SubscribeComputime® Systems (UK) Ltd, one of Britain's leading suppliers of business Time and Attendance solutions, has succeeded in taking its brand to the ends of the earth, thanks to advice and training on an export support programme operated through the UK Trade and Investment (UKTI) division of West Yorkshire Business Link (WYBL).
Computime® joined the UKTI "Passport to Export" programme in 2004, and has since gone on to establish its first non-European agent and distributor network in Australia. Performance will be reviewed every 12 months, but early signs have been extremely promising.
The company has also built it's overseas presence in Europe, setting up a network of reseller partners in Ireland.
Computime® Systems, which employs 11 staff, design and manufacture data capture terminals and software to enable businesses to manage and monitor on-site staff. Managing Director Ben Lassoued, who set up the business in 1988, has always harboured ambitions to take the specialist SME global.
With the assistance from the WYBL, and in particular Senior International Trade adviser Francoise Joyce, that desire to open up new markets became a reality. Ben said: "Having established a strong market leading position at home and also having just completed a 3-year-state-of-the-art redesign of our products (hardware and software) - we felt the time was right to push for business in new areas. I had always wanted to take the brand overseas and was really impressed with the level and nature of support available from Business Link".
WYBL's support assisted Computime® in researching the potential of new international markets in Europe, the United States, Australia and elsewhere. The company subsequently visited Australia to put together is network on the ground.
Ben was most impressed with the professionalism and persistence of Business Link which helped Computime® "gain the confidence and the knowledge we needed to attack new markets. Now we are working with a plan, and trying to achieve forecasts that we know are achievable. What more could you want?"
The company has now employed its first Export and Trade Manager, Sam Rouissi, to oversee a planned growth in export revenue to a level close to its current UK turnover, with continued support from WYBL in the pipeline. Computime's® venture into the potential of export markets is only just beginning" said Francoise, "We have more sessions planned where we will continue to concentrate on European markets, with the possibility that Computime® will be exhibiting their product range overseas for the first time."
29/03/2006