THE SOUTH Cork Enterprise Board has honoured seven local IT companies with business development certificates for taking part in an eight-month IT business development programme which finished last month.
The IT business development programme is funded by the Government and part-financed by the European Union under the National Development Plan 2007-2013. Companies involved in the programme included Advance Laser Systems Ltd, Gilroy Control Systems, TMC Technology Ltd, Neville Saas Ltd, Asometric Managed Services, Sigtec Ld and BSS Collateral.
The South Cork Enterprise Board employed the expert services of international selling specialist Derryshal Sales Consultancy and project management specialist Itac Enterprises to run the programme.
The programme helps high potential start-ups, and small to medium-sized technology companies in the region to improve their sales and marketing skills.
The programme consists of three one-day best practice workshops in sales, marketing and project management as well as one-to-one mentoring over an eight-month period. Each company was audited and given a report to ensure each would benefit from, and be proactive in, the programme.
Tom Connolly, of Itac Enterprises, says project management is not about charts, graphs and reports.
"It's about deciding what you are going to do, involving the right people, drawing up a realistic plan and then making it happen.
"It's important not to bury yourself and your company by taking on too many things. That's confusing activity with progress. Taking the time to decide on a plan then following through, making sure all your team and stakeholders are aligned, is the best approach."
Tim O'Leary, of Derryshal Sales Consultancy, who has more than 15 years' experience of successfully selling technology products internationally, says stereotypical beliefs about the selling process are a major reason why some technology companies fail.
"Just because one may have a good technical product doesn't mean that one will win the business. There is much more to selling than just having a good product or service, especially if one is targeting the international markets".
The programme aims to increase each company's project management and selling abilities by the end of the eight months. "The programme has already helped one participant to negotiate the full sale of their in-house designed anti-spam product to a leading internet service provider in Ireland," says O'Leary.
The South Cork Enterprise Board, which was established in 1993, felt it needed to ensure technology start-ups were given every chance to succeed in a competitive environment.
The board also felt it was important to provide focus on the commercialisation aspects and the time it takes to bring products to market.
