Who are the Scaptanen? That was a long time ago... it must have been somewhere in the 500s, the Scaptanen lived... Just kidding! The Scaptanen, that's our team! The Scapta family. Each one of them has a unique story with hidden (and not so hidden) talents. Wonderful people who share a passion. Our Scapta family is growing! Would you like to get to know them?
Hi, meet:
Loreas Clonen 👨💻
CRM architect!
Soon, also a full-time dad alongside full-time consultant! 👶
What does your role at Scapta actually look like?
Officially, I am part of the CRM team. I am a technical colleague who also works functionally – a bit of a jack of all trades, as I usually introduce myself. I often come into play when it comes to larger architectural matters. Originally, I started purely technically, but that got a bit out of hand. (laughs) Because we are a small team, there has never been a strict separation, and that's precisely what I find charming about it.
Working in a small team: an advantage or sometimes also a challenge?
Absolutely. You work very closely together and see everything about each other. The disadvantage, of course, is that you feel it immediately when someone is gone. That really hits hard.
How did you end up here?
I came from a large company. Because my girlfriend is from Heusden-Zolder, I was looking for something closer. When I saw the vacancy at Scapta, I immediately thought: This could be something for me. And the rest is history.
Originally, I started purely in a technical role, but that's gotten a bit out of hand. (laughs) Because we're a small team, there's never a strict division of labor, and that's exactly what I find charming about it.
Lorde Clonen
Was there an immediate connection with the company?
Yes and no. Colleagues gave me a very warm welcome, so that was good from the start. But the departure of two colleagues in a short period was tough. You have to constantly adapt and step in to fill the void. Fortunately, we've been reinforced in the meantime.
What, for you, makes a project truly successful?
By Gosselin I really felt: Damn, it's impressive that we accomplished this.. It involved a gigantic warehouse with 6.7 warehouses and 150 trucks per day being registered via an app – that's almost 1,000 trucks! It was our first really solid Power App. For other projects, I often joined halfway through, so I'd still like to experience a project from A to Z in its entirety.
What do you yourself consider most important in your job?
Collegiality is paramount. If someone has a problem, you should be able to approach each other without hesitation. And honesty: if something isn't working out, you should be able to say so instead of making excuses. That's how we solve it together.
What are your biggest challenges?
Technical challenges are fun in any case. But the biggest challenge remains taking over projects. You don't always know what your predecessor's vision was or how it matches the client's. Documentation isn't always complete, so you have to piece things together with what you have.
What skills have you developed the most here?
Especially the architectural part. I've become much more of a planner here than in previous jobs. In addition, I've delved into Business Central and the product group in general. I follow people on LinkedIn, read technical and functional articles, and try to stay up-to-date – because if you fall behind for two months, it becomes difficult to catch up.
Looking ahead: how do you see Scapta in five years?
Hopefully with a larger team. We now have a strong foundation to build upon. I see us growing back to a team of six, with possibly additional senior profiles. And I would then like to fully focus on architecture myself.
Work-life balance: Myth or reality?
It's a bit of both. If there's something going on privately, Peter, Alex, or Caroline will do everything they can to accommodate it. But as a consultant, you also have to be realistic: during go-lives, you sometimes work long hours. Fortunately, there are also quieter periods afterward. Overall, it's not too bad at all.
If Scapta were a person? Straightforward, familial, and flexible.”
Lorde Clonen
As unpredictable, mischievous, and adaptable.
Straightforward, friendly, and familial, and flexible. The latter not only in terms of work-life balance but also in our approach: if something doesn't work, we close that chapter and simply try something else.
What's your most beautiful Scapta memory?
There have been many beautiful moments. But what really stuck with me: the moment I could announce that I was going to be a dad. In a big company, you get a ‘congratulations,’ and that's it. At Scapta, life really went on: colleagues made baby predictions, kept asking how things were going... That felt very warm.
And finally: which quote perfectly summarizes scapta for you?
“Jack of all trades, master of none, but often better than a master of one.”
