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December 2002 ISSUE:
2002 Review
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Strategic Software Partners Ltd. SSP House,
The Old Bakery, 44b Commercial Way, Woking, Surrey, GU21 6HW,
Tel: +44 (0)1483 747 812 Website: www.sspltd.com
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Established in 1995, Strategic Software
Partners specialises in helping enterprise software
companies grow locally and globally, by providing
consultancy, market research, business planning and
finding partners in the UK, Europe, the USA and
beyond.
SSP has the resources, expertise,
knowledge and practical experience to enhance,
complement or even replace your business development
capabilities.
We have decided to use the
knowledge that we have gained in a newsletter to
perhaps eradicate some of the myths relating to
technological issues.
If you would like to
know more about SSP then please visit our website,
www.sspltd.com
or contact us on +44 (0)1483 747812
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Company Focus
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This newsletter is read by an audience of 15,000
key decision-makers in the IT software industry.
In this space we are offering you the chance to
be included in future newsletters.
For more
information on how you can reach potential new partners
in the UK, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Benelux,
Nordic region, USA and Middle east email us at newsletter@sspltd.com
or phone +44 (0) 1483 747812 and ask for Graham.
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The staff of Strategic
Software Partners Ltd would like to wish
everyone a very Merry Christmas, a Happy New
Year and every success for 2003.
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The Database Group. To implement data-based marketing, you need an
expert, independent partner with a proven track record.
Independence frees you from reliance on any single
targeting system. Independence releases you from being
tied into any one software application. Independence
gives you the tools which work best for you. The
Database Group is just such an independent service
business, and its success has been built on the
reputation of its employees and the satisfaction of its
customers.
Sysmetric Solutions are a multinational
software development house with a wealth of experience.
With offices in the UK and USA, with their development
headquarters in India, Sysmetric boast an impressive
array of development skills including MS SQL, NT, .Net,
Delphi, Magic, Sybase, Oracle, Javascript, Visual Basic,
ASP. Sysmetric are committed to delivering projects
on-time, within budget and to exacting
standards.
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For many of us in the IT world the year that is
drawing to a close has been, officially, the worst ever
for the industry. While many of us have seen general
recessions in the seventies and early nineties, this is
the first that has directly affected the technology
markets.
During the last year SSP has spoken to
many technology companies from all over the world as
well as visiting many markets as diverse as Silicon
Valley, India, Russia, most of the major European
markets and the Middle East. The picture that has
emerged is that many markets are still buoyant
particularly where expectations have not been fuelled by
overzealous vendors. Indeed, there are many central
government initiatives from the UK, the Middle East and
South Korea, where business is booming.
Emerging Markets
There are some countries that have an enormous
potential and appetite for new technology. SSP visited
Russia in October and clearly the demand for IT software
and services is vast, particularly in the rapidly
growing commercial sector. Those of you who have visited
Moscow, you will know only too well that this city has
embraced capitalism in all its forms with a vengeance.
Dubai has rightly attracted a lot of
attention as attempting to become the “Silicon Valley”
of the Eastern world. It is succeeding. A visit to
“Dubai Internet City”, reveals a showpiece of government
working alongside private enterprise to create a
long-term future and stability for both buyers and
vendors.
Retrenchment
In contrast to the above, we have seen many
companies “batten down the hatches” and retreat to their
domestic market. International expansion has, for the
most part, been put on hold. This has been
particularly true for US companies in the continuing
aftermath of September 11 and the downturn in the US
market. Introspection and, to a lesser extent,
xenophobia are gripping the psyche of some US
companies.
New Initiatives
Conversely we see initiatives being taken by
both companies and government sponsored programmes that
are seizing the moment to invest to capture market share
when competition is at its weakest and labour rates are
at their lowest. These initiatives have emerged from as
regions as diverse as Australia, South Korea, Singapore
and Canada.
‘Paradigm Shift’
SSP has also noticed a major shift from projects
to products. Customers have sent a loud and clear
message that they want real solutions to problems that
can demonstrate a real return on investment.
Furthermore, the majority of large, open-ended
integration solutions are dead or at best only exist on
a fixed fee basis. What is more customers are no longer
going to pay excessive amounts for software unless the
“value” of the solution is clearly evident
So, what does the future hold?
SSP sees a return to business basics after the
excessive hype of selling technology futures. Companies
that will succeed in 2003 will be those who:
- Spend less on development
- Invest in new markets
- Understand buyer needs and customise products
to suit
- Train salespeople in effective selling
techniques and more importantly good listening skills
- Demonstrate return on investment in their
products to real customers
- Use partnerships to overcome weaknesses and
accelerate expansion
The software industry is truly global and the
challenge is to invest wisely in selling and marketing
your products. Without that all you will be left with is
technology that has no value.
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Strategic Software Press is published by Strategic Software Partners Ltd. All rights reserved. Contents may not be
reproduced in whole or part without the written consent of
the publishers. Copyright 2002.
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