March 2018
Porto Montenegro - the marina and nautical village, is supported by a complex hardware and software integration, which comes with implications for its implementation and maintenance by IT support teams. What does this actually mean?
In the modern day, companies are wholly dependent on Information Technology. Due to the complexity and vast number of projects ongoing at any one time, work in Porto Montenegro’s IT department represents a great challenge and responsibility.
Each business activity requires a separate and somewhat bespoke business solution which must be consolidated and integrated to function as part of a whole. Furthermore, there is a demand across the company for specialised software solutions, allowing each department to manage their business-as-usual activities in a more efficient manner. For this reason, the IT arm of Porto Montenegro is continually developing and working on new ways to improve the business, with systems maintenance at the core of their activity. Emphasis is placed on security, availability of services and their usability. Behind the scenes is a strong and stable network and server infrastructure which needs to be constantly invested in, in order to keep up with new technologies and growing customer demands.
Innovations in the IT sector enable more efficient business and provide a better customer service. Does Porto Montenegro lead in this domain, and in what way?
Over the past 5 years, the IT department has developed a unique Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system based on the Sales Force platform. There was no such product in existence on the market that would satisfy the high standards of Porto Montenegro’s business-as-usual, so we developed our own. This system covers all aspects of Porto Montenegro's operations, from marina to residential, and business premises, and integrates them into one whole, enabling the collation and analysis of data and allowing us to improve products and services to meet our clients’ needs. More detailed reporting, real-time monitoring of the marina and all buildings across the complex, more efficient problem resolution and prompt mobility of technical staff, as well as advanced financial operations, are just some of the benefits that Sales Force offers to employees in order to be more effective. Despite already being one of the most resourceful systems in the world, ever-changing business dynamics and new demands lead to its’ constant developments and enhancement.
We talk of intensive IT innovations. How important is it that each member of the IT department follows these principles and is sufficiently computer literate in order to utilise all possible communication and service platforms when dealing with clients?
The enormous speed at which IT is evolving means that we are having to constantly invest in our teams in order to keep up to speed with new technologies. Taking into consideration the large number of co-dependent elements within the department, it is important to determine the direction in which we choose to develop in order to benefit our clients. Our company supports us through offering paid courses, seminars, conferences and the provision of educational materials. We are privileged to have an employer who understands the importance of investing in its employees. As a department, we continually strive to build on our knowledge by following the latest innovations, but also transferring our knowledge to colleagues. The introduction of new technologies is redundant if only a select few individuals are able to take advantage of them. In addition to this, we are aware that IT literacy is mandatory in everyday modern communications - for this reason, our team, together with colleagues from the public relations service, donates IT equipment to educational institutions in the local community. IT literacy is of fundamental importance in modern society and for this reason, it is necessary to introduce digital technologies to students as a means of acquiring knowledge in the future.
This year you celebrate the tenth anniversary of your work at the Porto Montenegro project - how would you summarise the last ten years and what are the benchmarks of the project so far?
After finishing my studies in Belgrade, I was fortunate enough to start working on a project that was in its early stage. Every beginning brings its own challenges, so it wasn’t easy, but despite the challenges, I realised that I was given the opportunity to learn and progress, which was reassuring and a great indication that I was on the right track, career-wise. At the time, I was part of a small team that invested time and effort in my development while at the same time allowing me to really get to know the business. Furthermore, huge investments in IT infrastructure over the years have exposed me to a variety of technologies, gaining invaluable experience. Through hard work and dedication, I have earned the trust of my employer and colleagues. We offer one another mutual support in both business and private lives, and it’s great to build those sorts of relationships at a place where you spend most of your days.