Questions we often get, answered honestly.
What exactly we do, how we work with your IT supplier, what it costs and how long it takes. Below you'll find the answers grouped by theme. Missing one? Call or email us.
Who are you and how do you work?
The questions that usually come up in a first conversation.
Prefer a conversation? Book an introduction
Who's behind Make IT So?
Make IT So is run by two partners. Jan Festjens founded it on twenty years of experience as a programme manager at companies that were just a little too big for improvisation and just a little too small for the Big Four. Walter Swaenepoel joined after a career in IT leadership and strategy. Alongside Jan and Walter, we work with a regular circle of freelancers and a growing in-house team.
What type of company do you work for?
Mainly SMEs with between 20 and 250 employees who want to take a digital step and don't have an internal programme manager for it. Also agencies and growing scale-ups that need structure in their delivery. We don't work for large companies with their own project office, nor for pure software development with no organisational question.
What exactly do you do, in one sentence?
We take your digital ambition from plan to execution. In concrete terms we do programme management, strategy and roadmaps, audits, coaching of your IT manager, and second-opinion work when you're unsure about a big decision.
What don't you do?
We don't build software ourselves, we don't host systems and we don't sell licences. Nor do we sell an ERP or CRM package. Our value lies in planning, steering and bringing parties together. The technical execution stays with specialists we know or that you choose yourself.
Do you also work in English?
Yes. Our current clients are all in Flanders, so Dutch is the working language. Meetings, documents and emails in English go smoothly when an international partner or parent company gets involved.
How does an assignment run in practice?
We set out the lead time, the pricing model and the decision points, so you know what you want to know before you sign.
How does a collaboration start?
With a free 30-minute introductory conversation, with no sales pitch and no obligation. We listen, ask questions and tell you whether we're the right party. After that there may be a paid intake of 2 to 4 weeks, or we step straight into a running programme.
Do you work by the hour or at a fixed price?
For intake and strategy work we use a fixed price per scope. For longer programme management assignments we charge a monthly budget based on a fixed number of days per week. That way there are no surprises afterwards and no billing by the hour.
How long does a typical assignment take?
An intake or audit takes 2 to 4 weeks and a second opinion 1 to 2 weeks. Coaching runs for 3 to 6 months in fortnightly sessions. Programme management usually takes 6 to 18 months, depending on scope.
What if I want to stop halfway?
That's possible. We work with notice periods in proportion to the scope: one month for shorter assignments and three months for long programmes. All documents and plans remain yours. You're not tied to us and pay no fee to stop.
Do you come on site or work remotely?
Both. For intakes and key meetings we're on site in Flanders. In between we work remotely, so you don't pay for half a day of travel for a status update. For longer programmes, one fixed day a week on site is common.
How many people from my team need to be involved?
Fewer than you think. For an intake, count on 3 to 6 hours of your own time plus 1 to 2 hours per key person. For a running programme, a weekly 30-minute status plus ad hoc decisions when they're needed is enough. We don't want to swallow up your whole organisation.
We already have an IT partner. How do you work with them?
Most clients already have one or more IT suppliers. That's not a problem; it's usually an asset.
Do you replace our current IT supplier?
No, we're not an IT supplier ourselves. We steer IT suppliers from your side. We often work with several parties at once, such as your ERP implementer, your hosting partner and your CRM consultant. We make sure they work in the same direction.
What if our current IT supplier isn't performing well?
Then we map that first. Sometimes it's down to the supplier, sometimes to an unclear brief from your side, sometimes to a gap between what you need and what they can deliver. Only after that analysis do we propose switching supplier or adjusting the collaboration, if needed.
Do you get commission or a referral fee from suppliers you recommend?
Never. We don't work on commission and we don't accept referral fees. Our only source of income is what you pay us. That lets us be honest about which supplier is right for your situation, even if it's a party we don't know.
Which ERP, CRM or platform choices do you recommend?
No fixed preference. We've worked with Microsoft Dynamics, Odoo, Salesforce, HubSpot, Exact, Teamleader, Wolters Kluwer, and a whole range of sector-specific packages. The choice depends on your scale, sector and existing systems, not on which supplier suits us best.
Do you work with our internal IT manager?
Gladly. We see your IT manager as a key partner, not a competitor. In coaching, they're often literally the person we coach. In programme management, they're the person we align with weekly on progress and bottlenecks.
The questions your lawyer or finance team asks.
These questions are about contracts, GDPR, insurance and invoicing, so you can check everything internally before you sign.
A question from your lawyer? Email us directly
Do you sign an NDA?
Yes, as standard. We sign your NDA template if you have one. If you don't, we propose ours. An NDA conversation always comes before the first real substantive session.
What about GDPR and data processing?
During assignments we sometimes see personal data, such as staff lists, customer files and email addresses. That's why we sign a GDPR-compliant data processing agreement for every assignment where that's relevant. We export nothing outside the EU and use your data for nothing other than your assignment.
Are you insured for professional liability?
Yes. We have a current professional liability policy for consultancy assignments. We share proof of the policy on request during the contract phase.
How is invoicing done?
We invoice monthly in arrears, with a payment term of 30 days. For longer programmes with a fixed monthly budget, we invoice in advance for the current month. We don't ask for advances of thousands of euros or payments a year ahead.
Who is my point of contact during an assignment?
One fixed person, usually Jan or Walter. You don't get an account manager who doesn't know the content, nor rotating junior consultants. If a freelancer or in-house team member gets involved, Jan or Walter remains ultimately responsible.