RSS |
 |
|
| F E A T U R E Most Valuable Readers Becky Eastwood, President, Puget Safety Equipment Co., Bellingham, Wash. | ||
| ||
October 2, 2000 Its six employees rely on a network of four clients and one server.
BE: Getting our system up and running! The first one was scary. We don't rely on the experts to do things for us. We learned the hard way that we have to become our own experts. NWC: Do you have any strategic regrets? BE: We hired an outside expert to help set up our first network. He did it illegally and got me into trouble. That's what taught us not to hire experts. NWC: What has been your biggest struggle? BE: Learning the new code for NT. NWC: Where were you two years ago in terms of IT? BE: We were on an older system, Windows 3.1. We were slow to change. It's called procrastination. We've come a long way to get into NT. NWC: What will your job be like in two years? BE: Technology will make things easier as long as we keep sight of who we are. In the environmental health and safety industry, things change--laws and such that we have to answer to. We have to stay focused. NWC: How do you stay ahead of the technology curve? BE: With lots of reading, studying and staying focused. NWC: How do you measure IT success? BE: The computers not crashing. NWC: If you could pick one technology or tool that has made your life easier this past decade, what would it be? BE: The Internet. I love being able to search for products, as well as for information on running a system. NWC: What emerging technologies are you excited about being able to implement? BE: I'd love to be able to offer a good B2B commerce site that's as personal as being there. I haven't yet seen technologies that will help us do that. There are too many technicalities in safety laws. When I sell a pair of gloves, for example, I need to know what chemical they're being purchased to handle. I question how technology can take over that level of personal service. Maybe voice-over IP can help. NWC: What has been your biggest disappointment, technologically? BE: The overabundance of garbage on the Net. NWC: What is the smartest technology company out there? BE: Microsoft. NWC: Which company tells the best marketing story? BE: Microsoft. NWC: What's the best disaster-recovery beverage? BE: Wine in a 55-gallon barrel. My husband told everyone it cost $10,000 to get our new system running, but it cost $20,000 to keep me in wine while we were doing it. NWC: How many late-night pizzas does it take to deploy a new OS? BE: An endless supply. But for Windows 2000, which I hear is easier, infinity minus 1.
| ||
