Welcome to another edition of Meet the Openclaims team, where we highlight the talent behind the platform. This month, we’re featuring Sander Franken, one of our Back-End Developers.
What is your role at Openclaims?
I'm one of the Back-End Developers. I take care of how business logic is implemented, how data is stored and handled, and how the core processes in our platform work.
How long have you been working at Openclaims?
I’ve been with Openclaims since September 2021 — it’s been a rewarding ride so far!
What’s something you’ve worked on that you’re proud of?
The Communications Module. Although everything’s a team effort, I’ve become the go-to person when it comes to anything involving communication — whether that’s emails to customers, messages between companies on the platform, comments on cases, or notifications to users. There’s a lot behind the scenes for such a feature that might look simple on the surface!
One specific example I’m happy with is the functionality that allows customers to send custom emails directly from a case, using templates that pre-fill data and a handy address book to select recipients. Of course, as with most development work, nothing’s ever really finished. There’s always room to improve — but knowing when something is “good enough for now” and moving your focus elsewhere is also part of the job.
What motivates you most in your work?
I enjoy the process. I like the puzzle — the back-and-forth between messy, real-life situations and the inflexibility of computer logic. Taking a customer request or product vision and turning it into something that works is a challenge I enjoy. It’s about thinking through the effects of even small changes, understanding how they interact with everything else, and building things in a way that can handle situations we haven’t even thought of yet.
What’s your favourite thing about working at Openclaims?
The people. There’s just a really good vibe working with everyone. I also really value the way we deal with challenges — when things go wrong, the conversation is about fixing it and learning from it, not about pointing fingers. That kind of attitude makes a big difference. And of course, the parties and board game nights are something that I also enjoy at Openclaims.
What’s your go-to song when you need to focus?
Brahms’ 4th Symphony — the flow of the music helps me get into the flow of the job!
What are random topics you could talk about for hours? What are your interests outside of work?
Classical music, for one. I’ve been playing in orchestras since I was 8 — first on euphonium, then on trombone. I really wish classical music could shed its reputation of being stuffy and elitist, but that would take a shift in mindset from parts of its current audience. If that ever happened, I think we’d see some pretty meaningful ripple effects elsewhere in society, too.
Outside of that, I’m into games — video games, board games, tabletop RPGs like D&D. I love cooking, and recently I picked up Olympic-style archery. I enjoy meeting up with friends and family, going out for dinner, but I also really appreciate quiet nights at home, just relaxing on the couch with my wife and a good movie or show.
If you had to name your job like a movie title, what would it be?
Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere — because most of what we build started from nothing, which is exactly what makes this job so rewarding.