Software Engineers: Professionals on Your Side by David Kraft

More and more companies are outsourcing their IT tasks to software engineers and are reaping the benefits of lower costs and more productivity. But what exactly do software engineers do? How can they help your company? What are the qualifications and skills of this up and coming career path? Here are just a few of the services a qualified software engineer offers and how they can change your business for the better.

* Software Design: Software engineers are professional software developers with plenty of knowledge about writing software for specific uses. Whether you have an existing program that you want customized to your needs or you need a custom program written specifically for you, a software engineer is the answer. They can complete both tasks with expertise that you likely won't be able to find and hire internally without paying a lot of money.

* Software Implementation: Finding new software is one thing, properly implementing it is a completely different story. Because software is only part of a larger technology system, a software engineer will help you install, upload data, and deal with compatibility issues. They can help you identify necessary training that should be completed as well as existing processes or applications that are out of date and should be updated with the new software.

* Software Maintenance: Although it continues to improve, no software is tbe kind of thing that can be installed and left alone for the rest of its useful life. Like any system, software requires maintenance. A software engineer can tell you what kind of upkeep costs you can expect in the future and what maintenance services will extend the usable life of your technology. They may also be able to help with the routine maintenance instead of hiring the software vendor, saving you money.

* System Compatibility: Your software does not exist in a vacuum; it has to function with a variety of technology and other hardware. Selecting new software is as much about finding the right features as it is finding software that will "play nice" with your existing infrastructure, processes, and applications. A software engineer can help you address and mitigate compatibility issues, sometimes before they even arise.

* Debugging: We all know the feeling of being completely powerless when software goes down. If your computer system is consistently down or slow, you are losing valuable time and productivity. A software engineer can evaluate your system and help you make the changes that will make marked improvements in efficiency and accuracy. The result? More efficient operations, less down time, and more time spent creating value and revenue for your organization.

Is a software engineer the team member who can turn your business around? You bet! Many business owners have found that a few consultations with one of these professionals have changed technology from a frustration to an invaluable tool. There is no doubt that the efficient use of technology can have huge impacts on a company's performance, but many companies do not know how to take that next step to better improve their use of technology. If you want to get information technology and software working for you instead of against you, your next call should be to a qualified software engineer.