What is your assessment of the current state of digitalization among small and medium-sized enterprises operating in Ticino?
The landscape is very diverse. When we talk about SMEs in Ticino, we often refer to family-run businesses, streamlined structures, with low levels of management and a strong concentration of decision-making in a few hands. This model, still widespread, makes digital transformation a complex process. Digitalization requires resources, time, and specific skills: a "jack-of-all-trades" IT specialist is no longer enough. Experts in various areas—data management, security, infrastructure, processes—are needed, and not all companies have these professionals. Added to this are the necessary financial and organizational investments. As a result, many SMEs approach the issue in a piecemeal manner, without an overall vision or a medium-term strategy.
To what extent are entrepreneurs aware of the importance of this step?
«I would say there is a growing attention, but not always accompanied by a true understanding of the path to take. Sometimes entrepreneurs equate digitalization with simply using a computer or purchasing management software. In reality, it means comprehensively rethinking business processes, automating them, and improving internal and external communication. Many believe that artificial intelligence or new technologies can automatically solve problems. But first, it's necessary to start with an analysis of the company's real needs. Digitalizing beyond your own management capacity can become a risk: you end up being a slave to technology, rather than benefiting from it.
What's the first step you recommend to an entrepreneur who approaches you?
The starting point is always dialogue. We need to understand the client's business, their needs, and their strategic priorities. Only then can we propose truly useful and sustainable solutions. In the past, we tended to focus on customized solutions developed specifically for the company, while today, agile solutions are key, capable of shortening customer response times and maintaining high service quality. Standard solutions, with the right amount of configuration, allow for greater flexibility, lower costs, and the ability to benefit from the experience of multiple users.
What are the main elements of your consulting approach to companies?
«The consultative approach is in our DNA. Fidigit company is the branch specifically dedicated to digital consultancy of the Fidinam GroupThe project was born a few years ago from a strategic decision to integrate existing tax, accounting, and business expertise with technological expertise.
In just a few years, we've grown from three to over sixty employees in Switzerland, with offices in Lugano, Zurich, Geneva, Bern, and Lucerne. We provide both strategic and technical IT consulting—architecture, infrastructure, security, IT support—as well as ERP system management, which is the heart of corporate digitalization. Our goal is to offer integrated, turnkey solutions that combine technological and organizational dimensions.
Where does one actually start when a company decides to go digital?
The first step is a snapshot of the existing situation: technological infrastructure, operational processes, and management methods. Often, the real obstacle isn't technical but cultural. Digitalization requires a shift in mindset. It's not enough to introduce software: roles, responsibilities, and decision-making processes must be redefined. In many small businesses, where the entrepreneur is at the center of many processes, technology can help better distribute work, standardize procedures, and reduce dependencies.
What are the basic processes of digital transformation for an SME?
Today, there's a strong focus on internal collaboration, shared information management, and digital customer interaction. For example, document portals are replacing physical or email deliveries. Instant access to data allows for greater transparency and faster response times. The adoption of support technologies or artificial intelligence applied to customer service also reduces development times and costs. Overall, the goal is to improve companies' flexibility and responsiveness, key factors in an increasingly fast-paced market.
Digitalization is often intertwined with the issue of generational succession. Is this also the case in Ticino?
Absolutely. The new generations are more accustomed to using digital tools and demand streamlined, accessible processes. Older entrepreneurs, on the other hand, tend to rely on traditional methods. This clash of mentalities is common in family businesses. But when generational transition is well managed, technology becomes an opportunity for growth: it allows for continuity in the business, makes it more attractive to younger employees, and encourages the arrival of new generations of leaders.
Can Ticino companies count on an ecosystem to help them on this journey?
I would say yes, although there is room for improvement. The presence of universities and research centers in the area is a significant competitive advantage, especially for developing new skills. However, the most qualified resources tend to gravitate toward large players or more innovative projects, while the digitalization of SMEs isn't always at the forefront of their ambitions. However, there are trade associations and institutions that are making good progress, offering examples and role models. And I must say that even among entrepreneurs, there's a collaborative attitude: companies, despite being competitors, are engaging in discussions and exchanging experiences, creating a sort of local network that strengthens the region against national and international competition.
Looking to the coming years, what scenarios do you foresee for the digitalization of SMEs?
No one will be able to escape this change. Anyone who wants to remain competitive will have to address the issue, sooner or later. I predict a natural concentration of the market: many digital companies born during the tech boom will disappear, while a few solid players capable of guaranteeing continuity and security will emerge.
There will also be new regulatory requirements—digital identity, electronic patient records, data management—that will require companies to equip themselves with compliant tools. Last but not least, intelligence will permeate many business processes, even managing some of them autonomously. These needs will push even the smallest businesses to take the leap. But one thing remains clear: technology will not replace human value. Trust, expertise, and direct customer relationships remain at the heart of every business. The true balance of the future will be precisely this: combining innovation and humanity, speed and proximity, efficiency and corporate culture.
