An Interview with Kumar Bhavanasi, First Tek Inc. President and CEO: ‘We Understand that When a Company Turns to Us, they’re Doing More than Simply Delegating Work; they’re Entrusting us With a Piece of their Company’s Future’

“Our people have the knowledge, dedication and excellence to keep your business on track. We have the right people with the right skills, so you can get on with business”

To succeed in the complex world of technology, you need exceptional connections – to the right experts, the right opportunities, and the right answers. First Tek sits at the center of this ever-changing technological world – uncovering opportunities and connecting possibilities.

Now a family of businesses focused on innovation in the technology space, First Tek was founded with a vision to provide quality, cost-effective services, and solutions. The company assists clients in achieving mission-critical business objectives using state-of-the-art technologies while maximizing their ability to deliver value to their customers. From its origins partnering with leading companies to connect them with top technology talent, First Tek CEO and Founder Kumar Bhavanasi has leveraged his exceptional connections to grow and expand its services to include custom software design and development for web and mobile applications for clients across the United States.

Recognized as a leading provider of IT services and staffing, First Tek offers a full range of comprehensive IT services, including technology deployment services and enterprise support services. The company helps organizations design, install, deploy and run their IT, communications and network systems by providing services and the best IT consultants available.

A developer himself, Bhavanasi built First Tek by first identifying and cultivating talented individuals working in emerging technologies, then connecting them to clients ranging from Fortune 100 companies to state governments. First Tek serves elite clients such as Netflix, Fox, CBS, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Cafex, BlackDuck, and many more. He has a passion for driving efficiency and developing synergies among employees, clients, and vendors. By continually striving to understand what will make his clients and people successful, he collaboratively develops the long-term strategic vision and an efficient tactical plan and motivates his team to get results. He is the driving force behind First Tek’s success since its founding and guardian of the company’s loyalty and dedication to its clients and employees.

The industry-leading firm has experience in end-to-end implementation, customizations and provides development and/or production support of applications through its global delivery model. Project teams provide the precise mix of skills, experience and the personalities it takes to successfully complete a project. As a single source provider, clients are ensured rate consistency and process efficiency.

First Tek has repeatedly demonstrated its capability to successfully provide candidates to diversified IT industries throughout the nation. The company’s response rate has historically not only been rapid but also regarded as high quality according to clients. The level of trust in the company’s efforts by staff has steadily increased since the company’s inclusion as a primary vendor for AAA, Bonneville Power Administration, Bank of the West, City of Beverly Hills, Microsoft, NBC Universal, Northrop Grumman, TD Bank, 3M, Wipro, Cognizant, UST Global, SAP, EMC, Walmart, Canon and many others. Additionally, First Tek’s combination of corporate infrastructure, key staff, and adherence to pre and post hiring regulations are integral to the success the company has enjoyed.

Clients with excess workloads or special projects hire First Tek’s consultants to work on an “as needed” or contract basis, for short or long terms. First Tek can provide specialists proficient in nearly every IT discipline and experience level, when and where companies need them. The company’s consultants are thoroughly screened to fit each client’s technology profile and corporate culture before they are ever submitted, saving clients time and bringing the search process to closure quickly. And First Tek employs dedicated and responsive Account Managers to provide around the clock support on client projects.

First Tek also provides complete project management services. The firm has a proven track record of delivering high-quality results on-time and on-budget. The company leverages its senior technology experts together with its outstanding recruiting organization and works with clients to meet all of their objectives.

“Our people have the knowledge, dedication and excellence to keep your business on track. We have the right people with right skills, so you can get on with business,” said Bhavanasi.

First Tek has expertise in managing resources, logistics, and tools to implement technology in many areas of IT. Once a strategy has been defined and a company begins planning implementation, they turn to First Tek to handle all aspects of completing projects and support in managing the resources that are central to the infrastructure and technology portfolio, including software development, support, deployments and training.

Bhavanasi said: “We understand that when a company turns to us, they’re doing more than simply delegating work; they’re entrusting us with a piece of their company’s future.”

With core values that include integrity, honesty, persistence, hard work and a focus on company and personal growth, it’s no wonder that the firm has been so successful. A testament to the company’s culture and focus on quality and integrity is that First Tek has grown its employee and client base primarily through referrals and repeat business, with very little other marketing. As individuals who have been on the client side working with First Tek move on to other departments or employers, they consistently continue to call First Tek for support on new projects.

A client that is a Senior Vice President at a Fortune 500 engineering firm has worked with the company on a variety of projects. “First Tek has always bent over backwards to meet our company’s needs, no matter how different or complex they may be. They are definitely a preferred vendor for my needs.”

From an initial focus in the Northeast and Mid Atlantic region, First Tek now has more than 850 employees serving clients in 42 states, with a projected revenue of $120 million in 2018. But it hasn’t always been easy. In its early days, First Tek didn’t have a formal marketing, sales, or account management team, but they were competing against larger, more established companies who had dedicated staff who could perform needs assessments across departments in potential client companies. Nevertheless, Bhavanasi persisted through hard work and determination. The company also had to manage clients’ concerns about financial liability, so the firm initially adapted its billing structure to accommodate a lower risk profile for its clients.

When asked to name the five factors that propelled his success through the years, Bhavanasi lists persistence, hard work, education, his wife’s support, and his ability to anticipate changes in the market and his clients’ needs.

First Tek employees are motivated by a variety of perks beyond excellent professional development opportunities and great leadership. In addition to access to typical insurance and retirement benefits, employees have the opportunity to earn additional compensation based on their client service and the revenue they generate. They also enjoy access to a variety of work across different technologies, skill sets, verticals, client types and geographic locations. With clients around the country, there is plenty of internal mobility, making it possible for someone to remain with the company even when circumstances warrant a change in location.

While there is a boundless opportunity for First Tek employees to work on a variety of projects across clients and geographies, there is also a strong emphasis on work-life balance. Employees are encouraged to keep regular hours, then leave the work at the office and focus on their lives outside the office. In addition, vacation time is “use it or lose it,” so they are strongly encouraged to schedule a time to disconnect periodically.

As for the future, Bhavanasi sees continued growth for First Tek and its affiliates. He anticipates expanding the company’s footprint by adding locations, new skillsets, and emerging technologies through acquisitions of companies that show strong growth and profitability.

“First Tek has a proven track record of delivering high-quality results on-time and on-budget. The company leverages its senior technology experts together with its outstanding recruiting organization and works with clients to meet all of their objectives.”