Tomáš Chytil started at IXTENT as a developer, later led teams, left the company for a while – and today he returned in the role of Customer Care Manager. In the interview, he describes what this journey gave him, how his perspective on IT projects changed, and why, in his opinion, real success is achieved more through everyday work than through grand gestures.
What did you do before you joined IXTENT?
I have been working at IXTENT since 2008. In 2019, I left the company and moved to the American company SDE Software Development Europe, where I held the role of Product Development Manager (Delivery Manager) and Site Manager. This company was later acquired by 3Pillar Global. In the role of Product Development Manager, I was responsible for all aspects of the functioning of development teams working in an outsourcing mode for customers, mainly in the USA. In addition, I managed the operations of the Brno branch and led the recruitment team.
What was your career path to IXTENT?
I started developing software in high school. Through various smaller student projects and collaborations, I gradually got my first major development job while studying at university. I subsequently joined IXTENT as the historically first pure developer. Over time, I moved from technical and consulting roles to the position of Head of Development, which included building the development department, setting standards, and finding the right colleagues. After leaving IXTENT, I transitioned to a purely managerial role as a Product Development Manager in the field of development outsourcing. I have now returned to IXTENT as a Customer Care Manager. My main focus is working with customers, finding ways to improve and expand their solutions, incorporating and applying feedback into the company, and also product management.
How has your job position at IXTENT changed since you started?
If I combine both of my phases, I have undergone a significant change in my employment status. It can be said that it was a progression in the spirit of the Bata tradition – from basic technical roles through professional and consulting positions to leading teams and managing part of the company. Thanks to this, I gained an understanding of both the technological side of software projects and the managerial and organizational aspects of operating a modern IT company. This allows me to combine technical know‑how with customer focus, strategic thinking, and long-term development of products and services.
What do you like about IXTENT?
Colleagues, customers, and new unknown challenges every day and around every corner.
Where do you see IXTENT’s greatest benefits and where do you see your own mission here?
The greatest advantages of our company are our specialization in ECM/DMS, profound knowledge of OpenText technologies, as well as independence, flexibility, and the capability to find alternative solutions. Furthermore, a long history of successfully delivered complex projects. Strong customer orientation. Emphasis on security and technical quality. Long-term stability and credibility. Unwavering passion for assisting customers in becoming fully paperless companies.
I see my mission as assisting in advancing the company further, overcoming the challenges that lie ahead. To pass on what I have learned elsewhere.
What do you enjoy most about your current position?
What I enjoy most is the variety of work. Every day I tackle a different type of task, alternating between communication with customers, internal coordination, seeking new opportunities for improvement, and strategic considerations regarding the development of products and services. I use the various experiences I have gathered throughout my career. I have the opportunity to constantly learn new things and discover new clients and issues we can assist them with.
If you had to pick 1 or 2 projects that you/your team are really proud of, which ones would they be and why?
I’m not sure how much to delve into the past. I worked on large, multi-year projects for IXTENT’s most important customers. Some were very successful, some less so, but each one advanced us and the customer in some way. The same applies to smaller projects. In the role of CCM, we sometimes come up with a small improvement with a customer that can have a big impact on the efficiency of their work.
What is your biggest achievement at IXTENT?
One would like to say: “He didn’t go crazy from IT projects.” I rarely speak about something as the biggest or the best. I appreciate the insight that behind a successful project and a successful company lies a significant amount of focused daily work, which consistently advances the team a small step forward on their journey.
If you were to recruit a newcomer to your team, how would you introduce the team and IXTENT as whole?
IXTENT has been engaged in document processing, digitization, and automation of corporate processes throughout its existence. It is a smaller Czech company that works for large companies throughout Europe and beyond. It has a strong customer orientation. It doesn’t give up on projects, instead, it always finds a solution to a problem.
From the IT perspective, where do you see the future?
In the automation and dominance of human interaction in matters that do not make sense to automate. It appears that there is another wave (the umpteenth) of liberalization in software development, which typically results in an even greater increase in complexity than the previous wave.
What makes you happy in life?
Family. When things are going well, even when they’re not, something can be done about it.
How do you relax?
With children, I read, paint, forge something, cook, on vacation anywhere…, in nature.
What is your life motto?
Having experience won’t protect you from stupidity, it will only change its character.