Meet Elma
"We'll be updating 18,000 cash registers or opening a new store in no time."
Elma Vader, Head of Business TechnologyHi! Could you introduce yourself?
Hello! I'm Elma, I live in De Goorn with my partner, and I have two children. I've been working at Action for five years now. When I started here, I focused on IT for our stores. Now I'm responsible for the systems within the domains: stores, HR, real estate, and fraud and security. And with more than 2,300 stores, it's a huge operation!
What exactly do you do as Head of Business Technology?
I lead two teams that manage our systems, and I'm also responsible for the IT side of all projects in our domains. The IT side includes cash registers and handheld terminals, planning software for the stores and distribution centres, and HR systems for hiring new colleagues. Together with my two teams, I'm also involved in projects with an IT element, whether it's large or small. As an example, we recently opened our first store in Slovakia, and we needed to adapt all our systems. Another interesting, new initiative is that we're looking into whether we can link camera images to receipts at our self-service checkouts. This could help us to prevent unnecessary spot checks on our customers in-store.
Why did you choose to work at Action?
Everything you do here matters. Whether you're updating 5,500 chip-and-PIN terminals so they meet security requirements, managing and updating 18,000 cash register systems or opening a new store at breakneck speed, these are things you don't get to do at any other store organisation. Being able to open stores in new countries also appealed to me. Tax rules are different in every country, and represent an adventure in themselves.
Has anything surprised you at Action?
The focus on improvements, which is only increasing. The focus on growth meant I saw a lot of room for ideas, and there was, too. In my first year, for example, I introduced monitoring and problem management, and this allowed us to prevent 22% of system notifications. And we opened more than 250 stores in the same period!
"Everything's fun, and that's also my challenge!"
What's the best part of your job? And what can be challenging?
Everything's fun, and that's also my challenge! The best part is the diversity and the fact that we're always busy. If something goes wrong, I drop everything. And being able to complete awesome projects with colleagues from different areas of the organisation puts a smile on my face.
What are you proud of at work?
Quite a lot of things, but mainly my teams and the growth that I see among my colleagues. I'm grateful for the way they handle the rapid developments within Action. I'm also proud of the smooth process we use for opening new stores. That's really something that can make everyone else jealous. Most competitors have their hands full with ten stores, while opening a store is second nature to us!
What's the working atmosphere like?
It's cosy, we're open and we have lots of fun. And opening a store in a new country is always something to celebrate. We also play a game to guess the turnover, too!
Do you have any tips for future colleagues?
New systems and processes are added all the time. You'll have a completely different role after two years, and you can move on to other positions and take on new projects. You can take huge strides in your development at Action if you want!