Questions people ask before they call us
These are the questions we hear on first calls, answered the way we answer them there. If yours is missing, book a call or send us a message — it goes to a person.
About Thnkers
Who is Thnkers?
Thnkers (also written Thinkers) is a small team based in Italy that builds business systems around a company’s process — quoting, ordering, dealer platforms, integrations — and does research-first marketing. We work with companies of 10–250 people across Europe, in English and Italian.
Why is there no “i” in the name?
Clients come to us when something is missing in their business. We are the missing piece. The wavy underline is the one a spell-checker draws; we kept it.
Where are you based, and do you work on site?
In Italy. We visit production sites anywhere in Europe and in Israel when a project needs it; the rest of the time we work remotely, in the EU time zone.
Are you a marketing studio or a software company?
Both, in one team. We research how you sell and how you work, then build the system or the marketing that follows from it. There is no second supplier to blame.
Timelines and process
How long does a custom system take?
A pilot takes days. A complex system with roles, documents and dashboards has taken us two to three weeks. Platforms for whole markets are delivered in stages over months.
What is a pilot?
One concrete pain solved in days on a ready core, with a fixed price and a result you can measure — for example, quotes in two days instead of ten. You see the result before deciding on the full build.
What do you need from us?
One person who knows the process and can answer questions for an hour or two a week; examples of your real documents; access to the systems we connect to.
Do we have to write a specification?
No. We write it after the first call and you correct it.
How fast can you start?
We reply within one working day: we read your message and do preliminary research before we talk. The call is the same day or the next, depending on workload. If a key person has just left or a customer has set a deadline, say so — the ready cores exist for exactly that situation.
Pricing
How does pricing work?
Three parts: a fixed price for the pilot, a fixed estimate for the build, and a monthly fee that keeps the system running. We give the numbers after the first call, in writing, with our analysis of your process.
Why are there no prices on the site?
Because a price “from X” without knowing your process misleads in both directions. Thirty minutes of conversation gives you a number we stand behind.
What does the monthly fee include?
Hosting and backups, price lists and catalogues kept current, integrations kept working after updates, AI processing up to an agreed volume, support with an agreed response time, and small changes.
Can we buy the system without the monthly plan?
Yes. It goes on your own server with a full set of working documentation; price lists and integrations are then updated by you. We will tell you on the call which option is cheaper for your case.
Does this qualify for digitalisation incentives?
Often, yes — custom software for production usually falls under national digitalisation schemes such as Italy’s Transizione 5.0. Your accountant decides; we provide the documents.
Data, security and ownership
Where is our data stored?
By default on Hostinger servers in the EU, on a separate instance for each client. If your project needs a different provider, or your own server, we agree that with you.
Technology
What do you build with?
A standard modern web stack: React, Node.js, PostgreSQL. Any developer can maintain it.
Will it work with our ERP?
If it has an API or an export, yes. Your ERP stays; we build what it does not do and connect the two.
How accurate is the AI reading of drawings?
We do not promise a percentage. It produces a draft bill of materials from PDF and DWG; the engineer checks it. The usual gain is a couple of hours instead of a week.
Will the system replace our staff?
No. It prepares data and drafts; people decide and sign. What changes is that the engineer stops being the bottleneck.
After launch
What happens after the system goes live?
We keep it running: prices, integrations, support, small changes. We do not hand over and leave.
How fast do you respond when something breaks?
Response times, channels and the scope of support are agreed for your case and written into the contract — a two-shift factory and a music school need different things.
When we are not the right fit
When should we not call you?
If a standard product does 90% of what you need. If you want ads without research. If you sell to consumers through paid social. If you need a full ERP implementation. We will say so on the call and, where we can, point you to someone better.
Tell us what's missing.
Thirty minutes. You describe the pain and the result you want. We ask questions. If we can help, you get one email with what we found, what we'd build and what it costs. If we can't, we'll say so.