Ivan Turner, sales manager, QuickBooks SA, says South Africa should definitely be ranked as a key emerging market. He says the company has seen a marked interest from its sub-Saharan channel, fuelling growth for the accounting and payroll software sector.
In an article last year, BusinessWeek ranked the biggest, fastest-growing economies of the Third World as Brazil, Russia, India, and China. But, it reported that while these big four have attracted the most investor attention in recent years, there are also opportunities in less prominent, but more promising emerging markets, such as South Africa.
Turner says he not only agrees, but believes that this is already true.
The company launched its QuickBooks Reseller Network (QBRN) in 2005 and has seen its contribution to turnover grow an impressive 800%: "Our reseller channel is vital to the success of the QuickBooks brand in the SME (small and medium enterprises). To ensure we adequately service this ever-growing sector, we need good coverage within sub-Saharan Africa and this can only come from committed and driven reseller partners."
In a recent study, Deloitte reported that emerging markets are becoming the catalysts for new product and service innovation. But they issue a caution, saying that long-term success, however, will take far more than simply making minor adjustments to existing products, lowering prices and developing new sales channels.
Turner says Deloitte`s findings are more than likely true, however, he still believes in the power of a dynamic reseller channel. He says QuickBooks can accurately measure the impact QBRN has had on its business and believes there is no other way to do business with SMEs in sub-Saharan Africa.
But, to make it a success, Turner says vendors need to play a vital role in the reseller`s success: "QuickBooks has a nationwide infrastructure with support centres in countries such as Namibia, Kenya, Mauritius, Malawi, Botswana, Lesotho, Zimbabwe and Swaziland."
In addition, Turner says another important aspect and unique selling proposition for resellers is the fact that QuickBooks is one of the easiest accounting software products to use and there are no annual license fees: "Both equally powerful marketing messages for customers. Coupled with the need for a shorter return on investment on software purchases, SMEs will quickly warm to the possibilities within the QuickBooks range, and the resellers will benefit."
Earlier this year, the company extended its product range from two to six, providing entry-level as well as power user versions. Turner says QuickBooks` unit sales and the user base have both increased by 160%, with the number of QuickBooks SA staff doubling in size. "There are big plans for 2007 with the launch of a power-upgrade."
Already an accepted alternative for accountants worldwide, QuickBooks has big plans for sub-Saharan Africa: "Worldwide, we have over 3 million customers using our products and we have seen an increased interest from the local accounting fraternity, who recognise the value of quick, easy and shorter return on investment," concludes Turner.
Share
