Data access, security key to Technology

A sound friendship between Jason Bergeron and David Landry has turned into a well-oiled partnership at Houma’s Technology Professionals, a complete technology solution provider.

Bergeron and Landry created Technology Professionals in February 2003, after working alongside each other for years with other companies.

“We both had some of the same work ethic, so we believe it was a good synergy in partnership,” Landry said.

The two started the company to meet the demand of their after-hours clientele. “The after-hour demand got to be more full-time than part-time,” Landry said. “We were constantly working from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays, and then doing after-hours work. We had to make a decision and decided to take it full time.”

Bergeron is a self-taught computer whiz, who took gaming to the next level nearly a little more than a decade ago.

“I had an interest in all the different gaming systems and computer games,” he said. “I wanted to know how they worked. I started trying to figure some things out, and learn a few things from people like David.”

“I picked up on things pretty quickly, even if I have not seen it before.” Bergeron added.

Bergeron’s knowledge grew over time leading him to take some certification classes in Microsoft, A+ and Network+.

Landry, an accounting graduate from Nicholls, traded in his calculator to become a computer technician 23 years ago because the complexities of computers were more interesting than keeping books.

“Back when I entered the market, the technology that is available today was not available,” Landry said. “Primarily, services were provided for financial systems for accounting purposes. So I learned on an accounting system then started managing a network and managing computers. I found out that it was more interesting than doing accounting.”

Landry’s accounting degree provided some functionality in a business that one might not normally encounter on the Internet technology side. It brought him into more of an IT management role.

“I started doing some major projects with security,” he said. “I augmented my training with certifications like Microsoft, Cisco, Citrix, Sun Systems and Novell. I kind of got exposed in large, publicly-traded companies and transferred that knowledge down to a smaller scale, which we deal with now.”

With solid backgrounds in business and computers, Bergeron and Landry bring a full toolbox of skills to the job. It has proven to be an asset to Technology Professionals’ clients.

“I have done just about every operational role,” Bergeron said. “We know the operations side of business: purchasing, quality, safety and accounting. We know the technology side also.”

“We bring those two together to see the big picture solution,” Landry added. “Instead of information technology, it’s more like business technology,” Bergeron added.

Technology Professionals deals with companies with server, networking and security issues.

They also provide resource management, Web/application development and Web/e-mail hosting.

“Companies like us, when they come in, they never seem to offer value added services,” Landry said. “We always said if we (opened a technology business), we would do it this way. It kind of sparked a change in the way IT consultation is done.”

“For example, when we go and look at a customer’s situation, we look at it from their perspective,” he added. “We don’t go in and tell them what they need to do to help our company, we tell them what they need to do to help their company. And that’s where that value-added service comes in.”

“By implementing the right solution the first time, it gives us credibility,” Bergeron added.

Given that philosophy, Technology Professionals has quickly built a wide client base – including customers in Texas and Alabama.

And the technology firm provides residential customers service, ensuring that accessing their work information is headache-free. Bergeron said most home-based customers call seeking quality computer systems.

“We go in and do an evaluation of what our company has to offer and what they are trying to do in a cost-effective manner,” he said. “We try to give them the best security and the best solutions. It begins with one basic question, ‘What are you trying do accomplish?'”

In today’s economy the chief concern is always solid security. Technology Professionals can install secure solutions, giving clients the ability to access their information from virtually anyplace.

“We are like the IT employee that you don’t have,” Bergeron explained. “We act as if we work there. We are not trying to just sell (clients) stuff. We are actually looking at what they are trying to do to run their business. We are putting in cost-effective solutions.”

“Everything we do is a launch pad for that business,” Landry added.

Another core service is ensuring secured, failproof Web sites and e-mail access. In the event of a catastrophic event, such as a hurricane, businesses cannot afford to lose touch globally. Bergeron said Web site hosting and e-mail servers are housed outside of Louisiana, ensuring they are safely operable if the area is hit by a storm.

“During all four hurricanes in the past three years, we had zero downtime on Web and e-mail,” he said. “We were in New Orleans immediately after Katrina getting our customers back up and running.”

Technology Professionals also helps its clients develop disaster recovery plans and backup systems. “We can’t replace computers,” Landry said. “We prepare for the worst-case scenarios and that serves to minimize downtime.”

Technology Professionals’ official operating hours are weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., but Landry and Bergeron are available to customers virtually around the clock, something their clientele finds reassuring.

“We get out there and get them up and running so that they don’t miss a beat the next day,” Landry said. “That has always been a part of our industry. But it is also how Jason and I believe a business should run.”

Technology Professionals LLC owners Jason Bergeron (left) and David Landry pride their six-year company on being a complete provider for business and residential technology solution needs. * Photo by KEYON K. JEFF