One thing that could be learned from Atul Gosar, Director, Network Techlab (NT), is how to make dreams come true. An engi­neering graduate, from the prestigious Mumbai University, Gosar had nurtured a dream to become a successful business­man from childhood. More than a decade later, from a small beginning that included three people and an initial monetary investment, Gosar is now one of the most well-known IT solution providers (SPs) in the Indian industry. “I had a dream. Now I am living it,” mused Gosar, while talking to DQ Channels.

The beginning
After completing his BE degree, Gosar joined Gala Computers located in the eastern suburbs of the financial capital of the country. The company was purely into systems integration. His stint in the company lasted three years and after that, the aspiring entrepreneur decided to start his own company.

With his former colleague, Haresh Gada, who is now a Director at NT, Gosar inaugu­rated their very own company christened Network Marketing and Services, in the busy Lamington Road area of Mumbai. The company later changed its name to Network Techlab in 2000.

“In the beginning, we offered maintenance services for PCs and peripherals. Sales was also a part of the company it was still in its nascent stages,” reminisced Gada.

The servicing market during that time was very small, as there were a limited number of PCs in the marker. But, that did not dishearten Gosar. “Yes, the market was very small as the IT industry had not yet bloomed. But luck was on our side, and our business thrived because we developed a unique relationship with our customers, who kept coming back to us,” said Gada.

During the first 12 years of the company's existence, NT never advertised in any media. Its base was strengthened by word of mouth. It was only recently that NT put aside a separate budget for marketing purposes.

(L-R) Atul Gosar and Haresh Gada

The present
Today, NT is a known name in the IT consultancy and services provider segment. The company has been catering to the needs of small and medium businesses (SMBs) and large organizations for the past 10 years. Their aim is to provide technology-driven business solutions that meet the strategic objectives of clients. “We deliver customized business solutions through a combination of process excellence, quality frame work and expeditious service delivery,” said Gosar.

The company, which was born in a 150 sq ft office, now has four offices in Mumbai and 120 employees, with an expected turnover of Rs 25 crore for this financial year.

“There is slowdown in the economy and the IT industry has been badly hit. But we have escaped from it, so far. We still see a handsome amount of YoY growth,” added Gosar.

Rocky roads
The road to success is never smooth. “The biggest challenge is to have the right people and money at the right time,” said Gosar, while taking about the challenges that they have faced. “Luckily we have had all the resources at the right time,” he added.

The company continued to reinvest in various services and continuously diversified its business to strengthen its base and increase their turnover. The decision bore fruits, and the company, which began with offering just service, is now offering an array of IT services.

Retention of skilled man­power and training of existing employees was another chal­lenge for the company. This, they overcame by giving growth opportunities to its employees. NT continuously organizes training programs for employees to upgrade their skills.

The company also faced two slowdown in its short lifespan. The first one in the year 2001 and the current financial turmoil is the second.  “We work closely with our clients and have a good rapport with them. This could be the reason we have survived. Besides, we are into network and security manage­ment, which has not been affected much,” Gada said.

The silver lining
In the year 2006, the company was awarded the 'Best perfor­ming Partner (West)' by Sonicwall. In 2007, NT made its presence felt at the national level and received the runner-up 'National Technical Partner' award by Sonicwall. Further­more, last year Sonicwall announced NT as its 'National Number One Partner'. Emerson, too, awarded the company with the laurel of 'Most Emerging Partner'. Gosar also acquired the tag of Certified Information System Auditor (CISA), a degree for security consultancy.

They have also got several other certifications from Cisco, Sonicwall, EMC. It is also an authorized service center for Emerson. “We are growing at a steady pace of 25 to 30 percent per year. This is our biggest achievement,” added Gosar.

Future bright
Gosar has ambitious plans for the company. This year, the company plans to further diversify its business into remote managed services. For this, NT is creating its own data center and Network Operating Center (NOC) as well as Security Operating Center (SOC). The company is also looking forward to spreading its tentacles in document and printing SP segment. It is set to sign up Canon for this.

“This financial year would be tough for us. But I take this as a positive thing. It is a good time to build proper infrastructure and acquire skilled resources at cheaper cost,” elaborated Gosar.  The company is foraying into cooling solutions too.

Sharing his mantra for the next financial year, Gosar said “Growth could be achieved by a multi-dimensional approach,  even in the time of slowdown.”

Akhilesh Shukla
akhileshs@cybermedia.co.in

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