Interview (part 2) on 20 years of BOMA Netherlands: Continuing growth, innovation and the future with DosDob, BIP and BO

According to Guus, BOMA Netherlands has established a firm foundation. "We have five locations in the Netherlands and a team of 54 employees. We have gained some great references.

At the same time, we occasionally hear from customers that believe we're only interested in large cleaning companies. Yes, we certainly service those companies, but we help out at many other companies. You can find us every day within every postcode region of the Netherlands. We're close by and have great logistics. So, even a company with 50 employees feels at home with us."

For Gert, that foundation is above all a starting point for further growth. "BOMA Belgium is now 50 years old with a turnover of some 75 million euros. And BOMA Netherlands has reached about half of that after 20 years. We sometimes joke that BOMA Netherlands could even outgrow BOMA Belgium. That's ambitious, of course, but it shows what we want to achieve."

According to Gert, there is still a lot of potential in the Dutch market. "If we continue to grow in the coming years as we are now with our team, our customers and the new segments we are developing, then we are already ready for that next step."

According to Gert, it is not just about delivery. "We really want to be a part of the customer's organisation. To understand their ambitions and how we can help. Then you are no longer a supplier, but a partner."

He also sees a clear development in their assortment. "Besides cleaning products, we increasingly supply hygiene items, such as paper, towels and soap. It makes sense to bundle those flows from an efficiency and sustainability point of view."

BOMA started out in the Netherlands with cleaning companies as its main target market. Now the company is casting a wider net. Guus: "Cleaning companies are still our foundation. But we have now started developing other segments."

So, BOMA has built separate business units for different sectors. "We developed further into leisure & retail and also built a strong position in healthcare." These sectors have different requirements. "For example, in hospitals or healthcare facilities cleaning is more complex and specialised. You really need to understand how their processes work."

This form of collaboration took a clear strategic shape within BOMA in recent years. Gert: "We brought it all together in our approach 'Let's rethink cleaning'. We work with clients to take a fresh look at how their cleaning can be organised, smarter, more sustainable and more efficiently.

The underlying idea is that cleaning is much more than just removing dirt. It's also about choices that impact employees, the environment and the cost allocation method for an organisation."

BOMA focuses on three pillars in 'Let's rethink cleaning': People, Planet, Profit.

"With some customers, the focus is on sustainability, with others on efficiency or staff utilisation," said Gert. "We first try to understand where their priorities lie and how we can help them with our solutions."

This, according to Gert, means BOMA is tuning in more to customers' organisations. "Then you are no longer a supplier, but a partner that collaborates."

BOMA developed several digital tools to support customers practically in our approach. One of these is BiP - BOMA in the Pocket, an app specifically designed to make cleaning processes simpler and clearer.

"The app literally puts all cleaning information in the employee's pocket," said Guus. For example, cleaners can use the app to watch instructional videos, look up product information or instantly see which materials are needed for a specific environment or cleaning challenge. Besides supporting managers, we especially want to help the people in the workplace."

BOMA will take the next step in digitalisation during Interclean Amsterdam (14 -17 April). The company will present BO, an AI cleaning assistant. "It's not just a chatbot," said Guus. "We've been using it internally for some time to learn how AI can help us."

The goal is for BO to grow into a fully digital cleaning assistant.

"For example, a cleaner will soon be able to take a picture of a stain and ask how to remove it. Or watch an instructional video about a product. In different languages."

To support growth, BOMA invested in a new logistics heart. In Roosendaal, the company built a modern warehouse with 28,000 m² of floor space, which is five times the size of the previous main warehouse.

"The warehouse meets the highest sustainability standards (BREEAM outstanding) and is highly automated," said Gert. "We built it with growth in mind for the coming years," he said.

Twenty years after taking their first steps in the Netherlands, both directors are focused on the future. "We have laid a strong foundation. We are going to build on this," said Gert. Guus continued with a laugh: "We have a strong team, great customers and a lot of ambition. Now it's time for the next step."