Inside Unit4 – Q&A with our global Professional Services team
At Unit4, our people are at the heart of everything we do. From coming up with brilliant ideas and concepts to delivering value creatively and passionately to our customers, our people shape how we succeed as a company. Our “People First” philosophy means that we make sure to deliver an extraordinary environment for our people enabling them to really contribute to the business and have a positive impact on their teams as well as on the people we serve as a business.
For our first Inside Unit4 blog, we provide some insight into what drives our global Professional Services team. We sat down with a few of them to learn more about what it is like to be part of the team, and how working at Unit4 fits with their personal career goals and objectives.
Our Professional Services team is a large global team composed of more than 400 experts who know our customers and how the capabilities of our Unit4 products drive value for those organizations. We offer services such as end-to-end project implementation services, consultancy on-demand, and training to help customers make the best use of the tools and functionality in our products.
To know more about how Professional Services at Unit4 works and what it is like to be part of such an important team, we had a chat with Birgitta, Martin, Marwane, Annika and Guillermo.
What gets you excited to come to work at Unit4 every day?
Marwane: “Working for a company that is always changing, adapting, and innovating in response to the market keeps me excited about the future. At Unit4, we are more than witnessing the change that we are part of. Our ideas and suggestions are encouraged.”
Martin: “The challenge. I really like to work in an environment that is constantly changing, where things move and can be influenced, and I like to be at the centre of that to help shape these things.”
Birgitta: “I am very much driven by providing great service to our customers. We want to be seen as expert members of the customer team, always there to help, find solutions and make their processes more efficient. From a personal perspective, I am very grateful to work together with my wonderful colleagues who fill my workdays with both joy and continuous new insights.”
What about Unit4’s products and services get customers most excited?
Martin: “For Financial Planning and Analysis (FP&A), I keep hearing from customers that they like working with it because it's a good mix of predefined content, while providing the ability to make adjustments on their own. Furthermore, clients like the long-term contact with the consultants in the projects and the ability to see rapid value add from our work together. When working with FP&A, you don't have to wait months to see that value; in fact, we reach new milestones and productively implement content in projects on an almost weekly basis.”
Birgitta: “I think customers feel confident about Unit4's future roadmap and strategy. They want a long-term partnership with us, that delivers value right across the organization... Every day I think our customers appreciate all kinds of features and automations that really make a difference in their daily work.”
Annika: “Based on my experience, I would say the knowledge that we have around each industry, and also the fact that we have an interesting roadmap for the product.”
How would you describe the relationships our professional services team builds with customers?
Martin: “We have a long and close relationship with most of our customers. With many, we are still in contact years after go-live and there to help with every new challenge.”
Marwane: “Our core value is “People first”. It represents in two words the spirit of our relationships with customers. Understanding each client’s unique context is key to building a trustworthy relationship: this rule stands regardless of the nature of assignments.
Our motto is “We put people first and everything else follows.” A great starting point to build a healthy and trustworthy relationship with our clients.”
How does working in professional services at Unit4 differ from other positions you have held?
Annika: “I´m a people person and I love to help other people to be successful. Leading and coaching the team in combination with the customer interaction is great.”
Birgitta: “Unlike the previous positions I’ve held in the past, at Unit4 I have the opportunity to work in a global environment with colleagues from all regions where we work together to standardize and industrialize the global PS business.”
Marwane: “Coming from a consultancy firm, I can say that working in PS at Unit4 is different from what I knew before: we work on international projects with people from different regions and cultures which creates a rich and exciting environment.
The projects themselves are very different. From big and international projects that require good governance and create very positive synergy between the regions, to small and “tailored” assignments that push us to deepen our knowledge of our customers and their specific needs.”
Guillermo: “I've worked for two other major consulting firms with offices all over the world. They both flaunted their international presence but they operated mainly on a local or national scale. Unit4 is the first truly global company that I'm in, where I experience working with people from other countries and cultures ALL the time. I rarely speak my native language, which I think is very cool!”
How would you say your career has been enhanced by working at Unit4?
Martin: “Working at Unit4 has had a strong impact on me as I learn something new here every day. It's not just the opportunity to constantly develop, but the necessity to do so. There are many options to specialize in different directions or to take on new responsibility, so everyone can find the right place that works for them best.”
Birgitta: “I have had different responsibilities in PS during the years, starting as a practice manager for a team of 15 consultants working with local government customers, and now I am part of our global PS and responsible for the P&L of the Nordics consultancy business. It’s been varied and I’ve learned a lot.”
Guillermo: “I feel very lucky, both at a professional and personal level. Unit4 is growing super-fast and successfully, which means we have new and challenging opportunities emerging every day in projects and roles. I'm very excited to see our progress to become fully cloud, and positive that our recently launched product, ERPx, will help us stay on top of the competition in this ever-changing market. Also, I believe Unit4 gives us all the necessary tools to develop ourselves, and I'd highlight two key aspects: continuous learning and a strong feedback culture.”
Annika: “I have been with Unit4 for 14 years. My journey has been great and I have had the opportunity to grow in my role. I joined Unit4 as a Project Manager. After a few years, I got the opportunity to start up a new team within PS/ Sweden and brought all PMs together in one team. The next step for me was to run the Project Management team for the Nordics. I've moved to CE and for the last 2 years, I´m driving the Global PMO within PS.”
How does Unit4’s journey fit with your personal goals and ambitions?
Guillermo: “I'm thankful to know that an exciting career doesn't mean I have to sacrifice my personal life. This balance is key to the success and part of the magic of our organization. I also love being part of the great changes we're undergoing to prepare for the future of work and I am convinced that Unit4 will lead me to new and exciting roles that will boost my career. Finally, I'm proud to be part of a company that truly acts on aspects I find crucial for our world: diversity, inclusion & sustainability.”
Martin: “I started at Unit4 about four years ago as a consultant and have since moved up to manager. Unit4 not only gives you the chance to develop yourself but also the opportunity to prove it in new roles.”
Annika: “Being part of the Unit4 family allowed me to work with different people from different regions and from different cultures but also grow in my role as I have had so many interesting opportunities. My global role now also allows me to see how we can progress in the future, learning from each other and setting up global ways of working.”
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Our growing cloud company is hiring in a range of new roles across multiple departments! If you are interested in joining the team and being part of the global Unit4 family, head to our careers site to explore our current opportunities, and to learn more about working here: https://bit.ly/33EPplf
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