How Pro Warehouse Maatwerk Arbeidsadvies helps businesses grow without IT worries.

For a health and safety organisation that works with sensitive medical data on a daily basis, complying with strict information security standards is not a choice but an obligation. ‘You want IT to take care of things for you,’ says Maxine van Berkel, quality and system administrator at Maatwerk Arbeidsadvies. ‘You want it to be done properly and securely, without having to constantly worry about it.’ She finds that peace of mind in her collaboration with Apple specialist Pro Warehouse.

Maatwerk Arbeidsadvies does more than just provide occupational health and safety services. The organisation supports sick employees and is strongly committed to prevention. In doing so, they work with privacy-sensitive data on a daily basis, which places strict demands on information security. It is no coincidence that the company is certified according to ISO 27001, NEN 7510 and ISO 9001. In a year and a half, Maatwerk grew from eight to 22 employees, moved to new premises in Leiden and took over a location in Meppel. This growth brought new challenges, especially in the area of IT.

The decision to use Apple devices had been made years earlier, partly because of their built-in security layers and ease of use. The existing IT partner specialised in Microsoft and Windows. Due to Maatwerk's growth, it started looking for an additional supplier that could support it in managing MacBooks remotely. With the ISO audits just around the corner, the conclusion was clear: a partner was needed who really understood Apple products.

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Professional partnership

After a thorough supplier assessment, Pro Warehouse was selected. What helped in this decision was the way Pro Warehouse dealt with the fact that Maatwerk already had another IT partner for Microsoft management and the network. ‘I really appreciated that Pro Warehouse never pressured us to switch completely to them,’ says Maxine. ‘They were always willing to consult with the other party. I think that's very professional.’

The impact of the switch to Pro Warehouse was immediately noticeable. Onboarding new employees, in particular, is now a lot easier. ‘You are sent a MacBook, or you can even have it sent directly to the new colleague's home. You send the login details and they can get started,’ says Maxine. ‘That saves a lot of time.’

In addition, management via Jamf Pro offers security that is essential for an organisation such as Maatwerk Arbeidsadvies. Updates are implemented automatically, but within strict parameters. ‘For us, the computer is really a means to an end, not an end in itself,’ explains Maxine. ‘Our people focus on their core task: advising clients and their employees. It's important to me that the system is set up in such a way that they can focus fully on that, without having to worry about the technology. It's also very important to me to know that colleagues can't unknowingly do anything wrong that could jeopardise our information security.’

Maxine van Berkel, quality and system administrator at Maatwerk Arbeidsadvies: ‘They continue to explore possibilities, even if something seems unfeasible at first glance. I really appreciate that collaborative approach.’

What Maxine appreciates most is Pro Warehouse's proactive attitude. A striking example is the request to set Microsoft Teams as the default calling app on MacBooks. Teams serves as a telephony solution at Maatwerk, but still needed to be set as the default app on a MacBook. This could not be done internally right away. ‘I submitted it to Pro Warehouse,’ says Maxine. ‘They looked into it, figured out what was needed and made it work. And now Microsoft Teams works just as we had envisioned.’

Although it wasn't a critical functionality for Maxine, Pro Warehouse quickly came up with a working solution. ‘That's typical of their approach,’ she says. ‘They keep searching for possibilities, even if something doesn't seem feasible at first. I really appreciate that kind of thinking.’ That flexibility was also evident when Maatwerk took over the location in Meppel, where colleagues had been working with Windows for years. ‘Pro Warehouse sent someone on site for the implementation,’ says Maxine. ‘That made the transition a lot smoother for our colleagues there.’

Highly secure yet flexible

For an organisation that must comply with NEN 7510 – the standard for information security in healthcare – and ISO 27001, watertight security is not a choice but an obligation. Maatwerk's workstations are therefore set up in accordance with the strict CIS Level 2 standard. Nevertheless, there is room for flexibility. Employees can request temporary administrator rights, for example to add a printer. However, this option includes an extra layer of security: the temporary administrator rights expire after 10 minutes. Applications downloaded outside the permitted framework during that period are automatically deleted after 10 minutes. ‘This ensures the integrity of our environment, even if someone accidentally installs something that is not permitted.’

This balance between security and ease of use also requires awareness among employees. Maatwerk has therefore drawn up rules of conduct and regularly emphasises the importance of information security. ‘Not everyone immediately understands why certain measures are necessary,’ Maxine acknowledges. ‘But in healthcare, where we work with sensitive patient data, this is indispensable.’

The collaboration with Pro Warehouse helps Maxine to translate those security requirements into practice. ‘I need to be able to explain to auditors why certain settings are configured in a certain way,’ she says. ‘Because I don't know everything about everything, it's valuable that I can always turn to Pro Warehouse for advice. Especially when there's a data breach in the news, such as the recent one involving the population screening programme, I want to know whether we are sufficiently protected.’

That accessibility and reliability are essential to Maxine. ‘If they need to look something up, they communicate that transparently. But they always come back with an answer. At a time when cyber risks are increasing, that gives me confidence.’

Space for core tasks

The collaboration with Pro Warehouse has also given Maxine more space to focus on her core tasks. The number of ad hoc questions from colleagues has decreased significantly. ‘Previously, I had to find solutions to many technical questions myself,’ she says. ‘Now I can refer colleagues to Pro Warehouse's support department, which has the expertise to help immediately.’

“The certainty that the technical basis is in order and that employees work within safe frameworks enables me to focus on those strategic issues.”

This means that Maxine can focus on what her job is meant to be: ensuring that the systems are aligned with the business processes. ‘My responsibility lies with the functional design: what do we need as an organisation and how do we ensure that the technology contributes to this,’ she explains. ‘The certainty that the technical basis is in order and that employees work within safe frameworks enables me to focus on those strategic issues.’

What Maxine appreciates is the personal approach despite the size of Pro Warehouse. ‘The lines of communication are short and accessibility is good,’ she says. ‘They take the time to consult, which makes for a pleasant collaboration.’

In the future, Maxine expects to need less and less support for day-to-day matters. But the certainty that Pro Warehouse is available gives her peace of mind. Especially now that Maatwerk continues to grow and remote working is on the increase. ‘Employees who work externally pose a greater security risk. It is valuable to know that the management is geared towards this.’ With a solid IT foundation and a partner that thinks along with them, Maatwerk Arbeidsadvies can focus on its core task: advising employers and their employees and promoting health in the workplace.

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