INTERVIEW Dave Byrne and James Hobbs of Vistona explain to Rebecca Gibson how a commitment to innovation and continuous improvement helps the firm to deliver successful projects that exceed client expectations Bump into Vistona’s Dave Byrne and James Hobbs at an industry event and you will find them cracking jokes, regaling guests with amusing anecdotes and putting people at ease with their affable Irish sense of humour, but ask them to manage a project and they will instantly switch to professional mode. “We’re always up for fun, but we take our business very seriously and we’re dedicated to delivering high-quality results and an outstanding customer experience every time,” says Byrne, managing director of Vistona, which provides bespoke natural stone interiors and feature pieces for passenger ships, superyachts and other applications worldwide. “We aim to fully understand our clients’ specific requirements and tailor our services and products to meet, and exceed, their expectations. The Vistona team strives to ensure our clients feel confident in our ability to deliver their projects to the highest standard, whilst ensuring we remain approachable. This creates a space where they feel comfortable in reaching out to us; to assist them in overcoming any challenges they face on a project. Our aim is to establish long-term partnerships, rather than to complete one-off projects.” To achieve this goal, Vistona has positioned itself as the go-to partner for cruise brands wanting to install sustainable natural stone products onboard their vessels. Everything from operational processes to its headquarters in Ireland, new showroom in Verona and central production facility in Grezana in Verona, Italy, has been meticulously planned to ensure projects are completed quickly and seamlessly. “We’ve invested a lot of time and effort to ensure we can manage the end-to-end process for clients and deliver high-quality experiences,” says Hobbs. “Verona is the world’s natural stone capital and we source most of our raw materials there, which is why we strategically positioned our processing and polishing factory in this region. It allows us to provide clients with greater choice of materials and deliver faster production turnaround times. This year, we’re focusing on expediting the installation process by investing in mobile fabrication units to ensure our fit-out team can drive to dry docks in Europe and have immediate access to all the tools they need to fix issues on-site.” Meanwhile, Vistona’s headquarters in Ireland puts the firm in the ideal geographical location to cater to clients anywhere in the world. “We’ve established Vistona as the bridge between the Italian stone market and the rest of the world,” says Byrne. “We have a deep understanding of how the industry works, and we also have a communication style and work ethic that makes us an ideal partner for clients in Europe, the USA and beyond. Masters of stone and customer experiences 160 James Hobbs (left) and Dave Byrne are dedicated to delivering high-quality products and customer experiences
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