Can Spiders Change Their Spots?
Provoke Solutions has come a long way since it was founded at a Wellington café in 2001.
16 years later, with offices in Auckland, Wellington, Seattle and Manila, Provoke has just unveiled a fresh new look to
coincide with the launch of a more holistic way of working with their customers. An approach that is focussed on driving
business change. While the concept of delivering a tangible return is nothing new, Provoke’s revamped engagement model
seeks to put benchmarking at the heart of their new value proposition.
“The market has evolved, as too have the needs of our customers. Crafting software within context of user needs is still
important, and now common place for good software houses, but the majority of vendors out there are still too technology
driven,” says Provoke CEO Mason Pratt. “It’s no longer a story about software features and benefits.”
“What’s missing is a focus on the strategic goals of the business, and how well-designed software can enable digital
transformation. Customers should always ask themselves, and their partners, if we’re not driving business change, then
why are we spending money on this software project. But more importantly, how can we measure this change?”
Provoke’s rebrand and the launch of their new service offering aligns with the appointment of Brady Cox into the newly
created role of Country Manager for Provoke New Zealand. Having held the Auckland General Manager position for the last
four years, as at 1 April 2017, Cox assumed responsibility for both the Auckland and Wellington offices.
“This appointment provides an excellent opportunity for us to realign aspects of our domestic operation, as we look to
launch our new go-to-market. Brady’s experience prior to Provoke, and his track record during his tenure at the helm of
Provoke Auckland, makes him the ideal candidate to run the New Zealand business,” continues Pratt. “This appointment
also creates more space for me to focus on Provoke’s long-term strategy and our Seattle expansion.”
“The updated Provoke brand and our new approach is an exciting transition for the business, and I’m looking forward to
leading the New Zealand operation through this change,” says Cox. “I’m confident Provoke will remain at the forefront of
Microsoft innovation, but it’s more than that for us now. This change is about having business conversations with our
customers, before understanding how technology can best be leveraged to drive business change.”
Provoke has always been recognised for their Microsoft heritage. Having been named Microsoft New Zealand Partner of the
Year three times in the last ten years and, more recently, picking up the Microsoft New Zealand Cloud Partner of the
Year 2017 award, is testament to this reputation. While there are no plans to move away from their Microsoft pedigree,
the goal for Provoke is to now be recognised for excellence in driving measurable business change.
And as for the distinctive spider logo, while it’s been refined and made more iconic, it’s still a key element of
Provoke’s look. “We’re not getting rid of spidey any time soon,” says Pratt. “He’s been stylised to reflect a more
contemporary and more approachable brand. And while we’re still an authentic kiwi business at heart, spidey reflects the
fact we continue to expand into an increasingly global market. I’m really excited with our new brand, and believe it
aligns nicely to our customer-centric ethos, our reputation as skilled specialists, and our exciting vision for the
future.”
ENDS