Tomasz Benkiewicz works as an Executive Manager Business Development at BCF Software. In the interview Tomasz tells us what makes an executive manager successful, as well as what the future of the IT market looks like.


Where are you from? 

I come from the small Polish town of Lesna, located in the southwestern part of the Lower Silesian province. Near Lesna is the Czocha Castle and the Lesniańsko-Złotnicki Reservoir, with two hydroelectric power plants. 

What are your interests? 

I am interested in traveling, and learning about foreign cultures. I enjoy exploring the world with an adventurous and spontaneous spirit, without any specific plan. Just now you caught me traveling between Latvia and Estonia. 

Tell us about your experience. How many years have you been working in IT? What had you done / did you do before? Are you involved at BCF now?

I have actually been involved in IT since my studies - in 2001 I took up the job of translating technical texts from American English into Polish. After graduation, in 2003, I was hired at the emerging Wroclaw branch of Siemens. Thanks to speaking German, I started my journey with management very quickly.

In 2005 I was seconded to the Vienna branch, and at the end of 2006, thanks to a transfer to the Wireless Modules department, I had the opportunity to work with embedded systems for the first time. 

In 2009, Krzysztof Kulinski, the "father of IT" in Wroclaw, decided to establish a Research and Engineering Center and invited me to join this project. RECa's plans included the establishment of branches in Slovakia. Because of my good knowledge of the Slovak language and Slovak realities, I was entrusted with setting up structures in that country. 

In 2016, I returned to Poland and REC Global was absorbed by GlobalLogic. In 2018, I had the pleasure of co-founding Spyrosoft Solutions Ltd, a recognizable player in the embedded systems software market. 

Currently at BCF, I am in charge of Business Development. All in all, my adventure with IT has lasted more than 20 years ;)

What are your main tasks and responsibilities as an Executive Manager Business Development?
 

First and foremost is the acquisition of new clients. As an Executive Manager, my primary focus is on acquiring new clients.

What are your past achievements as an Executive Manager and what projects have influenced the company's successes? 

I managed to acquire a client that has great potential. It is a well-known company from Munich that manufactures, among other things, measuring devices and  simulators for various radio systems. We should start the first projects in August this year. BD in our industry is a long process, from the initial contact with a potential client to the end of the project, the timeline spans around 12 months.

What are the biggest challenges you face in your role and how do you deal with them? 

First of all, one of the biggest challenges is the stress of the uncertainty of potential projects. It can be difficult to measure the moment the client is seeking software engineering service providers.

How do you build and maintain lasting relationships with clients? How do you ensure their satisfaction/loyalty? 

The main priority is honesty and openness. I truly believe that trust is the best foundation for a great business relationship.

What are your thoughts on the future of the market and what innovations or industry trends do you see as the most promising for our company? 

Generally speaking, AI and ML (Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning) are changing the way software is developed quite significantly. Not only are AI tools assisting engineers quite efficiently in creating appropriate code, but in addition, self-improving applications are appearing on the market. The market will change significantly in the next 6 quarters, such innovations take time. 

How do you develop your competencies in these areas? 

First of all, you need to have an idea of how to interest a potential customer in the services that BCF provides. This is not easy, because the product is a service that is individually defined in detail for each client.  

Second of all, you need to read and listen very carefully to what the customer says. By inadequately interpreting the initial requirements at the initial stage, misunderstandings arise. As a result, the risk of losing a client arises as well. 

Developing these skills is best achieved through hands-on experience in preparing offers, by engaging with clients directly. Practical experiences improve the ability to handle real-world scenarios and build strong client relationships.

What advice would you have for people who want to start a career as an Executive Manager?

If you like constant change, challenges and high work dynamics - this might be the perfect role for you. This is certainly not a job for those who like routine, average, process-oriented tasks and no unexpected changes.