Tim Hasenbosch has been sales manager at Gereedschapbeheer since 2020. With 27 years of sales experience, this organization is a perfect fit. "I used to sell big solutions for small problems. But now I sell a small solution for big problems," says an endlessly enthusiastic Tim.
The origins of Gereedschapbeheer lie with Edwin Meijer. Over 14 years ago, he developed the first version of the application, commissioned by Cofely, that hundreds of entrepreneurs now rely on daily.
They encountered specific problems with inspections and finding various tools. You have to be able to inspect things, keep track of when they've been inspected or need to be inspected, whether objects are rented internally or externally, and calculate prices—all of which was done via Excel. "Well, that's not possible. And the beauty of it is that the software is so recognizable to the customer. It's truly designed with the primary need in mind."
And despite Tim's first love being a psychiatrist, the commercial field seems tailor-made for him. With a very open and honest attitude and infectious enthusiasm, you know exactly where you stand after a conversation.
Putting commerce on the map
Before Tim started at Gereedschapbeheer, there was essentially no field sales team or commercial department. The company generated revenue primarily from its own customer base, word-of-mouth advertising, and occasional acquisition. With Tim's arrival, everything has changed. Everything has been brought in-house and professionalized. “We have given it a DNA. We work together with our customers and want to help existing customers grow. We don't just want to grow horizontally; above all, we want to go deep,” Tim continues.
And those customers are companies that have a material service or a warehouse, and therefore often also have equipment lying around.
The record-keeping there is often poor. It's done through notes, WhatsApp, or the experience and memory of a single warehouse manager. And in any case, these are often organizations with an inspector familiar with NEN3140.
Save with software
Using software not only saves you a ton of time searching for items, but a shocking amount also disappears. Equipment goes into a van, changes personnel, or is left behind on a job. "And then it's so easy to decide to just buy new tools. The installer needs them and wants to move on. The manager is often unaware of all the costs or has no choice. And that's exactly where we come in," Tim explains proudly.
Thanks to a wealth of smart automation, manual labor becomes less administrative. The app lets you track where things are, and the web tool provides comprehensive insight. For example, you can use GPS locations to make items available in the warehouse again, or receive notifications when something is taking too long on a project.
And since the integration with TrackJack in 2022, the number of features in the package has increased again. Not only do you know the latest locations of your vehicles and objects, but you can also receive updates when leaving or departing project zones, time in zones (for post-calculation or missing items), and the owner or user can also be changed based on your location.
The competition is not standing still
And despite Tim's unbridled enthusiasm, they're not yet the biggest player on the market. But that's no problem, says Tim: "We have enough differentiation. Within 24 hours, the applicant has a contract, we're quick to give a demo, that sort of thing. Demand is constantly increasing, and that increases competition. But we have excellent ties with the EKH (Association of Approved Inspection Companies for Lifting and Hoisting Equipment) and can now also inspect both above and below the hook."
A package for the self-employed is also coming. Even as a self-employed entrepreneur, you must undergo inspections and demonstrate that you are certified to do so.
The schedule for 2023? It is already packed. Tim concludes: “It starts with letting the company name spread like wildfire. We like to show what we are capable of. Excel really isn't sufficient anymore. That is why people choose Gereedschapbeheer .”
