Technology New Zealand to Help Touchpoint Meet Global Demand for Kiwi Software
Marketing technology company Touchpoint has received a $168,000 co-investment from Technology New Zealand to
internationalise its software suite as part of its export drive.
Marketers worldwide need to solve the same problems. And, thanks to its existing base of marketing partners and clients,
many of whom are subsidiaries of transnational companies, Touchpoint already has a network of contacts in place.
However before Touchpoint’s offers its software to companies outside New Zealand, it must be modified to support the
scalability and sophisticated custom requirements of overseas markets.
The end result will be export sales of smart Kiwi technology and employment growth for Touchpoint and its partners. The
Technology New Zealand co-investment will support the new technical capability required to achieve the global standard
software.
“We’re already aware of international demand for our products,” says Touchpoint Director Steve Shearman.
“However, to meet it we need to invest in research and development to solve some of the key issues around providing a
highly customisable product under extreme scalability conditions. In the New Zealand market of four million, the largest
campaign our product’s been deployed for has involved realtime interaction with around 400,000 consumers, around 10
percent of New Zealand’s population. Taking the same campaign to the UK for instance would require we provide the same
capabilities to around 6-8 million consumers. To meet the same technical and performance level requires research into
new approaches that we could not fund - nor would we need - for our New Zealand clients.” The grant was made through
Technology New Zealand's Technology for Business Growth (TBG) scheme. Technology New Zealand Investment Manager Simone
Schenirer says TBGs target technological risk takers and commercially sound enterprises which are willing to push the
boundaries of innovation for the greater economic benefit of New Zealand.
"Touchpoint provides sophisticated, flexible and user friendly technology that delivers real benefits to its diverse
clients. The technology always delivers value for money while clearly identifying the results of marketing campaigns but
also enables clients to develop, update and manipulate meaningful information about their campaign and real client
base."
“The assessment process for Technology New Zealand co-investment is very rigorous,“ says Simone.
“In order to be awarded a co-investment a company needs to demonstrate that its research project is well-planned and
reasonably costed and is a technical stretch for the company. It also needs to demonstrate that the project will be a
good investment for the New Zealand taxpayer and will deliver strong ROI in both turnover and spill-over effects such as
employment.”
Touchpoint’s R programme will provide the base technology and framework to scale up to meet international performance requirements
within 18 months. Touchpoint will use the resulting international standard technology platform to deliver new generation
products to export markets.
Touchpoint’s web-based software is a full suite of tools that allows companies to communicate directly with their
customers via any combination of email, the web, call centre, fax and SMS text messaging. It includes database, campaign
management and automation tools, publishing, communications and sales promotion modules, complete with e-commerce
functionality.
The software was developed to meet a gap in the marketing environment. In 2000 Touchpoint’s founders Steve Shearman and
Frank van der Velden realised that no software was available worldwide that allowed marketers to plan, execute and
manage multi-channel campaigns. Recognising the global opportunity they began developing their award winning technology
in New Zealand where they have since proven it in a number of unique and innovative campaigns for telcos, publishers,
pharmaceutical and FMCG companies.
These companies and their marketing agencies use Touchpoint software to define and implement marketing campaigns, manage
databases, create, test and deliver messages and communications, capture responses, track results, adjust campaigns and
automate fulfilment.
“Our third year in business has been our third year of 100 per cent growth. And we now employ 10 people,” says Steve.
“With this funding, which represents a third of anticipated project costs, we expect to increase our rate of software
development and take advantage of the export growth opportunities before us today.” Companies using Touchpoint software
include Fujifilm, GlaxoSmithKline, HP, IDG, McDonalds, New Zealand Herald, Vodafone, Philips, Profile Publishing,
Smirnoff, TVNZ and Yellow Pages. Touchpoint partners with advertising and direct agencies including WowRappCollins,
Tango Communications, Robbins Brandt Richter, Publicis Rainger, Nebula and Brave New World.