Hans de Koning (Max Bögl) on new forms of cooperation

Anyone who has followed the articles in this magazine about project De Entree in Amsterdam will no doubt have noticed that this project is characterized by new forms of collaboration. The challenges of working in the heart of Holland's busiest city would have presented a cocktail of problems all together, were it not for Max Bögl's redesign of collaboration in the Netherlands. 

Practice has now shown that this new form of cooperation works well, with the municipality as a satisfied client on the one hand, satisfied partners on the other and, perhaps most importantly, the citizen who was able to move around virtually unhindered despite the intensive work. Is that magic? No. But it is: having vision and guts and rock-solid confidence in the carefully crafted plans. Hans de Koning, managing director of Max Bögl Nederland, grants us a glimpse into the world of new construction. 

Paving the way for everyone

"Max Bögl has quite a track record as a company when it comes to contracting and executing large projects. With the changing demands that clients have, with the changing society and the people that make up society, it would be strange if we didn't move with them in our role as an infrastructure partner," Hans opens the conversation. "No matter how big a project is, no matter what materials you use, at the end of the day it is and remains people work. It affects all of us. You, me, the people in the field, the people in the office. We at Max Bögl have come to realize that old procurement models that are all about technology, price and competence are no longer tenable. Where the law of the biggest, strongest, cheapest -or you name it- applies, that's where quality comes under pressure. I'm not just talking about the quality of the work delivered, but also the quality of relationships, the quality of working together. Yes, the price has to be fair, the technology has to be right and the competencies have to be there, those are basic conditions. But we now look much further. We look at the offering companies to see if they fit with the other companies. Does the collaboration fit into the whole? Can we guarantee that the employees will enjoy going to work and be able to do their jobs respectfully? Is their safety being considered? How does a company communicate, speak the same clear language as us and as your partners we selected? Can we count on full commitment to the project and to the parties that have to work with your company? Those are a lot more selection criteria than we've ever had."

Sometimes that means selling "no

At Max Bögl, it's "practice what you preach. "Sometimes that means selling 'no.' We sometimes cancel projects if they don't fit with us, with our philosophy. By sharing this openly with the potential client, we avoid starting with false expectations from both sides. And you know, a project about which you have your doubts in advance ... always costs money afterwards. It causes damage in addition to dissatisfaction, and it comes at the expense of quality," Hans said. "For us, quality is that the work technically meets the demand, that the customer is satisfied and that the cooperating partners are satisfied. Let's face it, when you have a fine club together, it tastes like more. That requires a lot of upfront investment in tenders. But we do it with love and pleasure. The time and effort we put in at the front pays off handsomely at the back."

In conclusion, Hans says, "Working smarter is a must. This is only possible if parties are given space. So let Max Bögl be the party that sticks its neck out and gives cooperating partners that space. This is how we remain attractive and innovative for the market of tomorrow."