PQ Agriculture, a division of Q Data Consulting, has launched a user group for its Fruit Exporter System software as part of a broader strategy to reduce development costs for its clients, the first initiative of its kind in the South African fruit export industry.
PQ Agriculture divisional manager Johan Mostert says the aim of the group is for clients to work together to implement an industry-standard solution, facilitate cost-saving joint development initiatives and, in the process, introduce Fruit Exporter System users to each other.
"Sharing development costs make sense if you consider that most fruit exporters will be needing similar functionality from their export systems," says Mostert. "It doesn`t make sense for users to pay twice or more for the same functionality.
"Custom development is a very expensive exercise, making an off-the-shelf solution - that would satisfy 95% of the exporters` requirements - much more cost effective and affordable."
The user group members - all of which are existing users of the Fruit Exporter system - are encouraged to table suggestions for future software development.
"Our clients decide on the future development and direction of the system. When a proposal is accepted, PQ Agriculture scopes the project and presents a development cost estimate to the group. The companies that benefit from the new functionality then share the costs. Users that want the enhancements immediately split the development costs, while others have the option of `unlocking` them later."
Mostert says cost-sharing has been used successfully to extend the features of Fruit Exporter System more quickly and in a more focused manner than would otherwise have been possible.
"We don`t steer the group in any direction and participate only to resolve the business issues driving its decisions," adds Mostert.
"Users are satisfied because they`re getting only the features they want, at a reduced cost," he explains. "At the same time they have the opportunity to air their views on service and support levels and on similar issues that extend the benefits of the product."
Share
