Element Software
The Apple Developer Connection
With approximately 85 per cent of Copper users running the solution on Apple hardware, Element Software's membership to the Apple Developer Connection is delivering significant benefits, both in development and marketing.
"The amount of material written and developed specifically to support developers on the Mac OS X platform is a major boon for our developers," Prendergast states. "Even without logging in to ADC with their username and password, they can access an enormous library of technical guides and reference materials - everything's there."
While many of the ADC resources are freely available to non-members, it's the membership value that Prendergast regards as being a major tool for building Element Software's success in the market. "ADC membership has given us the opportunity to plan for involvement in a number of Apple conferences and seminars," he explains. "One of the great things is that in the US, which is one of our biggest markets, the Apple people have databases of potential customers looking for specific solutions.
"Already, we're putting together a webinar that we can present to the Apple project management seminar. This will give us direct access to at least 50 professionals who already have an interest in the type of solution that Copper provides.
"Aside from the fact that we're saving at least $5,000 in air fares, the fact that Apple is delivering to us an audience of interested professionals is a massive cost-saving and, of course, the potential for even more sales."
The Sum of the Parts
As the Element Software team continues to explore the benefits of operating on the Mac platform, it's ultimately the Copper users who are also reaping the rewards. "There's a team in California using Copper in their cancer research efforts," Prendergast says. "Then, there are government departments that use Copper to protect their corporate knowledge by using it as a knowledge repository.
"We're constantly in awe of what our customers are doing with this solution - and we see that building our internal focus on Apple gives us an even greater ability to make Copper an increasingly valuable tool for our customers."
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