What is Blueriq?

I've been with Blueriq for about a month now. Before this, I mainly worked at small production companies and startups. So it took some getting used to being part of a much larger team. To find my way around and get to know our company better, I spent my first few weeks exploring Blueriq's elevator pitch.

Asking Around

Everyone can have a slightly different perspective based on their expertise. As a curious newcomer, I decided to ask my colleagues a lot of questions. I spoke with Dominique de Wit, Yuri Versluis, Menno Gülpers, Joost van den Berg, Frits van Endhoven, René Frankena, and Youri Vaes. I asked them four questions:

Who is Team Blueriq?
What is the Blueriq product?
How does Blueriq distinguish itself from other companies?
Why should people choose Blueriq?

In this blog, I share the answers, differences, and similarities. The quotes I highlight are just fragments of each answer and conversation.

My Initial Impression of Blueriq

Before joining Blueriq, based on the information I received during the application process, I described the company as follows:

"Blueriq is an IT service provider focused on customer experience. With a proprietary platform that easily integrates with any organization's existing IT system, Blueriq transforms even the most complex cases into smooth and manageable processes, delivering automated and user-friendly experiences. Companies choose Blueriq because they need to process large volumes of complex requests carefully and efficiently."

After a month and many conversations, I conclude that I wasn't too far off, although a few elements were missing.

Automating Knowledge-Intensive Processes

It was striking that almost every colleague gave a similar answer when asked, "What is the Blueriq platform?"

"It's a platform to model knowledge-intensive processes and applications." – Yuri Versluis
"Model-driven knowledge technology. We provide that to create tailored applications for our customers' primary service processes." – Youri Vaes
"A rule-driven platform for building software in the world of applications." – Menno Gülpers
"For my customers, Blueriq is a platform that automates knowledge-intensive dynamic processes, such as applying for agricultural subsidies." – Joost van den Berg
"The Blueriq product helps organizations serve their customers efficiently and personally." – Frits van Endhoven
"Software that allows us to model processes." – René Frankena
"A big toolbox that enables you to quickly and efficiently create model-driven processes for clients, with solutions that are also sustainable and flexible." – Dominique de Wit

Of course, summarizing each answer in just one or two sentences doesn't do justice to my colleagues. Many also mentioned that our service is an essential part of our product. Fortunately, their answers showed little disagreement about the essence of the platform.

Menno pointed out that it's better to describe the outcome of a product rather than the literal product itself. "We don't buy a refrigerator; we buy extended freshness for our food and drinks." Likewise, our clients aren't just buying a platform to automate knowledge-intensive processes but a personal and efficient service for their customers and organizations.

A Team for Personal and Efficient Service

The themes of personal and efficient service also frequently appeared in answers to the question, "Who is Team Blueriq?"

"Blueriq is the family of 180 people plus the friends around them. We're driven by the way we look at the world, seeking challenges in complexity." – Yuri Versluis
"Customers, partners, the community, and our organization. Together, we stand for personal and efficient service and everything needed to give our customers' customers a personal experience." – Youri Vaes
"I first think of the group that creates the product: the 30 to 40 men and women who build and maintain the Blueriq platform. They're driven by the pursuit of genericity." – Menno Gülpers
"Blueriq is a group of people you'd want around even if you're not using the platform much. They do what they say and deliver on their promises. They're super smart and willing to go beyond their job descriptions." – Joost van den Berg
"Driven and intrinsically motivated people. In both the financial and public sectors, they strive to make a difference through knowledge." – Frits van Endhoven
"Everyone deserves excellent service from the government and other major institutions. That's what we believe in and what motivates us every morning." – René Frankena
"Blueriq is a company with employees who've been dedicated to knowledge automation for 25 years. We model knowledge-intensive solutions for our clients." – Dominique de Wit

Some focused on the number of people and various stakeholders, while others described our mission and what drives us. The latter, I believe, is particularly interesting for our elevator pitch as it gives a clear picture of Blueriq's identity.

In my conversation with René Frankena, we touched on Simon Sinek's Golden Circle: Why, How, and What. Although I didn't explicitly ask the "Why" question, some answers partially addressed Blueriq's reason for existence.

It’s clear that Blueriq is driven by complex challenges, personal and efficient service, and a desire to make a difference through knowledge. Our team is intrinsically motivated to strive for excellent, personal, and efficient service for governments, financial institutions, and other organizations. This conviction gives me a connection to the team and a reason to make a difference at Blueriq.

Blueriq's Strength

But is this the distinguishing factor and reason companies should choose Blueriq?

"We can truly help customers with their problems, not just with technology but also with our capable business engineers. It's the combination of technology and consulting that makes us unique." – Yuri Versluis
"We don't just deliver the Blueriq box. We offer the unique combination of that box, a smart approach, and skilled people who make it operational." – Youri Vaes
"Blueriq stands out with its rule engine, enabling companies to work with many rules and maintain them. If a company deals with changing rules or complex products, Blueriq can help." – Menno Gülpers
"We offer expert services. Customers should choose Blueriq for the strong combination of smart people and smart technology." – Joost van den Berg
"What's unique is that with Blueriq, you get three-in-one: a modeling environment, documentation, and a running application. Model = documentation = application. If you operate in a changing environment and need rule-based decision-making, Blueriq shines." – Frits van Endhoven
"We focus on creating connective tissue between customers, employees, and systems, with the flexibility to offer each customer the most optimal process on the fly. We prioritize customer goals over creating linear processes and applications. And most importantly: we have a passion for what we believe in." – René Frankena
"We focus on customer journeys, not administrative systems. We perform best in large organizations processing many different cases." – Dominique de Wit

Everyone understands Blueriq's strength, which is only possible with a team of smart business engineers and other experts. Blueriq's unique value doesn't lie solely in its technology. Instead, we distinguish ourselves by focusing that technology on primary processes and personal customer experiences.

My Final Blueriq Elevator Pitch

After all the conversations and insights, I see that my initial description was missing two essential elements. It didn't capture why we do what we do or highlight the unique combination of technology, people, and approach.

With all the insights my colleagues provided, here is my new description – and the elevator pitch – for Blueriq:

"Everyone deserves excellent, personal, and efficient service from the government, financial service providers, and other organizations. That's why we design outstanding customer service, always starting with the customer's goal. We create dynamic and efficient processes that help every customer reach their goals quickly. Our software solutions enable the modeling, maintenance, and rapid deployment of customer processes. No process is too complex for our experts and software. With over 25 years of experience and extreme dedication, we help every organization make a difference for its customers."

All the conversations I had while writing this blog and formulating this pitch have brought me even closer to Blueriq. I hope it does the same for you!