Ferm
The customer
Ferm, originally known as the Boerinnenbond and later as the KVLV, is a Flemish women's organization with a rich history. What started in 1911 as a support group for farmers has grown into a network that offers various services such as home care, household help and childcare. Ferm is committed to inclusion and believes that everyone matters when making society more valuable and meaningful. With around 80.000 members, Ferm offers a wide range of care, which also makes the organization unique. In addition, Ferm focuses on digitization to optimize its services and keep them future-proof.
The case
Ferm chose to partner with Euricom to use for additional capacity to develop customized ERP software that requires complex integrations, including with government services. Our Euricommers participated in the most significant rewrites of the software. After a successful implementation, the focus is now on expansion, maintenance and new features.
One important process to which Euricom has contributed is the Koala project, aimed at digitizing childcare. This included the development of a Wombat app for parents, a customer portal, full-scale electronic billing. The digitization strongly emphasized privacy, due to the sensitive nature of the data being processed.
Our approach
Euricom's human approach perfectly suited Ferm's needs. In the words of their ICT Manager, Noël Thoelen:
“What I value most is that I am not dealing with a typical salesperson.”
Euricom focused entirely on understanding Ferm's technical needs and and slotted the right people into the right place. Euricommer Gilles played an important part as Practice Manager by selecting the ideal profiles together with Ferm. To this day, this guarantees smooth cooperation, enabling Euricom to switch quickly and provide qualified, carefully screened specialists. Our Euricommers are well-integrated into Ferm's internal teams, further strengthening the partnership.
Ferm uses the following technology stack: .NET, Angular, SQL and Azure. The structured methodology ensures that the software remains maintainable. Thanks to this approach, Ferm has been able to develop a predictable and future-proof software architecture that can be updated and adapted quickly.
The result
The groundbreaking collaboration between Ferm and Euricom led to the successful launch of Koala 2.0. Despite the complexity, the implementation was carried out smoothly, highlighting the strong teamwork the Euricommers and Ferm’s internal developers. Thanks to thorough prep, testing and teamwork, the project was a success for everyone involved.
Noël believes in the power of hybrid teams, in which internal and external experts collaborate to share knowledge and ensure stability. This approach helps Ferm stimulate innovation while guaranteeing the continuity of their systems.
“We know that if we need extra capacity, Euricom can switch quickly and offer us a well-screened, qualified person who seamlessly integrates into our internal teams, making it feel like a cohesive part of our team.”
— Noël Thoelen, ICT Manager Ferm
