The Future of IT Services: Trends to Watch Over the Next Decade
Robert Markuš, Director of Smartis Croatia, leads the company in one of the region’s most demanding IT markets. He reveals how he is building a strong local team, why employees choose Smartis over much larger competitors, and why banks and insurance companies are increasingly placing their trust in Smartis.
Where do you see Smartis Croatia in five years?
We see Smartis Croatia as one of the leading providers in the fields of cybersecurity and process and service management. Our goal is to become the first choice for banks and insurance companies in Croatia for process and service management projects within five years. In the area of security – especially in projects related to fraud prevention – we believe we’ll be among the leaders not only in Croatia and Slovenia, but across the wider region.
What will the team driving Smartis’s growth in Croatia look like?
Our team in Croatia grows by more than 10% every year, and we continuously invest in it. This year, we hired five additional service-management experts, including senior consultants. We also strengthened our cybersecurity team, as we’re seeing a significant increase in initiatives and projects in this field. Given the knowledge and experience we have in both Slovenia and Croatia, we believe we can deliver substantial added value to our clients.
What will be the three main strategic priorities for Smartis Croatia in the coming years?
We’ll focus on cybersecurity, process and service management, and artificial intelligence. We already run projects for banks and insurance companies in these areas, particularly in contact centres, where we’re introducing AI-based solutions. Interest in these projects is very high, as the technology is becoming increasingly reliable. We see the greatest opportunities in user support – and it’s where our expertise and project portfolio are the strongest.
Competition in Croatia is likely even stronger than in Slovenia. Why should clients choose Smartis over global players or local specialists?
It’s true – competition in Croatia is significantly greater than in Slovenia. In Croatia, more than 15 companies employ 500 or more people, while in Slovenia, there are hardly any that size. Our advantage lies in a local presence: we offer faster response times than large providers, whose processes often slow down due to their size. Clients want a fast response, flexibility, and local support – and that’s exactly what we deliver.
What makes professionals choose Smartis Croatia over major multinational companies?
Finding the right people is a challenge for us as well – it doesn’t happen overnight. At the moment, we’re focusing primarily on senior profiles – experts with experience from both smaller companies and large corporations. Many choose Smartis because we remain a locally rooted business – closely connected between Croatia and Slovenia – and because they want to continue or complete their careers here. They have already experienced both corporate environments and smaller organisations, and now they’re looking for the right balance. And they find it with us.
»Because we’re smaller than the major players, we’re more responsive and we adapt faster to clients’ needs. The greatest satisfaction comes when we outperform large competitors. That motivates and drives us forward,« says Robert Markuš, Director of Smartis Croatia.
What kind of corporate culture do you foster at Smartis Croatia?
In the end, you’re only as strong as your clients – and the level of trust they place in you. Because our key clients entrust us with more and more projects, we can continue expanding our portfolio and team. Transparency is a core principle for us. We expect the same clarity from our partners – if we’re moving in different directions, our paths will never cross. This openness allows us to show employees which projects and clients we’ll be working with in the coming years. For many, that level of clarity matters – they want to understand where they’re heading. And those people choose to join us.
How closely are knowledge, experience and talent shared between Ljubljana and Zagreb – between Slovenia and Croatia?
Every market is unique – clients differ, and so do needs. Some of the projects where we lead in Slovenia are not yet present in Croatia, and vice versa, because Croatia is ahead in certain segments where such projects do not yet exist in Slovenia.
What we share is knowledge exchange and talent mobility. We have senior experts in both countries who collaborate across projects, so a physical presence in just one market isn’t always required. This allows us to transfer experience from one environment to another and complete demanding projects faster.
We’ve also observed that Slovenia is roughly two to three years ahead of Croatia in certain segments, meaning that some solutions we introduce in Slovenia arrive in Croatia with a delay. On the other hand, we’re already delivering projects in Croatia that are among the most advanced in Europe, while there’s still no interest for them in Slovenia, although we believe that’ll change.
Which project has been the most significant for you this year – the one you are most proud of?
We’re most proud of the trust we received from one of the largest Croatian banks on a fraud-prevention project. The tender process lasted almost two years, which makes the success even more meaningful. In addition, we secured the largest insurance companies and banks in Croatia for the introduction of an IT service management methodology and process implementation. That’s a major step forward for us.
How do Croatian companies, banks, and insurance providers perceive Smartis – as a local player or regional partner?
Some see us as a Croatian company, others as part of a broader group – but having been present in the Croatian market for more than ten years, we’re now primarily recognised simply as Smartis. Clients no longer care whether a project is led by a colleague from Ljubljana or Zagreb – for them, we’re one unified team.
It’s become clear that you must first build a strong local team that clients trust; only then can you effectively share resources between countries. This was particularly evident during COVID-19, when borders closed. Without a strong local team, we wouldn’t have survived. Today, clients just see us as OneSmartis, without distinguishing between Slovenia and Croatia.
Which markets are more accessible through Smartis Croatia than through Slovenia?
Certainly Montenegro, where we work with three of the largest banks and support them on key projects. It’s easier to establish a presence there through our Croatian team than through the Slovenian one. Conversely, Smartis Slovenia has a significantly stronger position in Western markets, including Europe and even the United States.
How do you address the talent shortage?
There’s enough talent on the market – but reaching the very best is always the hardest part. It’s the same in IT as it is with doctors or car mechanics: in every field, finding top-tier experts is a challenge. The key is presence, continuous conversation, and recognising the right person when the opportunity arises. Half-jokingly, I often say it’s similar to finding a life partner – if you want the best spouse, you have to put in the effort.
It’s also true that the competition is intense, which makes the situation even more challenging. But precisely because we’re smaller than the major players, we’re more responsive and we adapt faster to clients’ needs. The greatest satisfaction comes when we outperform large competitors with new technology and agility. That motivates and drives us forward.
»There’s enough talent on the market – but reaching the very best is always the hardest part. It’s similar to finding a life partner – if you want the best spouse, you have to put in the effort.«