Marco Greven
We ensure that safe Internet is as normal as clean tap water.
Who is NL-ix?
Behind the world of the Internet, behind the world of fibers, protocols, peers, and terabytes, are actual people making it all work. But who are these people? In other words: Who is NL-ix?
Today: 🤝 Marco Greven, Account Manager
I joined NL-ix about a year and a half ago as an Account Manager, at the age of 54. After spending fourteen years in hosting, I was at a crossroads in my career. I knew that if I wanted to try something new, this was the moment - I wanted to make a meaningful change while I still could.
My path to NL-ix is quite different from many of my colleagues. I started in retail, with an education in business, working in a high-end furniture store. Those years taught me invaluable lessons about customer interaction, or better said: human interaction - helping people make significant decisions about purchases they'd live with for years. It wasn't just about following trends; it was about understanding needs and providing real solutions.
My journey into technology began at a communications agency during the early days of the Internet - back when it was still being distributed on CDs and “installed” on your computer. We were creating websites when the Internet was essentially just a digital storefront, with static pages showing company photos and contact details. The transformation since then has been remarkable - from simple digital catalogs to complex applications and interconnected systems.
At NL-ix, I work with both wholesale and enterprise clients, and I think I've found my true passion in the latter. It's not just about selling bandwidth - it's about building relationships and solving real business challenges. Enterprise work involves developing comprehensive solutions, creating detailed proposals with our solution architects, and building long-term partnerships.Â
What I find most fulfilling about my role is the opportunity to maintain personal connections in an increasingly digital world, especially at a company that's all about being online. Even in our industry, or maybe especially in our industry, I believe in the power of personal interaction. It's how we can make a difference.
We ensure that safe Internet is as normal as clean tap water.
Marco Greven
I'm particularly proud of a recent project where we created a custom SaaS Connect solution for a client. What started as a small engagement has grown significantly, with the client now implementing more of our services. Even more satisfying is that we've started using their back-up solution ourselves - it's a perfect example of the mutual benefit that comes from really listening to client needs and building strong relationships. Our clients can pick up the phone and speak to a real person instead of navigating through tickets and automated responses.
The synergy between sales and technology at NL-ix is particularly exciting. We're moving away from a technology-first approach to one where sales gathers client needs, feeds them back to the organisation, and solutions are developed based on real market demands. This creates a beautiful collaboration between sales and technology, with the client remaining at the center of everything we do.
At its core, I explain NL-ix's role simply: we deliver the Internet. Just as you don't think about how water comes out of your tap when you turn it on, you don't think about how your Internet connection works - but we're the ones making sure that connection happen, reliably and efficiently, every single day.
