The banking world used to be very credit-centric. Nowadays external influences seem to dictate matters more, but still, internal efficiency has never been more important to firms.

Software testing is like accountancy; it is something which we all need to be able to trust. Testers should know all about the expectations of both those creating and those awaiting the product as well as about how the product will be delivered. They also need to know how to reassure and advise the end-user or client in such a way that they may then enjoy uncomplicated, optimal use of the fully-tested goods. If this can be achieved, then problematic integration of products, budget over-spending or serious operational failures (resulting from unthorough development) can be avoided.

In this regard, Alvicom Ltd. adheres to the right strategies and methodology and have become uniquely experienced in reaping their benefit in the work that they do. Their testing and development projects are undertaken swiftly and efficiently – Attila Lintner, CEO of Alvicom told us.

Today the firm number around 50 staff, all of whom are improving their already impressive expertise as testers by immersing themselves in real projects and gaining real experience from them. This is a necessary factor in testing as a career since nobody ever leaves a college course as a fully trained tester (such courses do not exist, the scope would be too great). The trade can only be learned properly ‘on-project’.

Attila Lintner continued: “Even firms who are feeling the pinch of the recent recession can benefit from our assistance. If there are fewer IT projects actually starting up then there is also less demand for testing.” Regrettably, Alvicom have noted that as of autumn 2008 the Banking and Telecom sectors have slammed on the budgeting hand-brake and project activity has either fallen (typically by 15-20%) or has been put on hold.

In 2009, actually keeping hold of last year’s clients and maintaining good levels of efficiency have now become just as important as attracting new clients and building any new applications. Alvicom have seen that most clients are now much more inclined to be frugal (almost to the point of hibernation) with project *portfolio* budgets as opposed to their budgeting for stand-alone projects and, in a Hungarian IT marketplace which used to be worth around HUF 600bn per year to service providers, they expect to see greater competition and price-warfare than ever before. Year-on-year, profitability in the IT services sector look to be down between 10% and 15%.

In real terms, the market place now sees price as more critical than either reliability of service, quality, breadth of choice or the expertise of the service providers themselves. At the same time, testing itself must surely remain pivotal to IT customers, since, despite the need to remain frugal, it would be a mistake for firms to sacrifice quality at the risk of ending up with dysfunctional end-products.