AST Microsoft Solutions, a business unit of the AST Group, has been contracted by UK-based 1st Contact Group to provide Microsoft .NET development, which will include the consolidation of various projects and resources into one contract as well as additional Web development.
1st Contact (1stcontact.co.uk) provides comprehensive assistance to the working traveller from SA, Australia and New Zealand in the UK since 1994. Its portfolio of services include financial and tax products, teaching and medical recruitment, visas, shipping, and London orientation packages
AST has been involved with 1st Contact since August 2003 and has developed substantial knowledge of its business and challenges.
"One of the biggest challenges with outsourcing software development is having a relationship that is flexible and changes with your needs. With AST, we have found a relationship that is not the typical client/supplier arrangement but more a partnership working towards the same goal," explains Matt Tomon, IT Director of 1st Contact.
"As with most businesses, change occurs quite rapidly and we needed a stable development framework in place to allow us to react and adapt to business needs," adds Tomon.
"As a Microsoft Gold Certified Partner, we have a strong commitment to the Microsoft platform and deliver customised development solutions which provide our customers, such as 1st Contact, with a competitive advantage in their market," says Gerhard Kruger, Business Unit Manager of AST Microsoft Solutions.
In this partnership, AST together with 1st Contact Group has managed to effectively address common offshore project challenges such as communication and collaboration, discipline in documentation and specifications, project management and testing. Key processes were agreed upon and implemented to streamline the product release strategies in line with the business requirements.
Utilising Microsoft technologies, such as Microsoft Windows SharePoint Services and Microsoft Office Enterprise Project Management, enables communication, collaboration and progress reporting to be possible on projects but even more so in a support environment.
The AST Group was awarded the Microsoft Gold Partner of the year 2003 with Gold Certifications in communication and collaboration, e-commerce solutions, business intelligence and enterprise systems competencies.
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AST`s intellectual capacity, its business model and strong customer base form the foundation for the group`s integrated services solutions business.
Ideally positioned as a leading technology solutions company and focused on selected industries, AST unlocks substantial value for its customers. The AST Group - a trustworthy and innovative ICT company.
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