How do I not let professional knowledge be lost in my organization?

The retention of knowledge or human capital is a hot item. Like many other organizations, construction has to deal with aging. In addition, professionals often take a next step in their career. Save your solutions and products in a central database. Then start recording the general professional knowledge within your organization. Such a knowledge base then becomes a kind of next level business manual. Colleagues, dealers, but also end users can benefit from the knowledge that is present. ZeeBoer is happy to help you with this.

Where do you start as a manufacturer if you want to come in more often? How are you prescribed? ZeeBoer can help with this, because for more than 35 years we have been helping suppliers in the construction industry to distribute their product information, specification texts and BIM information.

What are your solutions for construction?
Where is the difference between your products and systems?
How, where, why, for whom?

Contact ZeeBoer and we will go through these questions with you. Without obligation of course.

FPS versus specification tool: advantages and disadvantages

An FPS or manufacturer product specification is of interest to building suppliers. An FPS is brief product information that can be included in a specification description. As a manufacturer, you have different options. As a supplier, you want to be named in a tender and the specification experts seek assistance from the manufacturer.

Manufacturers can still buy a place in the STABU2-catalog at Ketenstandaard. You don't have to, but with an FPS you do have a kind of "advertisement" in the catalog. When the specifier turns on the FPS button, he sees the list. However, many manufacturers do not maintain their information, so many FPSs are years old. In addition, prescribers no longer see the wood for the trees. According to ZeeBoer, this means that FPSs are no longer in line with current times.

Specifications by ZeeBoer
ZeeBoer supports you in the creation of individual product specifications. You can then add it (or have it added) as FPS. However, we recommend creating a consultation tool that will help the author of the tender text to make a good selection. Also interesting is a combination of FPS and consulting tool. Advantage: better support. Disadvantage: One time investment and cost of updating the tool.

Would you like to know more? Contact us without obligation.

How are specification services used in practice?

Specification services are mainly used by specifiers—architects and consultants—who want to quickly and correctly add products to their project documentation. Through smart tools on your website, they can select the right product and automatically generate specification texts, installation guides, and documents. This increases the chance your product is chosen.

But beware: many stakeholders value a specification service. It is an ideal system configurator that provides good product advice.

Why still have specifications?

A specification is the contract document in construction. This includes agreements between the client and the contractor. Although construction is increasingly using a BIM model, the contract document is indispensable. The combination of a good problem statement, a correct product description and correct representation of the requirements for the end result therefore remains necessary.

What does EMVI mean?

EMVI is the Dutch abbreviation for Economical Most Advantageous Tender. The registration price of the project is determined not only by labor and material, but also by other matters. For example efficiency, environmental effects, communication with the end users etc. ZeeBoer is happy to help you highlight the unique features of your solutions. Together we can make a good request specification or correct answer specification.

What is specification selling?

Specification selling is a sales strategy where you present your products so clearly and convincingly that they get included in the specification documents of a construction project (typically written by architects or consultants). By delivering technically accurate, up-to-date, and easily accessible product data—via a specification service or a PIM system like Utopis—you increase the likelihood that your product becomes the preferred choice. It helps you stay ahead of competitors and improves visibility early in the decision-making process.

What is system thinking?

Individual products play a minor role in construction. The combination of products and the right workmanship together make a good solution. Manufacturers are the most important supplier of knowledge for this. ZeeBoer advises and supports manufacturers and suppliers in the distribution and management of their solutions.

What are neutral question and answer specifications?

Neutral question and answer specifications are standardized building blocks used in specification documents and advisory tools. A question specification focuses on performance-based and functional criteria (such as insulation values or connection types), without referencing specific brands. This fits seamlessly into EMVI tenders, design & construct projects, and collaborative construction teams.

EMVI stands for Economisch Meest Voordelige Inschrijving, which translates to Most Economically Advantageous Tender (MEAT). It is a procurement method used in the Netherlands where tenders are not only evaluated on price, but also on quality, sustainability, risk management, and other added-value criteria.

The answer specification explains how a specific product meets these criteria. This structure supports hybrid procurement models, where transparency, cooperation, and results-based selection are key.

With Utopis, your product data fits directly into these processes, increasing visibility among specifiers.

Responding to digital building standards.

Your product data better found.

All information available in one place.

Efficiently manage and share product data.

All product data available in one platform.

Peter Veldhuizen

Director
peter.veldhuizen@utopis.net

Antoon Siebert

Partner / project manager
antoon.siebert@utopis.net

Maarten Hopman

Project manager
maarten.hopman@utopis.net

Jeroen Houdé

Front-end developer
jeroen.houde@utopis.net

Zsolt Kiss

Back-end developer
zsolt.kiss@utopis.net

Mariska van ’t Veer

Administration
mariska.vantveer@utopis.net

Arnout Nijhuis

Advisor product data
arnout.nijhuis@utopis.net

How do I not let professional knowledge be lost in my organization?.