A brief introduction: Kasper Dissel, Integration Consultant at Tinx

 

Name: Kasper Dissel
Residence: Wageningen
Background: After completing his Bachelor of Arts at Saxion University of Applied Sciences, Kasper has worked as a Project Manager IT and E-commerce Consultant at various IT companies. Kasper has now been working with great enthusiasm at Tinx as an Integration Consultant for almost two years.”

Connect with Kasper on LinkedIn

What does it mean to be a Tinx Integration Consultant? In short, it involves implementing the Tinx E-commerce connector in Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central for various clients during different projects. But how does the Consultant experience this role personally? Our colleague Kasper Dissel, Integration Consultant at Tinx, describes his role, key responsibilities, challenges, self-development, his dream project, and what energizes him based on the following questions.

How did you come to work at Tinx?

“Well, it’s an interesting story. It was during the COVID-19 pandemic, and my previous employer had to let me go. So, I started looking for job opportunities near my place using Google. That’s when I stumbled upon Tinx online. I filled out a form on their website with my details and inquired about any potential opportunities. As it turned out, Tinx was just starting a project that involved the CloudSuite Connector. Given my experience with CloudSuite, it was quite coincidental and perfect timing 😊.”

“Tinx’s CEO reached out to me and asked if I could come to the office the next day because they had an exciting project starting with the CloudSuite connector. My familiarity with CloudSuite, as well as various E-commerce platforms like Magento and WordPress, played to my advantage.”

Why did you choose Tinx?

“When I was working in E-commerce in my previous roles, I was familiar with the mentioned E-commerce platforms. I often collaborated with ERP partners, and I found their role in projects particularly interesting. I was looking for a Consultant position that allowed me to delve more into the ERP side of things. What’s great about Tinx is that they are right in the middle of it all, and now I get to experience the best of both worlds. It felt familiar and new at the same time!”

What was your first day at Tinx like?

“It was quite enjoyable, actually. I started on the same day as my colleague, Sam. We received a training document with exercises and videos to review. It covered basic topics like how REST APIs and SOAP APIs work and the differences between them, diving deeper into the technical aspects.”

“In addition, we were provided with our own Business Central, WooCommerce, Magento, and Shopify environments to immediately apply what we had learned. We could send data back and forth in these test environments, including products, inventory, orders, customers, etc. In a relatively short time, our colleague René Donkers gave us the opportunity to assist in resolving support tickets. This allowed us to gradually get more involved.”

“We had a lot of freedom to learn the Consultant role ourselves, and if we ever got stuck, there was always the option to ask more experienced colleagues for help during the daily ‘question time’ or to observe customer tickets in the support department.”

You started solving customer tickets on the support team relatively quickly. How was that experience?

“Yes, that was a lot of fun! I compare the work to solving math problems. I used to get a thrill out of solving difficult math problems back in the day. When a customer submits a ticket to our support department, they usually already have some knowledge of the software. So, it’s already more technical than a general support department. If you can solve a piece of that puzzle for the customer, it feels like a small victory.”

“What I find particularly fascinating is that there are multiple ways to create the same outcome. In other words, there are several ways to help the customer. I enjoy the challenge of choosing the most efficient solution for the customer. Initially, I sometimes chose a complex path, but over time, with the help of colleagues, I increasingly found the most efficient way. This way, we achieve the same result but with less computational load on Business Central.”

You and your colleague, Sam, started at the same time. How was that experience?

“I found that really great! As a new Consultant, everything takes some getting used to. Starting together with someone going through the same process makes it easier and more enjoyable. We can help each other, and the informal atmosphere at Tinx made me feel at home quickly.”

What does a typical day look like for you as a Tinx Integration Consultant?

“We often start the workday with a huddle via Microsoft Teams. Everyone in the Consultant team participates, sharing what they will be working on that day. We also keep each other informed about potential issues that have arisen during projects. Sometimes, a colleague might have a solution for something I encounter in a current project or vice versa. This way, we help each other execute projects as efficiently as possible. Additionally, this keeps us updated on the progress of various projects.”

“After the huddle, I continue with scheduled projects. We work with a scope list that outlines the client’s technical requirements and wishes. For instance, a client might say that customers registered in Business Central need to be sent to the webshop, including their addresses and certain attributes.”

“Now, as a Consultant, things get really interesting because I can delve deeper into the technical aspects in collaboration with the client. Questions arise, such as: What do these specific customer attributes mean? Which fields need to be filled? How does the client perceive this, and what’s the ultimate goal? What mathematical operation can I apply here to make it work as efficiently as possible?”

“The scope list shows what still needs to be addressed and where I can start working. Sometimes, I need more information before proceeding with a specific item from the scope list. In such cases, I schedule a meeting with the client to gather the necessary information.”

“As a Consultant, I also work on-site with clients on occasion. It’s great for building relationships. An added benefit is that the client’s product becomes more tangible when you’re physically present at their location. It helps you understand why processes are set up in a certain way. It personalizes your work, and communication becomes more efficient because you better understand each other. The combination of working online and offline provides a pleasant balance.”

“I also have other responsibilities. Sometimes, Support has a question that requires a Consultant’s expertise. Or, if Support is busier, I assist in resolving tickets. You could think of this as second-line support in the background. We work in IT, and critical systems are interconnected. If there’s an issue somewhere, it may need to be resolved on an ad-hoc basis to keep data flows going.”

“You need to be prepared for the possibility of being pulled away from your planned work when an ad-hoc task arises with time constraints. I find this exciting because the combination of project work and ad-hoc tasks makes the job very diverse.”

How many projects do you typically handle in a day?

Generally, a project that flows smoothly typically takes about 2 months. The ‘happy flow’ means that the client has all the necessary information readily available so that I can continue working on the project according to the plan. A project is essentially a dance performed in collaboration with the client. The more efficient the client is, and I want to emphasize that I, as a consultant, also play a crucial role in this, the faster we can deliver the project.”

“In a week, we handle multiple projects simultaneously. It could be that I work for one client all day, or it could involve multiple clients in a single day. Every 2 weeks, I have an update meeting with my clients regarding the project’s progress. For example, it might involve setting up the customer data flow as specified in the scope list, after which we fine-tune it, or the client can start testing to ensure everything works as agreed upon. This same process applies to other items in the scope list, such as products, inventory, orders, etc.”

Where is your expertise focused?

“My expertise mainly lies in E-commerce platforms. I am a certified Magento Commerce Business Practitioner. I obtained this certification through Tinx, and it’s great to see that as Consultants, we have opportunities for such certifications. We are a small team, which gives me the chance to wear multiple hats.”

“My role is Consultant, but Tinx is also investing in me so that I can delve more into development. In the near future, I will be helping in the development of the software.”

In terms of projects, do you have a preference between working in the B2C or B2B market?

“I don’t really have a strong preference. We primarily communicate with the backend of the webshop. B2B projects are usually a bit more complex due to the larger volumes of information flows involved. In that sense, you could say my answer is B2B, but I genuinely enjoy both types.”

Do you have a preference for the industry in which the client operates?

“Again, not really. No Business Central environment is the same, and every client has their own specific way of working. We usually work with standard tables within Business Central and adapt to the client’s specific workflow. This diversity is what makes working in different industries enjoyable!”

What energizes you the most in your role?

“The challenge presented by different projects and solving complex problems. Many of these problems, as I mentioned earlier, are like math problems to me. The most satisfying part is coming up with solutions and implementing them for clients, making them happy. That’s what truly energizes me!”

Is there a particular project you’re especially proud of?

“Yes, the Jan van As project stands out. It was the first CloudSuite project we did as a company. Tinx wasn’t familiar with CloudSuite at the time, and the connector was built ‘from scratch’ based on the input I provided. It was exciting to be a part of the foundational development of the CloudSuite connector. The project was quite complex because the product structure at Jan van As wasn’t really ‘standard.’ The way products were structured in CloudSuite and how they differed from Dynamics NAV was an interesting challenge. How to handle this? Brainstorming with the client and how everything eventually came together made it a true dream project!”

Tinx operates internationally. Could you tell us more about this aspect?

“Absolutely! One advantage is that we conduct digital meetings via Microsoft Teams. Of course, you deal with different time zones. Depending on where the client is located globally, you schedule meetings that work for both parties. It’s a two-way street in these cases. If a client wants to schedule a meeting outside of my working hours, I adjust accordingly. Subsequently, the next meeting can often be scheduled outside of the client’s office hours, ensuring flexibility on both ends.”

“It’s essential to have a good command of English. I estimate that about 70% of the projects I work on are entirely in English, both spoken and written.”

What would you like to learn or how would you like to grow within Tinx?

“My current challenge is to dive deeper into understanding the inner workings of the connector’s code, apart from the practical aspects of the connector. Developers in our niche are in high demand, and it’s great that Tinx is giving me the opportunity to develop in that direction, with their support.”

“As an example, I’m currently working on new onboarding functionality for the Tinx connector. When someone installs the connector from the Microsoft app store, Microsoft AppSource, the software will assist in ensuring that the client can install the connector correctly. Clients will see tips and tricks within Business Central related to setting up the connector.”

Any final thoughts or additional remarks?

“Absolutely. My day isn’t just about projects, coding, and sitting behind a screen. It’s also about interacting with colleagues. For relaxation, we occasionally take a short walk in the wooded area around Ede, where Tinx is located. It’s a change of pace from work and a healthy way to recharge with new energy. We also sometimes play a game of table football.”