visited us, and you can tell she’s genuinely informed about our operations. She has done her research and is well-versed in all developments.”
“There’s a willingness to help us, and we don’t feel pressured for results or that they’re trying to sell hours.”
It’s beneficial to enlist competencies from external sources. But how does this strengthen your organization?
Sifra: “The arrival of Blissers brings a quality boost. For example, we now have two operational roles via Bliss. This has genuinely assisted in further structuring that department. People with certain mentalities and competencies also invigorate the department and work processes. Blissers know what they’re doing. This helps us bring more structure.”
Benne: “Because dealing with changes remains such a relevant aspect of what we’re doing, we also want to build up that knowledge internally to a certain extent. So, we expect to incorporate some of those competencies internally. I believe Bliss can also add value in that aspect. That’s why we feel comfortable. If Bliss were to sell hours, there would be conflicts. But when it comes to building successful change competencies, it’s not a problem.”
“What I often use as an example: If at Anthony Veder, we need to move a gas tanker from A to B, we carefully consider who can do it. What experience and competencies does a person need? But when it comes to a project, we sometimes say: anyone with some spare time can handle it! Whereas, when you put people with the right competencies on change projects – which also need to go from A to B – it runs smoother. It’s odd that we don’t organize changes in the same professional manner.”
What’s next?
Change as a service enables proactive thinking and forward planning. Lisette: “Bliss’s ambition is to add value to organizations in the long term. This can only be achieved when you can look ahead and build upon previous successes and lessons learned.”
Benne: “We’re currently working on our first vision-driven project. This requires something entirely different from demand-driven projects. We have a certain vision of where we want to go, but how to get there isn’t clear yet. Bliss provides sharp insights in this regard. When do we involve the management team? And when the departments? The better we time this, the more successful the change will ultimately be.”
Do you recognize some parts of this blog? Or are you curious about what change as a service could mean for your organization? Feel free to contact us. We’d be happy to provide more information.
Want to read more about Bliss’ journey at Anthony Veder? Software implementation for maritime transport at Anthony Veder Travel
