It all started with the people in Slovenia installing burglar alarms at their place to add an extra layer of security. They wanted to feel safe and prepared if something goes sideways. It inspired a group of enthusiasts in Kamnik to manufacture, develop, and install burglar alarms. The result was the formation of Zarja Electronika. The year was 1969. The year has a momentous reputation for the world as it witnessed the famous Woodstock festival and the student’s uprising.
But those at the helm of Zarja see the year as a cluster of whirling months that forever transformed their lives. And, that too, for better.
Thomas Tomsich is the one at the driver’s seat now. He envisions big things for the company in the coming years and one among them is to expand it beyond the borders of Slovenia. He wants to make Zarja a leader in integrated technical security and has no intention of cutting corners to achieve his goals.
The Journey Over The Years
For Thomas, the journey so far has been full of exciting phases. He started his career as an in-house lawyer in an Austrian bank. Then he shifted to “Controlling in banks and in the Tobacco industry and then taking C-level positions in various banks in Central Eastern Europe up the CEO functions.” During these transition episodes, he also ushered in some drastic changes in his life and set up his own consulting company. Now, he has changed his gear and entered the technical sector.
From so many different profiles, years in diverse fields, Thomas has learned a lot and realized that there are three primary things that need sorting to ensure a company never falters while maintaining a growth trajectory. These three points are customer satisfaction, owner satisfaction, and employee satisfaction. He finds these equally valid on a personal scale, where he is not just a leader but also an entrepreneur.
But earning such compelling insights incurs a cost in the shape of obstacles. Thomas had his fair share while setting steps to reach where he is now. However, his decision to go for the “fast track in choosing fast-developing regions with a challenging environment” proved to be effective. It never posed any threats with daunting tasks and gave him satisfaction in the job.
At times, he feels that things would have been different if he had started his career in the technology sector. But then, alternate realities are always lucrative. He wants to dwell in the present and rise from where he is now.
As roadblocks, Thomas Tomsich finds people’s “stubbornness and unwillingness to change” entirely unacceptable as it takes a lot of time to get them on the same page and make things easier for the company. This is also a realization that helps him form a strategic route for Zarja Electronika in the coming years.
How is Zarja Electronika Different?
Just providing the best is not enough if a company wishes to make its growth sustainable. Something to stand out from the crowd is required. Thomas knows that from his experience. His intent is not just to surpass others by miles but to set new parameters. It is evident from the company’s architecture. Zarja Electronika is the only company in its field and in the region that is vertically integrated and has its own research and development department.
This framework allows Zarja to operate with a broader portfolio than its competitors. When a company has a vast array of devices and systems at its disposal to serve its clients, it starts enjoying a certain degree of flexibility. The same happens with Zarja, where it becomes easier for the manufactures to help clients and meet their specific needs.
Thomas Tomsich ensures that Zarja gets a proper premise to offer clients “the creation of ‘turn-key’ projects, starting from the development, via counseling, design, engineering to final installation, system startup, and later regular servicing and maintenance.”
Such a useful practice is bound to garner a lot of attention. Zarja Electronika is getting accolades from myriad industries like “infrastructure providers, courts of justice, parliament, the electricity sector (e.g. the Slovene electricity grid provider) including nuclear power plants, ports and airports, and many others.” This is because they trust the company’s equipment and service.
Thomas Tomsich and his team ensure that the company continues to enjoy this respect that their end-users are showing them. They have earned their credibility by never compromising on the standard they offer. The product at Zarja comes from Austria, Italy and Germany, and the final product that their clients receive adhere to the industry- and government-grade high-end solutions.
There is one more reason for end-users to align themselves with Zarja Electronika. It is the only company in its field and region that can boast of being a member of the Global Chamber of Business Leaders. This creates space for the company to expand and share their connections on a global scale.
For Tomorrow
Thomas has this chalked out. He has plans in motion and, under his effective leadership, Zarja will expand in the region with a new product line in development that is all set to roll out and hit the market in 2021. The target is to gain a multifold turnover and improve RoE and other key figures. While devising such strategies, the core committee always kept a vigilant eye on the customer and stakeholder satisfaction.
Thomas’ Take On Leadership
When it comes to defining leadership, people often say volumes, but their actions speak nothing. Thomas Tomsich is not one of them. His positive and proactive nature and ability to reach out to each of his employees are traits that set him apart. He believes that coercion is not the right way to make people do things that, as a leader, he expects them to do.
The right way forward for a leader would be to set examples and motivate employees. This one can do if he is true to himself. Thomas synchronizes what he believes and how he acts. His works as an entrepreneur and his time at Zarja can vouch for it. He strives hard, persists, and stays steadfast in his approach until he reaches his goals.
