Charlotte

Thanks to Business Analyst Charlotte, our stores keep running.

Store sensors measuring customer behavior, a bustling webshop with thousands of products, and countless innovations both in front and behind the scenes: before Charlotte Alejo applied at Etos, she had no idea how much tech is involved in a drugstore. It never crossed her mind. In February 2022, she joined as a Business Analyst. What appeals to her the most? "I see quick results from my work and have opportunities for growth. That suits me."

Look before you leap

"At birthday parties, I often say that I'm the preparer for the developers. That's the best way to describe my work as a Business Analyst. Developers can't just program randomly; they first want to know who, what, and where. And especially: why. I talk to the users: employees of a store or a distribution center. Together, we assess their wishes and the obstacles. My team then comes up with a number of concepts, which I then present to the users. They choose their favorite, and then we can start building. That's how we keep the distribution centers and Etos stores running. If one process fails, the whole chain can get messed up, and you end up selling nothing. As a techie - that's what we call our IT professionals - you are indispensable."

A new step

"At a young age, I already knew I wanted to work with computers. First, I studied automotive engineering, but I was more interested in the computer in the car than in the vehicle itself. So, I switched to computer science. At my previous employer, a company in the automotive sector, I got to try out different roles, and that's how I became a Business Analyst. I love figuring things out and, together with others, setting up processes as efficiently as possible. I worked for many years with great pleasure at my previous company, but unfortunately, I didn't get the chance to grow there. One day, I got into a conversation with a recruiter from Ahold Delhaize, and not much later, I had no less than two offers. At Ahold Delhaize, I could start as an IT project manager, and at Etos as a Business Analyst."

Jack of all trades

"I chose Etos because the organization is smaller, and therefore, the results of your work are quickly visible. Additionally, retail is an extremely interesting industry. Sometimes we have to set up something completely new, like a solution for when a product is unavailable. For that, we devised a system that allows us to replenish the shelf with a similar product in time. Sometimes we have to set up a specific part cleverly. The personal offers on etos.nl are a good example of that. We have now set it up so that it aligns even better with the needs of each individual customer. It's a good time to join Etos now because in the coming period, we will be replacing or updating a lot of old software. Plenty for us techies to sink our teeth into."

The numbers tell the story

"At Etos, when you think of IT, you might imagine a webshop full of mascara, deodorant, and baby wipes. But even in our physical stores, there are plenty of innovations. For example, we have a store full of sensors that allow us to measure customer behavior accurately. Which item do they pick up, how do they stand in front of the shelf? Is someone entering the store just to buy sunscreen, or are they browsing for inspiration? Based on that data, Etos makes decisions; for example, which products we offer or not."

Creating your own future

"I don't think I'll get bored at Etos quickly because the possibilities are endless. So many different departments, there's always a project you want to dive into. And that's exactly the intention: you determine yourself how you further develop. Together with your supervisor, you create an individual plan describing in which position you want to grow and how you will achieve that. Which courses you can take and which colleagues you will work with. Etos is an organization that really cares about your mental health. If you're struggling with something, there's a psychologist who will think along with you. It's your career, and you get all the space to showcase your potential."

Just be yourself

"Friday afternoon drinks, going on a ski trip together, or watching Formula 1: here, you're part of the team. We also develop as a group, like with the hackathon we recently organized. In a short time, we came up with a huge number of ideas, and now we're building the winning concept. A hint: it's about connection and eating together. What I find very important at Etos is that I can be who I am, the whole package. For example, I had a surprising experience when I had just started here. The management presented the new policy, but there was a lack of a clear IT vision. While I prefer to work based on objectives. When I told my manager about this, he immediately got to work and scheduled a meeting to present the new IT policy. You are taken seriously, which makes this company special."