IT: The Secret Weapon of Competitive Business

By Art Gib

Apr 9, 2009

Information Technology or IT as it has been aptly nicknamed is the culmination of every aspect of business that incorporates computers. Essentially IT cover the spectrum of business needs from data storage and backup to building and maintaining computer networks to providing hosting and web services to developing customized software solutions and providing help desk support for business. In today's competitive marketplace IT solutions are the lifeblood of industry that keep small, medium and large businesses in business.

IT support is among the fastest growing industries, with the advent of newer and faster technologies that are designed to exchange more data quickly and store extraordinary amounts of information the need for IT service providers has steadily increased over the past decade. There are now in the United States over 1.6 million people working in the IT industry. Projections for employment growth are between 18 and 26 percent for all IT related employment by 2014.

With customized solutions available and the growing need for qualified technicians the IT industry has expanded to service not just large corporations that house hundreds of employees and network the entire office together through a system of servers, firewalls, and exchange interfaces, but the small and mid sized business is also experiencing the need for IT solutions that handle any computer related quandary such as web hosting or spam filtering or even the scaled down networking of three or four computers into a single server so that interoffice information can easily be shared with each employee.

The question posed to the small and medium sized business is one of cost effectiveness in finding an IT service provider that can meet the growing needs of small business and offset the expense of hiring a staff IT specialist. Some business owners are under the impression that IT can be handled by an existing employee that services the companies limited IT needs in addition to their other duties.

This thought process may be detrimental to the small business owner as technological advances require continued training and experience with emerging technology that the layperson does not understand. It is one thing to connect a computer to the Internet, but quite another to effectively network and entire offices exchange server and data storage.

Selecting the right IT solutions provider shouldn't be a difficult or costly prospect. With a little research business owners can find an IT provider that has the knowledge and experience to effectively and efficiently enhance business performance, keeping both small and medium sized businesses competitive with larger corporations.

NSK Inc is an information technology consulting company offering IT support in Boston and IT support in San Francisco.

About the Author
Art Gib is a freelance writer.

NSK Inc., helps with Junior League of Boston and Dress For Success

Junior League of Boston hosted a get together for the Boston’s Chapter of Dress for Success, monthly Professional Women’s Group on Newbury Street last evening. The get together was themed: “What they don’t tell you on the first day...written and unwritten rules in the workplace.” The panelists where Nikki Monchik from Bank of America, Cathie Briggette from NSK Inc., and Leslie Bull from Harvard/Vanguard.

The topics of discussion were the importance of:
· Networking
· Looking/acting professional
· Proper time management
· Working as a team
· Proper communication (cell phones/email/personal computer use)
· Taking/being responsible for personal breaks throughout the day

The Boston Junior League provided food and refreshments for all.

About 20 women from the Professional Women’s Group attended along with founders Jacqui Bud, Enith Lavine and Kim Todd from Dress for Success and Danielle Carroll and others from the Boston Junior League.

Dress for Success (DFS) provides interview appropriate suits and accessories free of charge to disadvantaged women who are entering or re-entering the job market. Women come to DFS for interview clothing, a personal shopper helps her find a suit, shirt, shoes, hosiery and a purse needed to make a great first impression. Once the woman has found a job, she can come back for more clothing items to help her build a professional wardrobe.

DFS also hosts a Professional Women's Group (PWG) for clients who are employed. The PWG provides practical information in a safe environment. Women are able to network with their peers as well as learn from (professional women) mentors in a variety of fields. Monthly "conversations with an expert" provide clients with an opportunity to speak with working professionals on topics ranging from understanding corporate culture to handling personal finances. It is the first and only job retention model that helps low-income women on their journey to self-sufficiency by addressing their social and economic needs in relation to work, home and community.

The Junior League of Boston is an organization of women committed to promoting voluntarism, developing the potential of women, and improving communities through the effective action and leadership of trained volunteers. Its purpose is exclusively educational and charitable.