Portrait: Joeri Hofmans

Self-restrained and at the same time very enthusiastic, Joeri Hofman talks about his function as KOSMOS Product Manager, which he has fulfilled at Aucxis since 2020.

Everyone satisfied

KOSMOS, the new Aucxis trading and information platform in the cloud, was launched on the market in June 2019. Today 13 auctions use the platform for the sale of fish, fruit, vegetables, flowers and coffee. KOSMOS offers, among other things, an evolution programme, including two upgrades per year.

Joeri explains: “The KOSMOS team sets out the lines for new releases in a roadmap. New desired functionalities are proposed by the sales team and then evaluated against the technical feasibility and the structure of the package. It is crucial to find a right balance: new functionalities lead to satisfied customers but it is also important to monitor the correct functioning and development of the product.”

The importance of good communication

Prior to his employment at Aucxis, Joeri worked as developer-team leader. Twenty years ago, he started his career as a developer but his interest in communication techniques led him to trainings and courses in this area.

Joeri emphasises the importance of good communication: “There are different forms of communication: external communication with customers, communication within a team, between teams and with colleagues. The first step is listening. It is also very important to specify why something is feasible or not. Furthermore, the personality of the person you communicate with may require a specific approach. Also here it is all about balance: finding a compromise between the different arguments and objectives.”

Joeri finds his job attractive and fascinating. Both the technical, commercial and leading aspects appeal to him.

Variation and team spirit

The main tasks of the KOSMOS team consist of upgrading, improving, extending, automating and optimising the platform. It goes without saying that the continuous development of the KOSMOS platform poses stiff challenges. The different phases leading to a new release are as follows: analysis, technical description, development and tests, all within a limited period of time. It is with pride that Joeri compliments his team.

You get what you give

“Enjoy the little things in life and now and then celebrate exuberantly, a perfect combination” is typical of Joeri. He is a real family man and enjoys being together with friends and family. A life motto? For Joeri, there are many interesting views of life. If he needs to pick one, he opts for: “You get what you give.” An inspiring quote which makes us think about our acts and thoughts.