For years we were a reseller for a good time and attendance software program. Unfortunately it started to become old and worn out looking. Companies were asking for web based systems with an SQL database. The software we were reselling was written in Cobol (yes, cobol, from way back in the 70′s and 80′s). It was a old DOS (yes DOS, from way , way back) with a Windows front end on it. Not a true Windows system. Realizing the need to do something or become an “also ran” we started looking into other products we could resell. We found found nothing we could feel good offering to our client base.
The next option was developing our own software. Many time and attendance dealers have done the same. In most cases, because of cost, they develop something very basic. We didn’t want that. We wanted a program that did everything the product we were reselling did along with additional features that our biggest competitors had that we didn’t. We quickly found out why most time and attendance dealers only did something basic. The cost for even one programmer in the U.S. was prohibitive. Therefore we looked offshore to India.
Originally we were reluctant to do this. We realized though that if we developed a good product and it sold well, increased our business, that it would create opportunities to hire additional employees locally. It took several years to get Time Advantage “on the street” but it is now out there kicking butt against the biggest competitors in the industry. We are now on version 3 and the future looks bright for us and future employees. We are currently looking for an additional support person and will be adding a local programmer. Without starting with offshore programming we would have never been able to do that.
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