What started 25 years ago as a targeted tool for a conference center has grown into Smart Event Manager: intuitive web-based software that provides full process support for your (event) business. A quarter of a century later, Managing Partner Jaap de Vries looks back on an adventure full of challenges, innovation, and growth. What once began as an idea from his father is now the backbone of countless companies. “When I drive through the Netherlands, I often pass by one of our clients. That still feels magical to me.”
It sounds a bit like a storybook: on January 1st, 2000, Jaap’s father began developing a reservation system. He did this out of a passion to build the best possible software for his customers. A mission Jaap fully embraced; already during his studies in Economics & Business, he decided to help his father. He learned programming simply by continuing to build. Jaap: ‘The combination of puzzling while building and seeing the results for the client is what I love most.’
“And now here we are, 25 years later,” he laughs. Although Smart Event Manager has evolved significantly over the years, and the smart software has been appreciated by clients from the start, one thing remains crystal clear:
“Without our clients, Smart Event Manager would never have lasted this long!”
The software really makes a difference
‘We quickly saw that our software could really make a difference,’ Jaap explains. ‘The entire process – from reservation to invoicing – runs through our system. This saves our customers a huge amount of time and effort.’ Smart Event Manager has now become a solid company with a team of specialists. From time to time, Jaap still programs something himself. ‘But I always feel a bit like I’m skipping work when I do that,’ he laughs. ‘Our team consists of people with a great mix of skills that I am very proud of. Some are great programmers, others excel in working with customers. We are now have a team of forty people, and I love doing this with such a great team.’
Customer-focused and intuitive
One of Smart Event Manager’s greatest strengths is its user-friendliness.
‘The human side is very important to us. We don’t see ourselves just as a software provider; the support that comes with it is just as important,’ says Jaap. ‘Our software is built for the people who work with it daily. The software is intuitive and supports the entire event management process. From online bookings and staff planning to kitchen coordination and invoicing. I recently spoke to a client who told me that thanks to our system, he saves himself three days of administrative work per week. That’s fantastic to hear!’
‘When I look at the customers we serve, I am very proud of that’
‘When I look at the customers we serve now, I feel very proud,’ says Jaap. ‘I also think it is very impressive to see that Smart Event Manager is at the core of many processes of our clients. Large organizations run entirely on our software, often linked to various other systems. You can use the Smart Event Manager software in a simple form, but it contains many features. I like it when customers implement all options and get the most out of the possibilities. We do this by providing excellent guidance during the implementation, but also by using our helpdesk and applying best practices from the various locations we already work with.”
From good to great
In recent years, Smart Event Manager has undergone a significant transformation. The original desktop version has been completely converted to a cloud application. ‘That was a massive job that took ten years,’ Jaap explains. “That means we’re now entering a very exciting time, where we can fully focus on further optimization and expansion. This allows us to make our software even better for our current customers. We’re currently in the phase from good to great. We’ve already achieved a lot; now we’re going to excel!”
25 years into the future?
“I can’t look that far ahead,” Jaap says with a laugh. Nevertheless, he expects Smart Event Manager to continue to grow nicely in the coming years. One of those growth opportunities lies in expanding internationally. “We started in the German market, and that’s been a fantastic adventure,” Jaap explains. “We’re essentially starting over there, but with a wealth of experience.”
Smart Event Manager is also researching how AI can help it work even more efficiently and better support its current clients. “If you’re talking about 25 years in the future, I’m 100% certain that a lot will be AI-driven. As a team, we really enjoy those kinds of developments,” says Jaap. “I’m very curious to see what happens in the next 25 years!”
This article appeared in April 2025 on events.nl
Text: Mahlee Plekker
Photography: Met Pitt
