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Advantage the Baltics

The collaboration with the IT engineers in the Baltic States involves not only significant cost advantages for Baltic Qualitys customers. Here is also very strong IT skills - in many cases even better than in the Nordic countries. Moreover, the Baltic consultants are used to working in large international projects, and the culture in general is very similar to Sweden.

The cost levels are very attractive for a Swedish company in terms of IT cooperation in the Baltic States. Baltic Quality generally counts with half the cost compared to if the customers would use Swedish IT consultants.
- We provide at no cost a bridge management in both Sweden and in Latvia in order to minimize risk while reducing time and costs, says Leif Eriksson, CEO of the Baltic Quality.

Highly educated and internationally experienced consultants
The engineers, who Baltic Quality work with in Riga, Tallinn and Vilnius are well trained and very experienced. Riga, for example, was an engineering city during the Soviet era. Here are several reputable universities and a significant number of engineers, who have lived and worked in the city for generations.
- We have experienced that the quality may even be higher here than in Sweden. Me and my partners in Baltic Quality, who for many years have been trained at WM-data, are strongly experiencing that we in Latvia have access to engineers with a solid education and long experience in international projects. Our Baltic consultants are often more accustomed to working Internationally than the Swedes, says Leif Eriksson.

Small cultural differences
According to Leif Eriksson the cultural gap is considerably less than expected, especially when compared to some offshore partnerships in Asia. In addition, there is a large positive curiosity from Swedish companies and employees.
- We have found that Swedes are curious and interested in the Baltics. Geographically, it is so close and we work well together. We have the same working hours and high working ethics and experience the same loyalty to the work and the company. The Baltic engineers also through the international projects have learned and understood the importance that everything needs to be confirmed. Swedes prefer to have control, which is an important part of quality work, says Leif Eriksson.

Creates flexibility and security
Baltic Qualitys big challenge has not been the quality of the Latvians’ delivery. On the contrary.
- The big challenge has been to be given the opportunity to demonstrate to the Swedish companies that we can actually deliver the services we provide in a cost-effective and qualitative way. The customers who have given us the opportunity have quickly chosen to scale up the business and given us more projects. They have realized that our offer provides flexibility and minimize their risk because they do not have to put all their eggs in one basket. In good times, they know they can get skills quickly, while they do not tie up skills in difficult times. This creates security, says Leif Eriksson.

Up for the Baltics
It is not only Baltic Quality who have discovered the advantage of the Baltics. Although Sweden’s three largest banks have long regarded Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania as interesting markets. They chose to remain and retain their banking interests by the recent financial crisis, something that really has been appreciated by the Baltic people.
- Sweden is popular. We have a longstanding love affair, which we also benefit from at Baltic Quality, says Leif Eriksson, adding:
- I welcome the Baltic countries’ future development. They are educated people, with great hospitality and creativity, which is extremely impressive.