Integration consultancy
Expert advice for your integration strategy
Do you have a Lobster environment that is not running optimally? Are you stuck with complex connections? Or do you want advice on your integration strategy?
We are an official Lobster partner and the integration experts in the Benelux with the most Lobster knowledge. From quick-fix support to full implementations and training. On an hourly basis, without a long-term contract. You only pay for the hours you need.
Immediately available. No hassle.
What is Integration Consultancy?
Integration Consultancy is expert advice and hands-on help with your integration issues. No subscription, no monthly costs. Just professional support when you need it.
We mainly work with Lobster software, a no-code integration platform that allows connections to be built without programming. As an official Lobster partner with the most knowledge in the Benelux, we help companies that:
- Use Lobster software themselves but get stuck with complex connections
- Have received training but have lost certain knowledge
- Need ad-hoc help with specific integration issues
- Want advice on their data strategy and integration structure
Our team works daily in Lobster and has encountered almost all integration issues at some point. Our lead consultant worked at Lobster for 4.5 years before ctrl integrations was established.
What do you get?
Ad-hoc consultancy advisory discussions on integration structure and data strategy - Technical analysis of your IT landscape - Quick-fix solutions for urgent problems - Q&A support when you get stuck
Implementation & development building complete integrations (average 2-3 days) - Ready-made profiles that you can place on your server - Custom solutions for specific issues - Co-building: we guide, you execute
Training & knowledge transfer Tailored Lobster software training - Best practices for integration management - Technical documentation and explanations - Knowledge transfer to your team
Support ongoing support for companies with many suppliers - Prepaid hour packages for flexible deployment - Management of your Lobster license and server - Proactive monitoring and optimisation
What you DON'T get:
We do not create extensive reports or strategy documents. Our strength lies in hands-on implementation and direct solutions. You get working integrations, not PowerPoints.
For whom?
Companies with their own Lobster environment
- You have purchased Lobster software but lack the daily expertise to make the most of it. We fill that gap, from small adjustments to complete new integrations.
Organisations with complex integration issues
- Your IT landscape is complex with many legacy systems, trading partners, and data flows. You want advice on how to best structure and automate this.
Companies that temporarily need extra capacity
- Your own IT team is full, but you have an integration project that needs to be realised quickly. We can assist without you having to hire anyone.
Former Lobster clients
- Many of our consultancy clients remember us from the time when our lead consultant worked at Lobster. They know we have the expertise and have joined us when we established ctrl integrations.
Who NOT?
Companies that do not use Lobster and have no plans to work with it. For them, our Integration as a Service is a better solution. We then take over everything in our own environment.
How does it work?
Step 1 Contact & intake (30-60 min, free)
You explain what your challenge is. We assess whether we can help and provide an estimate of the required hours.
Step 2 Quote
You receive a clear quote: number of hours × €155 per hour. No hidden costs.
Step 3 Planning
We schedule the hours. Some projects we do all at once (2-3 days intensively), others we spread out over weeks/months (for example, 1 day per week).
Step 4 Execution
We get to work: implementing, advising, training, or troubleshooting. You will receive updates along the way.
Step 5 Delivery
The integration is in place, the problem is solved, or the knowledge has been transferred. Done.
Step 6 Follow-up (optional)
Almost all consultancy clients come back. Some monthly for 1-2 hours, others ad-hoc when there is a new question. That is of course allowed. No contract, no obligations.
What makes us different?
Most Lobster knowledge in Benelux
Our lead consultant has worked at Lobster for 4.5 years. We are involved on a daily basis. We have seen almost everything at least once.
Speed
Average integration: 2-3 days. Quick fixes: 1-2 hours. We are used to acting quickly.
Practical, not theoretical
No 50-page reports. We build, implement and solve. Hands-on.
Transparent rate
€155 per hour. Period. No increases, no surprises.
Flexible
Need 2 hours today? Fine. 40 hours next month? Also good. No minimum, no contract.
Clients come back
Almost all consultancy clients return. Some monthly, others ad-hoc. That says something about the quality and the trust.
Technology & Expertise
Lobster software
We are an official Lobster partner and have more Lobster knowledge in-house than any other agency in the Benelux. Lobster is a no-code integration platform that: Builds connections without programming - Supports all file formats and protocols - Can create both internal and external (EDI) integrations - Is relatively young (6 years active outside Germany) but is growing rapidly.
Our expertise goes further
Although Lobster is our specialism, we can also: Write custom scripts (for edge cases that Lobster cannot handle) - Set up and manage server environments - Advise on integration strategy independent of tooling - Connect legacy systems that Lobster does not natively support
What we support: All file formats (JSON, XML, CSV, IDOC, Fixed Record/VDA, E-invoicing/Peppol) - All protocols (REST API, SOAP, AS2, FTP(S), SFTP, MQTT, webhooks) - EDI networks (Transus, SEEBURGER, EDIFICE, ODETTE) - Cloud and legacy systems (from SaaS to 20-year-old ERP software)
Why hire a consultant?
Lobster is no-code, so why need help?
Yes, Lobster is no-code and technically anyone can work with it. But to do it really well:
- You need to be involved with it daily
- You need to know all the edge cases
- You need to know how to best structure complex data flows
- You need to have developed troubleshooting skills
The largest companies can do it themselves. The rest need us.
Compare it to, for example, WordPress: technically anyone can create a website. But for a professional, well-performing site with everything included, you still hire an expert.
Return on investment
If your own IT staff spend 2 weeks on something that we solve in 2 days, you have gained 8 days. They can spend that on your core business instead of struggling with integrations.
Price & Conditions
Rate €155 per hour (excl. VAT) - Invoicing afterwards based on hours worked - No minimum purchase - No hidden costs
Optional: Prepaid hour packages
- For companies that regularly purchase hours:
- 20 hours in advance: €3,000 (= €150/hour, 3% discount)
- 40 hours in advance: €5,800 (= €145/hour, 6% discount)
- 80 hours in advance: €11,200 (= €140/hour, 10% discount)
Prepaid hours are valid for 12 months.
What is NOT included?
Lobster licenses (you arrange those yourself or we help with resale) - Server/hosting (unless you also purchase that from us) - Travel costs (for on-site visits: €0.23/km)
Initial meeting
Intake conversation of 30-60 minutes is free. After that, you will receive a clear quote.
From advice to implementation
Consultancy is the first step
Many clients start with consultancy: They want advice on their integration structure - They get stuck on a specific problem - They want to train their team
This is often followed by Integration as a Service
After the advisory process, many companies decide: “Actually, we don’t want to do this ourselves at all.” They then switch to our Integration as a Service offering, we take everything over in our environment, monthly subscription, fully taken care of.
Or a support contract
Other companies opt for a continuous support contract: prepaid hour packages, fixed availability, proactive monitoring. The best of both worlds: in control yourself, but with us as backup.
You decide for yourself
We never push. Some clients continue to take consultancy purely on an ad-hoc basis when needed. Others grow into a structural collaboration. Both are fine.
FAQ
Need help?
No, not necessarily. However, our expertise mainly lies with Lobster. For companies without Lobster, our Integration as a Service is often a better solution. In that case, you don’t need any software and we take everything over.
Consultancy is advice and implementation in your own environment, on an hourly basis (€155/hour). Integration as a Service is fully managed integrations in our environment, fixed amount per month (from €150/month per connection). Consultancy = you remain the owner, we help. IAAS = we take everything over.
A standard integration: 16-24 hours (2-3 days). Complex integrations: 32-40 hours (4-5 days). Quick fixes: 1-2 hours. This depends heavily on how complete your documentation is and how complex the systems are.
No. Some clients call us once a year for 2 hours. Others need us for 2.5 days a week. Both are fine. You only pay for what you use.
Yes. We offer customised Lobster training. This can be an intensive multi-day training (for example, 3 days: day 1 basic, day 2 advanced, day 3 expert level) or short workshops focused on specific topics. We also charge for this on an hourly basis.