This article is only available in Dutch 🇳🇱
Deni Barisic is Head of Brands at The Works. Double plural, indeed. After all, The Works includes several major brands such as YoungCapital, YoungCapital Next and job platform Jobbird. As Head of Brands, Deni and his team ensure maximum brand relevance. In 2023, YoungCapital launched from its multi-year strategy to take the digital candidate experience to the next level, and truly put it at the center under the banner of 'Candidate is King'. Move joined that operation as a strategic mobile first partner. The goal? To remove all friction around work (Ã la Uber) and to offer the best possible digital experience with an app that is now called the G.O.A.T. internally.
What was YoungCapital's ambition before the app strategy process with Move?
'In 2023, we developed a multi-year strategy with a multidisciplinary team and determined where we think YoungCapital should be from 2025. This was a tough process in which we looked organization-wide at what is going well and what could be improved. Several strategic themes followed, including 'Candidate is King'. And one of the things that could be improved is our digital experience. We are a youth brand and want to offer our services at the very highest level. So we looked for a party that could help us realize this vision. After all, strange eyes compel and we wanted to be challenged. After a pitch process, Move became that party.'
Why did you choose Move as your digital partner?
'Move is big enough to handle our job, but not so big that it feels impersonal. Also, the fact that you guys have given our future app the internal working title G.O.A.T. (Greatest Of All Time) since the beginning is exactly what we need. You guys speak our language. You have sensed that very well, with the result that the project is very much alive within the organization. In addition, we really work together. During the pitch phase it was immediately clear that you are open to this. We are definitely not a party that gives an agency a job, closes its eyes and doesn't look at it again until it is finished. We want to be part of the process, because we believe we know our brand and services best. And we also just really like it! Your experience and expertise in the field of apps allows you to constantly 'challenge' us and that works very nicely.'
How do you like the collaboration so far?
'In the beginning it was a bit of a search. Normally we deal with this kind of project internally. But Move was very flexible and really thought along with us. For example, by facilitating that a number of your UX/UI specialists work in our office. On fixed days they work with us on the new brand feeling and how that should be reflected in the app. That's how we like to work together. You know how to facilitate that and I find that very nice.'
What has Move meant for YoungCapital and 'Candidate is King' so far? Â
'After the pitch phase, Move conducted its own research on our target audiences and combined this research with our data, insights and strategic findings. The combination of this information formed the basis of the app strategy. For us it took some getting used to, building such a solid foundation for something as 'simple' as an app. Normally we fix things quickly. But this foundation helps us enormously in making choices. You have also helped us a great deal in making the process even more important internally. If you enter into such a partnership with each other, you really enter into a commitment. And we now have an excellent strategic plan. All the choices we make now are checked against that plan to see how they contribute to the big picture.'
How important is it for YoungCapital to be app-centric? Â
'Our goal is to make finding work as accessible, simple and frictionless as ordering an Uber. This is only possible if we simplify the peripheral issues and make them more fun for the target audience. For example, by 'solving' everything concerning salary, availability and declarations in the app, our recruiters will have even more time to focus on valuable connections and thus always ensure that we can quickly connect candidates to the best jobs. Ultimately, this should ensure even higher candidate satisfaction.'
What part of Move's app strategy excites you the most?
'The sentence 'from customer journey to custom journey' stuck with me the most. That perfectly sums up the situation we want to get to - one in which candidates only see in the app what is actually relevant to them. It sounds simple, but it's super complex. And at the same time the most beautiful dot on the horizon that we can pursue. Because in that way I think we can bind our target group(s) to our brand the longest.'
What do you want to accomplish this year?Â
'I want to deliver things as quickly as possible. We owe it to our audience. It's a young audience, so you have to be quick. We actually want to work as quickly as possible toward that G.O.A.T. And I feel that actually everything is ready for that. From this foundation we can take off. And then I think by the end of the year we might actually have that G.O.A.T.'
Interested in what Move can do for your organization as a strategic mobile first partner? Feel free to contact us.
Sign up
Leave your details below and be the first to receive the Dutch Mobile App Trends Report in your inbox.
Beyond the latest trends
In conversation with ... fintech expert Gertjan Rösken
An interview about sustainable partnership, "special projects" and setting up tents.
In conversation with ... fintech expert Gertjan Rösken
Jorn Pruntel on ASSET Rail's digital revolution on the tracks
'Being distinctive in this field has more or less become our right to exist. It's great that we've found a loyal partner to help us do that.'
Jorn Pruntel on ASSET Rail's digital revolution on the tracks
In conversation with ... Tjeerd den Boer
Tjeerd is High Performing Organization Expert. This week he gave a stakeholder management workshop for Product Owners at our office in Amsterdam. 'If you don't get people on board because you mis-explain a super good idea, that's an eternal waste.'
