In the never-ending hustle and bustle of our busy modern life, the consumer is constantly bombarded by a plethora of choices. Almost always these excessive choices confuse more than help because the nature of modern business usually sacrifices quality for quicker services or products. Despite this, a few service providers are remembered for their good quality today. So, to move forward in business, we should be able to answer the question ‘how do the successful do it?’
Before competition in the market, the need for quality assurance as a service was low. But, since the turn of the 21st century, more businesses all over the world aim to be customer-centric to match the changing demands of the customers and the global economy grew more services oriented. So, a ‘promise of quality’ or ‘quality assurance’ as a notion came to the fore. People perceived quality in a positive new light and so, the field grew continuously. Today, a career in this field is very much sought-after and more businesses are adopting routine practices to improve quality in a proactive way. The latest quality improvement practices have evolved to become a ‘built in’ step in the product development or service delivery process. However, in acknowledging the strides in the QA/Testing field thus far, we must also remember that our society should be continually supported in innovative ways.
Software Quality Center, a leading QA service provider in the global arena, has been a beacon of guiding light in this field providing innovative solutions for diverse business needs. The company was set up in 2002 by co-founders by Kris Puthucode and Sahana Rao who were well-versed in Software Engineering, QA/Testing, Electronics and IT technology fields with decades of experience between them. Kris Puthucode, an entrepreneur now, for over 25 years, observed that the few quality and process improvement consulting firms in business were more interested in making profits than helping the industry grow. He took up this huge responsibility and set up the company envisioning a ‘center for excellence’ for software quality assurance.
From the beginning, SQC provided innovative quality consulting and appraisal services for a long list of business needs and grow in its prominence. Kris explains, “SQC has been on the forefront of being an evangelist for quality assurance and process improvement using the best practices across industries, to further a culture of excellence in our clients’ organizations.” In its business journey, SQC has crafted a powerful and innovative solution to a bottleneck in many organizations where its higher-ups mistakenly believe that they can quickly provide products or services and fix shortcomings later. Kris Puthucode links their wrong approach to the organizations’ limited growth and its eventual non-sustainability and even collapse. SQC’s novel approach in client engagement solves this costly problem. He tells, “With one step at a time, one client at time, we preach and hold our clients throughout our engagement (a key differentiator for us), with a ‘Walk with you’ approach, through our training, consulting and certification/appraisal services, that leaves them stronger when we are done.”
In client relationships, SQC spends the most time and resources to help them see and understand how they can improve their quality standards. Kris illustrates with the instance of companies who work with the latest technology and in high-stress environments requiring to be taught the value of QA in quantitative terms and ROI. He implies that a simple and trustworthy approach will achieve change. He says, “Unless they find a friend in you, as someone that will make their jobs easier, most of the efforts by outside consultants will not sustain the long term. We simply use ‘common sense’, practical best practices, as opposed to the ivory tower academic approach.”
SQC’s primary clients are organizations in quality-sensitive sectors such as the U. S. Department of Defense, Aerospace, multinationals, systems engineering and government bodies (over 80 clients globally). SQC’s services have been priceless in helping clients achieve change in keeping with forward-moving technology and business trends. Clients learn to use a hands-on approach in everyday operations, apply the best practices and see benefits for themselves at every level of the organization. Kris says that this proactive, simple and comprehensive approach is the secret to their 18 successful years in the field. He goes on, “We are a small business but agile in every sense of the word. And that makes us abreast of latest and greatest in best practices, being up to date to advise our clients on what is best for them. Their success is our only goal, and that is how our results are proven.” Newcomers engaging with SQC at any department or with any employee will find the company as highly focused and ready to help through professionals specialized in niche services.
Kris sheds some light on SQC’s team, “Our consultants are entrepreneurial, bold and question the conventional. They ‘own’ our clients’ business challenges, identify new opportunities and reimagine business solutions to help create new markets and disrupt existing ones.”As a recruitment policy, only professionals with proven skills and an experience of over 10 years are shortlisted. This is to ensure that a more powerful positive impact is ultimately achieved.
In 2019, SQC has a solid history of nearly two decades of satisfying clients’ IT needs such as software quality assurance, process improvement, bid management, IT proposals, business development process improvement and knowledge process outsourcing. Also, they have been providing strategic consulting, training and independent certification and appraisal services with the help of the best business practices and models like the capability maturity model integration model (CMMI® set of models from the CMMI Institute), frameworks of Information Systems Audit and Control Association, cybersecurity, Data management practices and select ISO standards.
Under Kris’ leadership, prominent organizations like Software Engineering Institute, CMMI institute and Business Development Institute International have recognized SQC for its outstanding work as a partner and approved provider of services. Kris is also a member of the invite-only Forbes Tech Council, a community supporting the leading technology executives, since 2017.
In today’s changing business landscape where more than 80% of the world’s economy is service-oriented and charged by powerful technologies like artificial intelligence, blockchain and internet of things, SQC is ready to dive into tomorrow’s hi-tech world. Kris shares exciting news, “We have launched a new startup SIMANTIX Technology and Services (with a key theme of ‘Eloquent IT’) as a sister company to SQC, to solely focus on disruptive consulting and IT services.” As the CEO of both companies, Kris is eyeing greater excellence in all levels of their combined business strategy including customer engagement, IT services, QA/Testing services ensured by powerful disruptive technologies.
Quotes:
With one step at a time, one client at time, we preach and hold our clients throughout our engagement, with a ‘Walk with you’ approach.
Newcomers engaging with SQC will find the company as highly focused and ready to help through professionals specialized in niche services.