An interview with Fincons Group's CEO and deputy CEO

Michele and Francesco Moretti tell all on the business IT consultancy and integration firm's current and future movements

Fincons Group is a business IT consultancy firm that has been operating across Europe for 30 years, and is now global. Computing met up with CEO Michele Moretti and deputy CEO Francesco Moretti to learn more about Fincons' outlook and offerings.

Computing: To begin, please give us a brief overview of Fincons Group and what it's currently doing.

Michele Moretti: "Fincons Group has been providing made-to-measure software and systems integration solutions since 1983. We help our clients tackle the evolving demands of a highly complex digital landscape enabling them to choose the right products and systems for their specific business and industry needs and integrating them with existing technology seamlessly. The digital landscape has transformed dramatically since we began our journey, and we have responded accordingly; we provide our clients with strategies and solutions to help them keep up with digital developments and to remain competitive. With our accumulated knowledge and expertise, the business is becoming ever more global, with two new offices in the USA, in New York and Los Angeles, to add to existing offices in Switzerland, Italy, and London."

Francesco Moretti: "As IT business consultants, Fincons Group accompanies clients right from the beginning in designing and developing a new platform. We can either assist clients in choosing appropriate software for their business or, when we spot a problem that cannot be resolved with existing software, we develop tailored solutions to respond to specific needs. We apply this strategy across sectors ranging from media and broadcast, insurance and banking, energy & utilities to public administration, transportation and manufacturing."

CTG: Typically, which situations see businesses seeking out nearshore deals, what is the typical issue/point of pain that businesses are trying to resolve in your experience? Do you have any examples?

MM: Traditionally, businesses looking to outsource IT services tended to opt for offshore models, which were considered more cost-effective than hiring on-site consultants and teams. The problem is that there is often a great geographical and cultural distance between in-house and offshore teams, which can prevent a business from fulfilling its objectives. In contrast, at Fincons, our staff work directly with client teams on-site as well as from our smart-shore centre in Southern Italy, meaning they can provide a highly trained and technologically experienced team that shares a similar work-ethic and attitude to business to the client. But the real differentiator is the drive and knowledge-base of our people: we deploy teams that have extensive vertical industry experience and that truly understand the processes and pain-points of the specific sector the client is operating in. Some clients even report up to 50% reduction in costs as a result of having an English-speaking team working for them from our Bari smart-shore centre, as opposed to on-site technicians

CTG: What does best-practice in nearshore IT contracts look like? What does the ideal partner provide?

FM: When companies work with distant offshore centres, there are likely to be cultural and linguistic differences, which may nullify low costs by making problem-solving lengthier, as both parties attempt to bridge barriers. On the other hand an ideal nearshore partner offers industry-specialised English-speaking personnel whose qualifications and training are easier to verify - our clients tell us they feel reassured by the quality of staff that we recruit.

An interview with Fincons Group's CEO and deputy CEO

Michele and Francesco Moretti tell all on the business IT consultancy and integration firm's current and future movements

CTG: What are the common weaknesses of nearshore IT contracts? How should they be avoided in your experience?

FM: Typically, traditional nearshore IT contracts will deploy staff with little business experience of how the particular sector the client operates in works. This leads to a disconnect between the developers and the client who find their processes and sensitivities are not immediately grasped. Another common issue is a lack of regular contact between project managers and developers. This means problems are spotted much too late, increasing the costs of understanding and then resolving issues. At Fincons, we use agile work methods in addition to our smart shore centre. Agile workflows enable effective remote working as there are numerous contact points between developers and managers, resulting in more frequent interfacing and therefore more frequent checking. This means problems are detected earlier, saving time and resources.

CTG: What are the advantages of having your delivery centre in Italy?

FM: The Fincons Delivery Centre was set up in 2008 in Bari, a port and university city in southern Italy. We now have a team of 370 dedicated, highly qualified staff - 90 per cent are graduates. A key characteristic of the centre is the negligible level of staff turnover. Clients greatly appreciate the consistency we provide, as our staff can ensure that operations continue to run smoothly. Our clients can also be rest assured that, as the centre is based in Europe, it will be fully compliant with the new GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) when it comes into force next year.

CTG: As promoters of innovation what do you think are the key traits of innovative firms?

MM: There are several factors that keep Fincons innovative. We constantly look out for new technologies and solutions from different global vendors. This vendor-neutral approach is key to remaining innovative as we are not limited to who we can work with. Secondly, working across a range of sectors constantly presents us with new challenges - inspiring new ideas and solutions. Thirdly, as we expand to different locations, we actively invest in scouting out innovation and inspiration elsewhere. And lastly, we strongly believe in the importance of continual training and research, including regular exchange of ideas with academia, and ensuring our staff is cross-functional, meaning they gain experience across different stages of the software development process.

CTG: What type of institutional promotion of an innovative culture do you think helps businesses and which would Fincons like to see more of?

FM: We often work with universities and research institutions to generate new ideas and nurture talent. We take full advantage of all the opportunities available, for instance, by taking part in EU-funded projects alongside major players in key industries, technology companies, universities and research institutes. One example is the Multi-Platform Application Toolkit (MPAT) project, under the EU's programme for Leadership in enabling and industrial technologies - ICT. As a participant, we were able to develop cutting-edge engagement-experience solutions that have proven very useful to advertisers such as out-of-live-flow interaction, appointment booking over TV, second-screen interaction and many more. In fact, we were developing solutions in the broadband and broadcast convergence arena long before HbbTV became a standard in the UK.

An interview with Fincons Group's CEO and deputy CEO

Michele and Francesco Moretti tell all on the business IT consultancy and integration firm's current and future movements

CTG: What has led you to see a gap in the market and expand outside Italy?

MM: Italy doesn't instantly spring to mind as an innovation hub - our country is known globally for high-quality food and fashion. However, in the technology sector we apply the same craftsmanship that the ‘Made in Italy' brand is famous for. At Fincons, we customise our approach to each client so that they receive software tailored to their needs. Our service is highly personal, with consultants, business analysts and project managers working directly with clients on-site, in tandem to our remote delivery centre in Bari. This ensures that we are not seen as simply an IT service provider - we build relationships with our clients and get to know their businesses in a way that enables efficient problem-solving.

FM: Our approach is collaborative, and working with other European institutions naturally takes us outside of Italy. This is how we spot opportunities and areas where development is taking place. A couple of sectors in particular where digitalisation is fast developing are financial services and media and broadcast. We have teamed up with the Swiss company Appway to work on pioneering projects, such as a new client sign-up process for a key Italian bank that is entirely digital and requires no branch visits or physical signatures.

CTG: In your experience what are the key steps to encourage innovation within a business?

MM: The first step towards producing innovative ideas is to identify clients' points of pain, so that solutions can be brainstormed and implemented. The second key element is to ensure continual development on all fronts: IT solutions, new technologies, responses to overall business objectives of clients, and staff training. At Fincons, we take responsibility for ongoing training with our in-house business school, Fincons Group Academy, also based in Bari. With technology moving so quickly, standing still is not an option so continual learning must be a priority for an innovative business.

CTG: Which are the main innovative projects Fincons is working on?

FM: "We have developed several interesting solutions for Sky, with increased flexibility for viewers as one of the main objectives. Traditional broadcasters risk being surpassed if they do not adapt to new pricing models, such as the flexible pricing and service packages offered by pure broadband players. So we worked with Sky to design a new product called Commerce4Media, a platform allowing traditional broadcasters to tailor their offer and pricing to the demands of the modern customer. This meant users could choose items, such as a sporting event or a single series, as if they were picking from a shelf.