Benvenuti amici!
The folks at FiatTech, the CC5C independent FIAT S.p.A. news & forum of choice, are kind enough to take part in an e-interview with us. The e-conversation is not only meant to give our readers an inside track on the movement. We also want people to come away with an idea of the massive amount of work put into cultivating a community… in the truest sense of the word. We jump in at the spot we jumped off. Join us…
CC5C: Thank you for that explanation. I, personally, find this broader look at FIAT S.p.A. (FCA) is something sorely missing in North America. I think, North Americans tend to think of FIAT as this maker of funky little cars. They lose sight of the fact the company is the oldest mass-producer of automobiles and happens to be the parent company of many of the world's premier brands. I'm happy to know FiatTech doesn't miss that mark.
Moving on…
Now, I'm going to preface my next question by stating the obvious... I am a FiatTech junkie. But when I first became aware of FiatTech I thought, "Oh, this a group of performance/racing guys. I wonder how someone like me, someone happy with a stock Pop or Abarth, will fit in (if at all)." How do you respond to someone with a similar first impression, based on your name?
FiatTech: The name might throw some off, like yourself. But obviously that isn’t the intention. Once someone dives into the various components of Fiattech, they will discover there’s more to it. The front page is set up in a way where you can get the latest news from multiple feeds. You can also read the latest articles that we compose ourselves from the most reliable sources.
In regards to social media, we have live Facebook feeds from Fiat, Alfa Romeo, Ferrari and Maserati. If you’re looking for some eye candy, we have our video and photos sections for each respective brand. All these components are designed to engage our visitors in one centralized location and of course, we have our forum section which allows you to participate in the latest topics.
ABARTH 695 GBR 3000 as seen on FiatTech
CC5C: Thanks for that. What you just outlined happens to be one of the things that blew me away on my first visit. I thought, "This is what I want in a FIAT site." Rather than way too many adverts, there is actual… usable… content. That's fantastic!
You cover ALL THINGS FIAT. Are you sponsored by the company or is this an 100% independent effort? If it's an independent effort, please share how much time/effort goes into something like this news outlet.
FiatTech: Although we have access to all Fiat S.p.A news, press releases and multimedia, we have no affiliation or exclusivities with their head office. Most of the news is automatically fed into the site through RSS feeds. The latest news is written by myself, because some sites might not have that particular news event available to them yet.
Every morning we scour through all the media outlets to make sure Fiattech has the latest. We also like to add a Ride of the Day which can be either a picture or video of a Fiat, Alfa Romeo, Ferrari, Maserati or Lancia model. We find that we get great reactions to these efforts.
Images like this one keep FiatTech fans rabid
CC5C: I love your 'Ride of the Day' feature. Each morning, I await that update. Because, we feature a lot of FIAT history/heritage on the blog and the Facebook page, I thoroughly enjoy seeing all the photos I haven't seen yet. You do a great job there. I DIG IT.
And you have the forum too. I really dig the vibe there. A short skimming of topics reveals a place for FIAT super fans. You must be proud of the group you've gathered there so far. How do you manage to attract them? Any idea how that happened?
FiatTech: The forum is a necessity for Fiattech. After participating on other forums, we found there was too much negativity. Opinions are great and we encourage that, but purposely disrespecting a vendor or fellow member does nothing for the atmosphere of a community.
We invited the best contributors from other forums in order to make this a positive atmosphere and I’m more than happy with the maturity and knowledge that is being shared between members and vendors.
Just one of the helpful vendors found at FiatTech
CC5C: I enjoy that as well. Everyone contributes. That is exactly how a community is not only built but thrives. The level of respect exchanged between all parties involved is quite remarkable. Bravo!
So, you're doing the live FIAT News feeds and you're doing the FIAT Fan forum. Are there other FIAT-related activities in your life? Clubs? Drives? Motorsport? Please, share some of that with us.
FiatTech: We do have some local drives and gatherings, but nothing really associated with the Fiattech name as of yet. That will be another stage. We do have some plans for Fiat Freakout in Chicago this year, but that’s under wraps for now.
CC5C: Ah! Cliffhanger!! Thanks for giving CC5C blog readers a peak behind the wizard's curtain. I'm sure we'll be touching base, here again, sooner than later. Until that time...
Vivere.Amare.Guidare.
Ciao!
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