Beethoven’s staff shortage problem is Australia’s problem

Stan Beer
Sunday, 17 September 2006 15:24

IT People - Enterprise

Case management software provider, Beethoven Computer Services, is in an enviable position. The company has more work than it can handle. However, being in such a position is a double-edged sword.

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Beethoven's systems are used in public transport, the government, and other service oriented environments that require handling of cutomer interactions.

According to Beethoven’s founding managing director, Ross Allardyce, these days having more work on your plate than your company can deliver is not a good recipe for success if you have ambitious growth plans.

The problem is not a shortage of work but a shortage of development staff and the problem is growing worse for all small software developers.

“We want to grow 500 per cent but it’s hard to grow organically when there’s a demand and you can’t find the staff to do the work. You can’t string clients along,” says Allardyce.

Beethoven, which was established in 2000, has seven full-time developers and has an urgent need for three more full-time .Net business analysts to start immediately.

“They’re getting harder to find every day. Since the tech wreck in 2000, they’ve stopped coming through the Universities,” says Allardyce.

According to Allardyce, he has considered outsourcing some work offshore. However, he is wary of taking that path because of perceived difficulties with managing the process.

“I really would prefer to keep all the development at home but if I can’t find developers here, I have to be open to all suggestions if we want to keep growing,” he says.