iTechnics – for better experiences Trust as a primary achievement

The iTechnics story began in 2011 with a small team, a big vision and long-term goals. iTechnics is the first official mono-brand partner company of Apple in Georgia, which today is represented by seven branches: four in Tbilisi, two in Batumi, and one in Kutaisi. The company's vision goes beyond financial gain and, along with quality technology, also promotes the Apple-inspired philosophy – that Apple technology is more than a device; it helps people turn a hobby into a career and to discover themselves.

At iTechnics, the most significant achievement is the trust it has earned with its customers. The team's primary motivator is pushing themselves to grow and develop daily.

Today, iTechnics branches offer the full range of Apple products - iPhone, iPad, MacBook, iMac, Watch and AirPods. In addition, the company offers products from other premium brands, such as Marshall, Harman Kardon, Beats, Dyson, Playstation, JBL, and others.

Company philosophy: More than just technology

iTechnics believes that Apple technology can inspire us to have faith in our ideas, creativity and the new possibilities around us.

Millions of Apple devices are sold worldwide every day, and yet some are not usign their devices, iPhones, MacBooks, and the like, to their full potential; in fact, many perceive them as simple devices.

You've likely heard many times that everyone is into trends, and some consumers have yet to learn the true possibilities at their fingertips when they own an iPhone. We all see that technology has created a gap in human relationships, paling them somehow, and replacing real emotions with emojis as we scroll. Technology is designed to help improve our quality of life, but instead puts us in a different reality.

To address this challenge, iTechnics has rebranded and launched the "Discover New Opportunities" campaign.

iTechnics sees Apple's technology being designed to make communication easier, open up creative horizons for people, and allow them explore their values, individualism, and creative limits, whether in photography, design, music, or business.

Today's devices and gadgets save us both time and energy by performing and simplifying daily tasks. Apple devices tick all the boxes and more, becoming a source of inspiration. Apple has given people the tools to turn a hobby into a career, showing them how to raise their voice on essential issues, and to imagine the previously unimaginable.

The customer as a priority

iTechnics focuses on loyalty and customer satisfaction, and, along with spreading the brand philosophy, actively offers its customers special promotions and sweepstakes. What's more, as soon as new Apple products are released globally, iTechnics customers get the chance to experience the latest devices firsthand in store.

Today, many stores are able to offer customers a beautiful, sophisticated environment and quality products, but few manage to bring customers back to them for more. According to the iTechnics team, their employees' positive energy, friendliness and professionalism keep customers returning to their branches time and time again. The leading indicator of success for the company is mutual respect and sincerity in dealing with both businesses and individual customers.

Constant changes, growth and development are the central credo of iTechnics, and the updated brand is part of this process. Entrepreneur wants to introduce you to the people behind the brand and to tell you something about their journey to making iTechnics the better customer experience company it is today.

Gvantsa Mikuchadze – founder of iTechnics

On August 5, 2011, when iTechnics was founded, it had yet to become an official representative of Apple, and was about to take its first steps in growing as a company and learning to adapt to the Georgian market. The goal was clear - to become one of the leading companies in the field in Georgia.

Essential changes in iTechnics started in 2013, when Gvantsa Mikuchadze joined the team as general manager. At the time, the company was facing numerous challenges in staff, marketing and purchases.

"When I joined the company, the organization had no clear structure. We had three branches and lots of challenges. The desire to advance the company motivated me not to fear those existing challenges and to make our shared ideas a reality. Despite the difficult road taken, we were able to implement many successful ideas and projects together with the team," Gvantsa Mikuchadze recalls.

Hard work is always followed by a well-deserved result. With the right strategy, implementation of various policies, and active team involvement, the company has excelled incredibly over 11 years. It was under Gvantsa's leadership that in 2017, the company achieved its initial main goal - iTechnics signed a contract with Apple and became its first official mono-brand partner company in Georgia.

In addition, an organizational structure was put in place in the company and a loyal working environment was created for the employees, being the company's main asset. iTechnics pays special attention to improving the qualifications of its employees, and devotes maximum resources to retaining long-term employees able to provide comprehensive consulting and high-quality software and technical support to customers.

"We have far-reaching plans for all our employees, and I think that's what brought the company to where it is today. We had to work in a fiercely competitive environment. However, we gave a dignified answer to all the wrong and unfair obstacles created for us at different stages. From today's point of view, these experiences have made us grow a lot," Mikuchadze says.

Back in 2013, iTechnics had three branches and some 20 employees, and today the company has nearly 100 employees in seven branches. To get to this result, the company's founder was fully involved in the nitty gritty of the running of the business.

"As the general manager and then director, I was involved in all the processes. I spent a lot of time in our branches, seeing with my own eyes, and often, when I couldn't, hearing from the employees themselves, about the existing challenges, customers' needs, and gaps in the quality of the service or product range. This gave us a chance to address those issues and ensure that customers come back to us time and again," Mikuchadze says.

A love of what you do

The company was soon reaping the results of its team's enthusiasm and selfless work. In 2015, after just two years working on organizational development, iTechnics received the International Arch Award for service standards, and was named among the ten best companies in Georgia. Later, the company's representatives were invited to participate in creating a sales manual to share their experience of improving an existing service system. Further, in 2017, iTechnics received the title of Industry Leader in Georgia, and, in 2022, it became a member of the EBA - European Business Association.

Today, the top management of the company is fully staffed by women. However, this was not the company's prime goal - it is merely one of the essential results achieved when forming the organizational culture. That said, iTechnics is a signatory of the Women's Empowerment Principles (WEPs) and actively works toward women's empowerment.

Salome Gugeshashvili - Director of iTechnics

Before we approach the big ideas, everything starts with small steps. Salome Gugeshashvili joined the iTechnics team in 2012 as a cashier-consultant. She gradually climbed the ladder and has now been in the company's director chair for almost four years. Gugeshashvili's story is an excellent example of how a company can create equal opportunities for career development for all employees.

"From the moment of the initial interview, we focus on the employee's career growth. From there, we think, 'under the proper conditions of personal development, what kind of opportunities can this person can take on next in the company in the future?'," says the company director.

According to Gugeshashvili, employees are the most significant asset - they are the ambassadors on which the company's development is based. Therefore, iTechnics pays special attention to the well-being and growth of its employees. The company's management works individually with team members to overcome the challenges faced on a daily basis and to offer them everything they need to thrive and fulfill their potential.

"Due to the company's fast development, new positions come up quite often, and our existing employees are encouraged to participate in the selection process to be able to put to the test their abilities in a new position. We seek to create a working environment that equally develops our employee's abilities, and which realizes their potential to the fullest. We also have a certain outline of who has what opportunity and potential, and how much they meet the criteria and requirements of the position," Gugeshashvili notes.

iTechnics finances many trainings for the personal and professional development of its employees. The company's corporate culture, which implies a circular management model, is also worth noting. The company has no hierarchy, which ensures a cohesive and empowered team management process.

"The strength of our company is our ability to listen to all employees. Their opinion is critical to us. Thanks to the internal corporate culture's unity, spirit, and purpose, I am happy and blessed that iTechnics has thousands of loyal customers. For us, the company's employees are its biggest asset. Therefore, we constantly try to improve the environment in which they spend such an important time of their lives. We believe that they should feel appreciated, safe and motivated, and we spare no effort to achieve this goal," Gugeshashvili says.

Nana Fridonashvili - Marketing Manager

Nana Fridonashvili joined the iTechnics team during the pandemic in 2021. Nana has five years' experience in the marketing field, and she notes that, even at the interview, she was impressed by the manager's attitude and knew she wanted to work with the iTechnics team.

"The biggest motivator for me was the unity of the iTechnics team and the people in the managerial positions - Gvantsa and Salome," says Nana Fridonashvili. "It's important to take inspiration from someone, learn, and receive advice. They never hesitated to advise me, even when we were all swamped. You have plenty of options if you want to do something at iTechnics. Fortunately, I was in the right place at the right time. I think I've grown up a lot with the company."

Fridonashvili worked on the company's renewed branding, combining the new logo, slogan, design, and activities. Rebranding is a new way for more people to discover iTechnics and its primary mission in the market. The company approaches each issue through teamwork, and every team member helps the others to problem-solve. The new logo of iTechnics, created by chief designer Mariam Farjian, depicts this very spirit, with the letter T in a blue circle symbolizing unity.

Part of the renewed campaign - "Discover New Opportunities," launched on November 1, is based on the philosophy that Apple is more than technology: that its competent use creates a comfortable environment for improved communication and helps people learn, work, and develop creative thinking quickly.

"Our new campaign is all about empowering people to use technology to their benefit. It presents stereotypes from society, challenging them with examples from Georgian reality through the stories of people who were able to follow their dreams and use technology for better experiences," says Fridonashvili.

To better understand the technical aspects of devices, within the campaign, iTechnics consultants were trained to improve their qualifications, and now, in each branch, you will meet "better experience" cashier consultants, managers, and programmers who will help you find the exact device you need based on your profession, hobby, or interests.

Today, no-one will argue that the best photos, videos and digital works are created on Apple devices. For those who like to capture beautiful shots, enhance them, or create graphic artwork, iTechnics has given them a platform to share their creativity with an even wider audience, by participating in the Instagram campaign #iRepostiTechnics.

"Take photos, draw and express your inner world" - posting user content on Instagram with this message is a way to motivate people to create, believe in their ideas, and boldly share what they have to say to a broader audience.

A vision of the future with an unwavering philosophy

As the determined women of the management of iTechnics shared with us, iTechnics is currently at a new stage of development, and promises not only many exciting and interesting projects, but a diverse range of products for a better user experience. The long-term company plans involve further strengthening the existing organizational culture and maintaining a steady growth rate.

"When the company is small, holding the reins of unity is straightforward. As you develop and grow, this becomes more challenging. As the founder, at this stage it is important to spread the corporate culture and introduce the values by which we have been distinguished for so many years to as many people as we can. Our goal is to forge a stronger company that is even more focused on bettering our customer experience," Mikuchadze says.

To the question of what the mission of iTechnics is today, the founder of the company answers:

"Our mission is to make the number one brand - Apple - accessible to our customers. We want to improve the service experience along with the product range. We want our customers to receive from that unforgettable experience that Apple technology has to offer. When a competent, loyal, qualified, and friendly team helps you through the process of technological innovation, the experience is more enjoyable. We expressed this mission in our new application: "Technics - for a better experience," Gvantsa Mikuchadze notes.