Accounting, payroll and business software solutions company Pastel Software has its sights set on new export markets in Africa, Canada and Europe with the introduction of French versions of its popular accounting packages, Pastel SOHO Two and Pastel Accounting V6.
The stage has been set for the new export drive with Pastel signing an agreement with Johannesburg-based international distribution company, Crystal League Trading, to distribute French versions of Pastel accounting software programs that are already produced in eight other languages and used in 37 countries worldwide.
The agreement allows Crystal League Trading to exclusively translate, produce, distribute and market French versions of Pastel products as well as formalise training programmes for channel partners in support of French versions.
"We are working on upgrading our international sales channel," says Terry Kier, Managing Director of the Pastel Group, a Softline company. "The agreement for the distribution of the French version, known as `Le Partenaire Pastel`, is another step forward in attaining our goal of becoming a truly global brand."
Kier adds that Crystal League Trading, although headquartered in Johannesburg, is well-connected with distributors in Europe and French-speaking Canada. Its plans to establish a network of channel partners in Francophone Africa are also well advanced.
"From experience, we prefer to work with channel partners that are resident in the markets that we target. Their local knowledge and familiarity with the cultural, social and philosophic values of the country are invaluable," says Kier.
Mike Downie, Managing Director of Crystal League Trading, says that with 39 French-speaking countries worldwide, the distribution agreement holds great potential for building up significant export business.
"The functionality of Pastel has been tested against the norms generally accepted in French accounting practices and the programs incorporate the main accounting principles. It is very compatible, highly rated and competitively priced. We already have French versions of Pastel SOHO Two and the new Pastel Accounting V6."
Downie adds that research undertaken to compare the main features of the Pastel French version with 22 other leading accounting packages used in countries such as France, Canada, Belgium and Switzerland, shows that Le Partenaire Pastel "is the flavour of the moment" in SME accounting software.
According to Kier, international expansion continues to be a strategic initiative for the Pastel Group because the design of the software product allows languages to be added quickly and cost-effectively without changing the source code or the software structure.
"This constitutes a major advantage for us in terms of a relatively low-cost entry into new foreign markets," says Kier. "As a home-grown South African company with more than 20 years of experience in software development, we understand the needs of emerging markets, as well as those of the First World. As a result we can be highly flexible in our approach to business just about anywhere in the world."
Crystal League has launched a drive to identify further distribution partners in French-speaking countries and channel support programmes are being finalised.
"A French Pastel website has been established and all of the Pastel training and testing programmes are now available in French," says Downie. "Our agreement also covers the PastelCampus interactive Internet training initiative for dealers and channel partners - a virtual classroom that offers live, distance-learning programmes, allowing dealers to learn in the comfort of their own homes or offices. This is critical to building up a strong channel."
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