The Ymere Marketing & Concept Development Team

found its new ambition with 360SAMR.

Ymere is the most innovative housing corporation of the Amsterdam Metropole region. In the Spring of 2017 the Marketing & Concept Development Team (M&CO) came to SAMR, in Leusden. Although we had been working together for years, developing concepts (‘what do residents in the Netherlands want, now and in the future?’), this time we were dealing with an entire different question: ‘As M&CO Team, we have proven our added value within Ymere. There is a growing demand for our knowledge and services. How do we focus our activities and how do we set priorities, with a view to improving collaboration? In short: help our team find its new role.’

This is exactly what 360SAMR will show you: your role in the world. The role of organizations, but also that of departments within organizations. Irene Ponec, manager M&CO Ymere and Anneke Verhagen, project manager, explain:

‘Thinking about yourself is one of the hardest things in marketing. Well, the start was already phenomenal and out of the box: Willem Brethouwer put four beer coasters on the table. Everyone was on the edge of their seats straight away. We saw the 4 Ps: Position, Promise, Passion and Proof. Willem then let us consider these four questions: what’s your passion, what is your actual story, what is it that you do for Ymere and its customers, and which position do you hold in the field?

None of these are questions to which the answer comes easily (in fact: nobody has ever asked you these questions in these terms before) so you have to think hard. This is the first unique aspect of the 360SAMR model: it is so different, so confronting and at the same time so human that it inspires you to take a long hard look at yourself.’

It turned out to be an eminent example of a360SAMR project. A process of thinking and rejecting, creating and doubting, reinventing, looking at yourself through the eyes of the outside world. Irene Ponec:

‘Every time we wrapped up a 4-hour session and we thought we had ourselves in scope, a ‘reverse image’ would emerge. This constant awareness of the need to look at things differently, act differently, has really resonated with us as a team. We found out who we were, how we respond to each other and how we create together.

What’s great about 360SAMR is its holistic approach. Who do you want to be, but also: what do people expect from you?

Ymere M&CO found its new positioning. A position from which they can get to work and help Ymere grow. A fantastic role in which from a deeply rooted social perspective great residential solutions are created for Ymere tenants in the Amsterdam metropole region. Team M&CO was reinvented completely. Including concrete actions to shape the new role. Starting with a new name and logo for the department.

In conclusion, the client says: ‘Suddenly the pieces of puzzle fit together, without you even noticing. This is what SAMR and the 360 model have done for us. They facilitated the process with their knowledge, but without getting in our way. They surprised us many times, but were never annoying. And they challenged us to reinvent ourselves.

And all of this in a relatively small number of sessions, with a short lead time.’