Customer case HappIT

From growing pains to better control over quality

Over the past few years, HappIT has grown rapidly and so have the challenges within the organization. New clients, more projects and a larger team made it clear that its internal processes also needed to evolve.

“Everything started moving at a higher speed,” says Merri Schwarz of HappIT. “That’s a fantastic luxury, of course, but we also realized that our internal processes needed to grow along with this new scale. The problem is that, in the midst of all that operational hustle and bustle, you often lack the time and perspective to take a strategic look at things yourself.”

To prepare the organization for continued growth, HappIT set out to find a partner who could bring a fresh, objective perspective. That search led them to Brightest.

An external perspective on quality

The partnership began with a BrightScan, an in-depth assessment of HappIT’s processes, roles and ways of working.

“Many organizations know that something isn’t quite right,” says Kevin Pieters of Brightest. “But they are so immersed in their day-to-day operations that it becomes difficult to look at them objectively. That’s where we come in.”

The BrightScan clearly revealed how rapid growth had affected communication, roles and workflows. These insights provided the ideal blueprint for HappIT’s next stage of growth.

From an ad hoc approach to a structured quality strategy

Software testing was one of the areas in which HappIT wanted to invest further. Brightest looked beyond tooling and focused primarily on the organization: who takes ownership of which role? When does testing take place? How is quality monitored? “Quality is not something you create at the end of a project,” says David Vandingenen. “It has to be embedded in every step.”

Roles were defined more clearly, processes were documented in greater detail, and testing gained a permanent place within the workflow. One concrete outcome was the recruitment of an in-house QA specialist dedicated entirely to testing and quality.

A partnership strengthened by Thor Park

It is no coincidence that HappIT and Brightest found each other. Both companies are part of the same business community at Thor Park, where organizations can easily connect and exchange knowledge.

“It’s those little moments,” they say. “A conversation, an introduction, a shared experience. That is what makes the difference.” This proximity allowed the partnership to develop naturally, and it continues to grow today.

Ready for the next phase of growth

The partnership resulted in clear processes, greater structure and a quality approach that scales with the organization. “Realising that you can approach things differently makes a huge difference,” says Merri. “It doesn’t always have to be a major change. Small changes often have the greatest impact.”

HappIT is now seeing the impact in its client relationships too. “We plan with greater focus and communicate even more transparently,” Merri says proudly. “Customers know exactly where they stand. Whereas we used to jump into action immediately for a customer, we now combine that flexibility with a streamlined and well-thought-out structure. That makes us an even stronger partner.”

“Looking back,” Merri concludes, “that outside perspective was exactly the catalyst we needed to consolidate our growth.”

About HappIT

Since 2013, HappIT has been developing software solutions that help companies organize and automate their administrative processes more efficiently. With HappERP, HappIT offers a flexible ERP solution tailored to the specific processes and needs of each organization.

Read the full article about this wonderful collaboration on the Thor Park website.

Kevin Pieters (Brightest), Merri Schwarz (HappIT), David Vandingenen (Brightest)