New US distributor targets “sweet spot” for NZ software in post-recession American market

For Immediate Release

November 28, 2010


AUCKLAND: The impact of the global financial meltdown on American businesses’ spending habits is providing new opportunities for New Zealand software, says the founder of a young US company which begins distributing Abel Software this month.

Developed over 14 years with a focus on providing medium-sized companies with affordable computing power, Abel’s enterprise resource planning (ERP) software is now used by over 200 businesses in ten countries.

Dana Craig, a co-founder of Quickstone Software, LLC, based in Park City, Utah, said that these days she is seeing businesses looking a lot harder at what they can get for their money and being much more ready to look at smart, practical alternatives to established major suppliers.

“We are seeing a good market opportunity here because Abel™ can fill a strong need to get the job done while keeping IT budgets under tighter control,” she said.

She had been previously convinced first-hand of the opportunity for the technology as project manager for an Abel customer with 3,500 users in over 120 separate business units across the US.

“I think Big ERP has had a stranglehold on the market. But they have just gotten too big; they are hard to work with for medium-sized businesses,” she said.

“The people we are talking with need a system that can be installed fast, is easy to run and doesn’t cost $250,000 up-front.

“The recession is a good time for us because Abel helps people improve efficiencies and contains costs without all the hassle and expense of a big system. In the new economic environment, Abel really hits a sweet spot that makes sense for the mid-market.”

She said that at first some American customers from her previous role were surprised to be offered software developed in New Zealand.

“But it was not long before they found that it was what they needed. Abel is almost infinitely customizable. It lets them do things they really couldn’t have done without a much larger system, requiring extra investment in time and money.”

Founded in 1996 and developed in Auckland by engineers with a background in developing successful solutions for industrial, manufacturing and mining companies, Abel’s ERP provides a full range of tools for gaining visibility into all business operations. It has always prized a reputation for simplicity of use and reliability, Jane Mattsen, its Business Manager, said.

“Although we have Abel sites in the US already, we are delighted to see Quickstone open as an Abel distributor,” she said. “They know what Abel can do and are ideally positioned to present it to an American market that is probably getting back to basics in looking for real practical value. “

Ms Craig said Quickstone is targeting customers across the US but expects most early business activity to come from neighbouring western states.

Ends

Abel Software Limited develops and provides ERP software that is purpose-built to deliver all the functionality required by small to medium-sized businesses in a reliable and easily integrated solution.

Founded in 1996, the company provides ERP systems to over 200 businesses in 10 countries through a network of independent Abel distributors with offices in New Zealand, Australia and the United States. To find out more about Abel please visit: www.abelsoftware.com

ends

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