Published on the 28/05/2015 | Written by Newsdesk
Local company takes process management software to American market…
With the opening of its first office in the United States, New Zealand-owned and operated company Promapp is putting global ambitions into practice and taking its locally developed process mapping software to the world. The company’s newest office is located at the Kiwi Landing Pad in San Francisco and represents the next step in a steady international expansion strategy.
Privately owned Promapp employs some 32 people and is headquartered in Mt Eden, Auckland. With a 12 year history, it offers mature and internationally proven business process mapping software which supports quality assurance, risk management and human resource processes in line with ISO, Six Sigma and Lean principles.
According to founder and CEO Ivan Seselj, Promapp’s American office is a bold move for the well-established company. “Having grown organically, the Kiwi way, and without any venture capital or debt funding, the business is ready for the next step. We have a well-established presence in New Zealand and Australia, so the focus has turned to growing our operations in the heart of Silicon Valley,” he says.
Seselj explains that Promapp is designed to replace procedures manuals, which he says ‘nobody reads any longer’. With a ‘social media’ approach to collaboration, it makes processes simple to document, simple to use and simple to maintain, supporting the development of smarter and safer ways of work, while encouraging sharing of information by operational teams rather than limiting it to process analysts and technical specialists.
He notes that American companies tend to be advanced in their investment in processes, which is evident in the maturity of their business processes. “They are, in many instances, ready for improved process mapping and management. Our target market is broad, with clients anywhere from as small as 20 users up to 10 000.”
While Seselj says Promapp sees Australia as an extension of the local market, he adds that the company’s operations and success there have provided valuable experience in growing into a new market.
Already enjoying a worldwide client base, Promapp has organisations including Coca-Cola Amatil, Genesis Energy, Toyota Financial Services, Villa Maria, Fisher & Paykel Appliances, McDonalds and Hyundai on its books. However, says Seselj, it currently lacks visibility in the substantial American market. “When our product is in a competitive decision, it generally comes out on top – but it has to be on the shortlist. Unless it is known and put on that list, there is no opportunity to win those deals,” he points out.
As a result, the American team is sales-focused and receives the support of a considerable investment in marketing. Implementation and support is handled through a partnership with the San Francisco-based Pendolino Group.
“Although our solution is cloud-based, it is a consultative sale which involves many people across the client business. We believe in personal contact and attention, which is why we are initially retaining a direct sales model rather than going to market through channel partners,” Seselj adds.
He says Promapp is based on the principle that successful process improvement is about changing everyday behaviours and making a difference to induction, risk management, continuous improvement and business continuity. “These are issues faced by companies everywhere, all the time. Promapp makes that simpler, better and more effective, something we believe the American market is ready for,” Seselj concludes.
