#Tink25 « At Tink, the technical and creative teams work hand in hand »

On the occasion of Tink’s 25th anniversary, its founders wanted to revisit the key elements of the agency’s identity over all these years.

How Technology Has Impacted Quebec Companies since Tink’s Founding

It’s often said that technology has drastically changed our lives. Just think of the Internet; today, it would be difficult to go without! Back in 1995, when Tink was founded, things were quite different. Twenty-five years ago, the Internet was in its infancy, and companies were just beginning to grasp its full potential.

Remember, in the second half of the 1990s, the Y2K bug was all anyone could think about. Organizations were investing astronomical sums to prevent their systems from crashing in the new year.

At Tink, however, we were already looking ahead. We knew that new technologies would allow Quebec companies to stand out in an increasingly competitive market. Our first mandates primarily involved publishing online portfolios, but we quickly expanded our services to reflect how technology was evolving.

A Shift in Perception

In the early years, companies didn’t all view technology in the same way. For many, it was a source of stress rather than a tool to make things easier. Clients would often ask me how many crashes we experienced per week. It’s okay if your system stops working one hour a month, someone once told me. We’ll deal with it.

While the technology wasn’t as advanced as it is today, I always made a point to reassure nervous clients. I told them that we always used state-of-the-art tools.

My reassurances gradually allayed our client’s fears, as our technologies were indeed stable. Offering reliable, secure, high-performance digital solutions has become our credo over the years.

Our work ethic has made Tink one of the largest agencies in Quebec. Both medium-sized and large companies know they can count on us, no matter the size of their projects.

Focusing On the Essentials

In Tink’s early days, companies wasted a lot of time and resources stabilizing technological solutions. Over time, their understanding and use of technology has improved, and they’ve been able to focus their energy elsewhere.

Now, when a client entrusts us with a mandate, they have peace of mind, even as technologies become increasingly complex and interconnected. They can focus on growing their business and developing new products or services.

Being At the Forefront

Given Tink’s technical background, it made sense to develop advanced technological solutions internally to facilitate our daily tasks. We’ve always been determined to offer our collaborators the very best.

For example, we began implementing a private cloud computing infrastructure in our offices five years ago, long before the idea became popular in Quebec. At the time, we couldn’t foresee that a pandemic would sweep across the globe in 2020. However, when remote work became a necessity, our company made the transition smoothly, as we already had the necessary infrastructure in place.

Plus, we were already using several digital communication tools with our employees and clients, so there was no learning curve. We had only to fine-tune our methods when the time came.

Technology Does Not Dehumanize Relationships

Some say that technology has a dehumanizing effect and that people spend too much time glued to their screens. At Tink, we’ve always valued teamwork. While we recognize the importance of our digital tools, we’ve always encouraged people to use traditional means of communication, such as informal meetings and phone calls.

At Tink, our technical and creative teams work hand-in-hand. The creative and technical stages of project development overlap from start to finish, allowing us to offer clients a solution that combines innovation and technological expertise.

I believe that we’re one of the few major Quebec agencies to have succeeded in combining technology and creativity. We certainly have a good technological foundation, but we can also count on excellent creators.

Tomorrow’s Technologies

What I like about technology is that it constantly pushes us to learn new skills and reinvent ourselves. The next few years promise to deliver a few nice surprises. New trends will emerge, such as the democratization of autonomous systems.

To cope with the shortage of IT jobs, languages will need to be easier to understand. You will no longer need to be a computer engineer or programmer to learn how to use complex systems.

Simultaneously, new languages will allow companies to accomplish even more. Private cloud computing, for instance, has made it easier to transfer files without the need for a complex infrastructure. This technology is expected to grow in the short to medium term.

Never Looking Back, Always Forward

I’m often asked if I’m nostalgic for the technologies of the past. I always shake my head. I don’t miss my 20-pound cell phone or my clip-on pagers—or the cacophony when they all rang in unison. I’ve always looked to the future with anticipation, and I believe this is an integral part of Tink’s values. We’ve made our mark with many Quebec companies because we’ve always followed technological developments very closely, and we will continue to do so in the coming decades.