Dr. Klein Wowi Digital AG is a fast growing company in Hypoport’s network. Created in 2019, the company advises and supports its partners in the process of digitalization. Core product of Dr. Klein Wowi Digital AG is WOWIPORT, a full-service ERP system for the housing industry. About the company, the values, and what sets them apart from their competitors, we spoke to Michael Stockhausen, who joined the company in 2003 as a freelance software services provider and is the company’s current CPO.
Tell us a bit more about the history of WOWIPORT and the platform you are developing.
Michael Stockhausen: I joined the WOWIPORT team in 2015. Here, some of our best and most experienced developers, in collaboration with the product owner who had decades of experience in developing ERP systems for housing industry, set up a completely new platform and developed the first WEB-based ERP system for the housing industry. At that point we had already acquired our first customers. And although we still had a lot of work to do, we were off to a great start.
What sets the company apart from its competitors in the market?
Michael Stockhausen: We are the innovators of property management software with a strong focus on our users. It’s in our WOWIPORT DNA. We developed the first web-based ERP system, and we introduced an open and free interface with OPENWOWI. Our developments help our users where they need it and support them instead of patronizing them. In the end, we make daily work easier for our customers.
Dr. Klein is one of the first in the network to have a team in Bulgaria. How did you decide on this?
Michael Stockhausen: Our product team emerged from FIO and, as already mentioned, we worked with extraordinary developers and architects from Sofia right from the start, including Boyan, Emil, Petya and of course, many other. The team in Sofia is a key success factor for WOWIPORT, as both software development and QA processes are conducted in Germany and Bulgaria.
What are your impressions of Hypoport Sofia and the opportunities it provides for the network?
Michael Stockhausen: Our colleagues in Sofia form a team with us as well as with themselves. They act independently and creatively. All of this promotes our lively exchange. There is an opportunity for long-term, interactive collaboration, especially for other companies in the network. The strength of the teams is that they provide seamless integrated development, and not just a commissioned one.
What major changes in the market do you observe, and how the company adapts to them?
Michael Stockhausen: The situation on the IT market has changed in a way that the number of dedicated, experienced developers outnumbers a large number of potential employers. We have a great interest in working together in a long-term, that’s why we are emphasizing crucial aspects such as team cohesion, enjoyment of work, and flexibility in both working hours and location. We firmly believe that people who enjoy their work tend to achieve superior results. At the same time, we are selective in adding new colleagues to our team, ensuring they align well with our values and objectives.
What are the main qualities you look for when selecting teammates??
Michael Stockhausen: Dedication and commitment and the desire to understand and social skills to find common solutions in a team.
How do you maintain team spirit from a distance?
Michael Stockhausen: We benefit greatly from our well-established teams and decades of shared experience. Our teams consist of a blend of German and Bulgarian colleagues who engage in regular online meetings, and it doesn’t really matter whether you’re in Hamburg, Leipzig, Sofia, or Plovdiv. The crucial part takes our ‘WOWI Think Forward’ sessions occurring two days per sprint, during which we delve into creative topics related to our software development, either individually or collaboratively.” Moreover, it is highly significant for us to visit each other annually whenever is possible and spend some quality time together!
2024 is already here. What are your plans and goals for 2024?
Michael Stockhausen: Our focus in 2024 will be on improving our usability and system aids and develop further AI features. We have developed strong new modules and features that we are now eager to refine. Also, I believe it will be wonderful for us to finally meet in person again in 2024!
*If you want to take new career opportunities and work on interesting products with modern technologies, check the open roles or contact our team for more information.
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