“Quicklook” Assessment of Greater Adelaide's Assets & Challenges ...

analyzing competitors and getting market research. Many companies claim to do what
they do, but do not really what they do – may try to use AUSTRADE for this service.
Traditionally Prophecy did not have a strong marketing focus originally but do now.
They got a contract through tender (open bid) released to get foot in door with Colorado
State, and leveraging that business. They got the first business through a trade show in
UK. Now, have strategic alliances with SUN and EDS to leverage off of the bigger
players.
SYDAC
SYDAC does simulation to specific outcomes doing electrical engineering primarily in
software and also in mechanical. They use internet technology for distribution. The
company is tying to put simulation on the desktop to bring prices down.
Access to capital was stated as not a show-stopper, but what to do with developing an
international market is a problem, took on three extra marketing people, but only one in
three of the marketing people worked. They learned that the only marketing people that
were effective were ones with a technically based background.
BEONIC Pty Ltd.
Peter Cohen, Managing Director states Beonic is a traffic knowledge system. The owner
worked in a shopping center and left the company with a vision to monitor the traffic. A
family interest has put about two million into the company. It has the largest range of
traffic management systems in the world – starting at $200.00 AUD.
The reason he chose SA is because it is inexpensive, engineers are the cheapest in the
world, ranked as 2 nd cheapest house in the world here – used to working with small
amounts of money. It is not easy to go to US because battling exchange rate just to
deliver the first sale. Potentially the product is a three billion dollar industry, the
Australian dollar value is at 200 million. Retailers have forgotten the sense of basics as
they gone from bricks and mortar straight to internet. They have forgotten about the
importance of customer at shop floor level and to make the staff accountable for every
customer that walks into the floor. The product can put marketing campaign designed to
specific portions of store where traffic is so target in best manner. The total retail sales
market is two trillion in the US, but this company has short-comings in raising capital and
enough sales to get the users and persons needed. Locally used the University of
Adelaide to gather knowledge on marketing and used Federal Government grant to get
the ball rolling.
There is a feeling of isolation in Adelaide as most of the competition is in eastern states.
Adelaide seen as small city, so must drive much harder to get to where a business
wants to be. Companies have proven if they are able to get sales out of Australia, the
world at fingertips. The company expressed that it needs support from government for
exposure, but not getting it. Paul Wizniak questions if it is up to government to do this.
It was also expressed that there is a multitude of grants but the knowledge of how to get
it, and how much does it cost to get them. The first big distribution deal in the US is
probably the hardest. Thoughts were stated that SA government is the strongest of the
Australian governments with providing support.
Main Quotes:
“We are not here to sell cheapness but we are here to sell value”
COMMERCIAL IN CONFIDENCE
92