Iedere organisatie die met bedrijfskritieke applicaties werkt, kent het spanningsveld: aan de ene kant de voordelen van een keten die cruciaal is voor de continuïteit, aan de andere kant de kans op verstoringen en incidenten. Johan van Soest, verantwoordelijk voor het Managed Services-aanbod bij tcf., vertelt hoe onze applicatiemanagers rust brengen in uw OpenText-omgeving.
When an OpenText environment runs smoothly, it delivers real value to the business. Document generation and customer communication processes operate reliably within your CCM environment, and invoice processing requires minimal manual effort. But that level of stability doesn’t happen by itself—and it certainly doesn’t sustain itself.
New software or platform releases, changing agreements across the process landscape, regulatory updates, changes in your customer environment, or growing volumes: all of these factors can quickly put even a stable-looking environment under pressure. Without targeted management, disruptions—especially at integration points—start to occur. Workarounds emerge, and dependency on key individuals within your organization increases over time.
Scaling the Managed Services team
At tcf., we have a dedicated Managed Services team who work on complex document and information workflows every day. The team consists of technical and functional application managers, supported by platform architects. From tailored document flows based on OpenText Communications “Exstream” to automated invoice processing with VIM for SAP, our specialists know these environments inside out.
Johan van Soest has been leading this team since early 2025, focusing on further professionalization and scaling. He brings over 15 years of experience in developing and managing document flows and case management processes, including work in government and international organizations. “Always in environments with formal processes and document flows, where regulations played a major role,” Johan explains.
What defines a tcf. specialist
Johan's team consists of specialists with the same drive. Many OpenText professionals prefer not to limit themselves to a single organization, but instead take on complex, dynamic challenges across different environments. That is one of the reasons they choose to work at tcf. Johan himself enjoys being brought in for exactly those complex technical challenges where deep expertise is required.
Our tcf. specialists are driven by a strong problem-solving mindset. They’re not just putting out fires, but identifying the root cause—and resolving it structurally. “Many organizations accept limitations and operate in a supporting mode because of them,” says Johan. “The ambition and drive to truly push through and implement structural improvements are often missing. Large, rigid IT service providers are not my type of organization.”
Johan shares an example: a client had invested in Optical Character Recognition (OCR). In practice, it barely worked—80% of the work was still done manually. “In those situations, our specialists keep going until everything works as it should.”
5 ways tcf. delivers peace of mind
With tcf. Managed Services, you gain a partner that continuously monitors, optimizes, and future-proofs your OpenText environment. In other words: you no longer need to hope everything runs smoothly—you can rely on it.
We can take over the management of a specific OpenText application, or your entire process landscape. In every case, you benefit from five key advantages that create real peace of mind:
1. Fewer incidents
A stable environment starts with structural improvements. Our specialists assess configurations, integrations with other systems, process agreements, and underlying workflows. Where possible, we recommend improvements and implement them alongside you—so the same issues do not keep recurring.
2. Fewer business escalations
Structured incident, change, and problem management processes help to gradually eliminate ad hoc solutions and manual workarounds. Your business can once again rely on a stable and predictable environment—supported by a dedicated team of specialists.
3. Predictable costs
We work with clear management, hosting, and service components agreements. Thanks to a fixed monthly fee, your organization benefits from a transparent and predictable cost structure. We also offer flexible models with variable cost components.
At the same time, we help prevent unexpected investments by proactively identifying when your environment requires renewal (for example through Life Cycle Management), or when upcoming changes are likely to have an impact.
4. A stable foundation for further digitalization
We start with a thorough analysis of your current environment. Based on this, we provide tangible recommendations to reintroduce stability into your IT landscap
Once your OpenText environment is stable, secure, and predictable, there’s room to modernize it—whether through new functionalities and integrations, or adding automation.
5. Not a supplier, but a partner
We're not a distant supplier, but a partner who understands your processes from the inside out. Our specialists understand your organization and your IT environment, know where dependencies exist, and proactively help drive improvements.
Our tcf. specialists identify risks before they impact your organization, recommend optimizations, and structurally resolve complex challenges. As Johan puts it: “That’s how you create peace of mind—based on trust and expertise.”
At tcf. Managed Services, we don’t rely on assumptions or good intentions—we deliver predictability and continuity. Or, as the saying goes: “hope is not a strategy.”
