September 2007
Provoke moves into the Auckland SharePoint market
Source: m-net [Ken Lewis]
Wellington-based software development company Provoke has opened a central Auckland office in response to pressure from its expanding Auckland customer-base and from Microsoft New Zealand.
Provoke is a leading implementer of Microsoft SharePoint 2007 and boasts one of the most qualified SharePoint teams in the country with one of only two Microsoft MVPs (Microsoft Most Valued Professionals).
According to Provoke's Wellington-based managing director, Mason Pratt, the company is not aware of any other design-led software business in the Auckland market responding to the growing demand for the new SharePoint platform. "We've been fortunate enough to work on New Zealand's first SharePoint 2007 implementation for the Civil Aviation Authority, which provided invaluable insight into the product's capabilities. This took place well before the final version from Microsoft was ready for public release. By coupling our User Centred Design methodology with our technical expertise, I believe we're uniquely positioned in this new market."
The company's new office, which opened late August, has already started working with a selection of new northern customers and is looking to close its first big deal with a large Australian-based company.
With a budget of seven figures over the next nine months, Provoke's Auckland boss Rob Benson says the project will provide momentum to grow staff numbers from three to 15 very quickly.
Benson was a founding partner and former managing director of the Oracle shop Theta Systems. He recently sold his shares in Theta after 11 years building Theta into a successful Oracle services company.
Microsoft New Zealand Sales and Partner director John Bessey was one of those to encourage Provoke's Auckland move. "Provoke has clearly demonstrated their commitment to the Microsoft platform having achieved the pinnacle of Gold Partner status. They've worked extremely hard over the last few years to prove themselves as technology innovators, but also as first class usability experts. We're looking forward to continuing our partnership with Provoke and excited about the value they can bring to our Auckland customers, especially in the SharePoint 2007 space."
Provoke has traditionally concentrated on the public sector, with customers such as the New Zealand Fire Service, the Department of Internal Affairs, the Department of Conservation, the State Services Commission, Meridian Energy and ONTRACK.
More recently, however, it has focussed on partnerships with private sector clients, such as Loyalty New Zealand, Transpower, Contact Energy and the ANZ National Bank.
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