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.
