Employees App for Custom Communication and Collaboration at Aartsen

In collaboration with Emixa, Team Aartsen developed a versatile and user-friendly mobile application with calling functionality. The preference was to develop the app entirely according to their specific needs. In this article, you'll learn more about the collaboration between Aartsen and Emixa and how this custom solution came to fruition.

'Nonstopfresh' since 1907

Aartsen has a long history. The company's story began in 1907 in Breda when Jan Aartsen registered as a 'vegetable merchant' in the population register. Over the years, Aartsen evolved into a true family business with an international character. Currently, the fourth generation is at the helm, and Aartsen has branches in the Benelux and Asia, with partners in all parts of the world.

When it comes to fresh produce, Aartsen goes above and beyond. They literally offer a world of vegetables and fruits. Every day, Aartsen ensures that an extensive and fresh assortment of vegetables and fruits reaches customers from all corners of the globe. This concept is known as 'nonstopfresh' and is associated with the highest levels of quality and service. The extensive network and assortment make Aartsen the largest international gateway for vegetables and fruits.

Need for a Central Environment

Aartsen's operations now span multiple locations. The headquarters are in Breda, while the Venlo location serves as the main gateway to East Netherlands, South Netherlands, and the German Ruhr area. Additionally, Aartsen has a branch in St.-Katelijne-Waver, Belgium (in the heart of Belgium and the Benelux). Aartsen also has a team in Hong Kong.

To improve communication and information exchange between colleagues and branches, Aartsen needed a good and modern mobile employee application. After an extensive selection process, the company chose the local Emixa, kicking off the development of the Aartsen app: 'Gateway.'

Preparation

Emixa initiated the project by setting up an initial sprint, the so-called sprint 0. During this sprint, we laid a solid foundation for the development plan. Thoroughly addressing all challenges provided a clear picture for everyone involved. Sprint 0 was divided into four tracks:

• Business analysis (creating business and company-specific added value)
• User experience
• Technical design
• Project management (defining roles and structuring the development process phases)

For developing the application, Emixa relied on the proven low-code technology of Mendix.

Final Scope The final scope of the mobile app called "Gateway" encompassed a wide range of functionalities:

• News articles
• Birthdays
• An employee directory
• Integration with the HRM system for leave requests, balance, and group planning
• The ability to view pay slips and annual statements
• Functionality to view and modify personal information
• The ability to approve leave requests (with options for 2-step approval)
• Viewing own overtime
• Integration with the Fresh ERP system
• Planning with start times for specific departments
• A mobile application with additional features
• A social page to share fun messages with colleagues
• Calling application
• Various forms of push notifications
• Integration with Active Directory
• Secure authentication

Development Period

During the app development, we encountered some complex challenges regarding the integration of existing systems. Additionally, new insights and extra requirements within the app emerged during the development process. Thanks to the agile project approach, Emixa was able to quickly accommodate these changes.

After smoothing out the last performance challenges at the end of last year, we went live with the MVP (minimal viable product) in January. Once we were certain that all functionalities were working 100% and to everyone's satisfaction, we officially released the app.

Initial Experiences

Aartsen has been using Gateway for several weeks now. The signals from daily practice are very positive. Employees at Aartsen particularly appreciate the ease of use to manage various functionalities and share information from one central app, which they find very positive and efficient.

Marcel Hendriks - CFO The developers at Emixa and our business owners collaboratively worked on this application in a pleasant manner. Regular cycles with demos to the business owners ensured that evolving insights were immediately incorporated into the next sprint. This resulted in an application that aligns with the desired working methods within Aartsen.

Want to know more?

There are plenty of opportunities to drive forward digital transformation in the tech industry. Would you like to improve the digital state of your organisation? And are you looking for a partner who can help you achieve this goal? In that case, Emixa is the right fit for you. We translate complex issues into simple, user-friendly IT solutions that accelerate your digital transformation and take your business to a higher level. Don’t hesitate to contact us. We would be delighted to meet you!