eNccompass ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) software was developed with the focus primarily on the domestic market. Though we knew that we could market this software overseas, we never anticipated that eNccompass would mature so quickly, hit the international market and go global. eNccompass, launched in the domestic market in January 2004, was initially targeted towards Discreet Manufacturing Companies. After five implementations of eNccompass, we found it was successfully implemented in two fast growing verticals in Discreet Manufacturing — auto ancillaries and textiles. Hence, two more variants of eNccompass came into being — eNccompass-auto and eNccompass-textile.

The opportunity to make eNccompass go global came when a few of our ERP consultants were working on a project in Botswana. The model adopted by Godrej Infotech to explore the export market is to team up with partners. Thanks to the downloadable eNccompass demo on our website and other technology, we were able to contact customers and explain our product to them; but we somehow always fell short of finalising the relationship. With this experience we are now aggressively working on partner programmes to address the overseas markets.

The Botswana Experience

Our ERP consultants who had been to Botswana introduced Godrej Infotech and eNccompass to a software company that was doing a lot of government business in Botswana in Oracle development and was actively seeking a partnership with an organisation with an ERP package. After an initial discussion with Marketing on the phone and through our website, the partner was interested in building a relationship with us. He also lined up around five prospects in Botswana and positioned eNccompass with them. In the meantime, our Marketing team was also in touch with a company in Johannesburg looking for ERP. Thus we formed a concrete strategy for the South African market and decided to launch "eNccompass-global".

Our team of Ashwin Mistry, Business Head — Software Solutions, Godrej Infotech Ltd., and Pradip Kapoor, Chief Executive Officer, Godrej Infotech Ltd., left for Botswana with the objective of obtaining first-hand understanding of the market, signing of a partnership and exploring business prospects. The journey beginning October 2004 was a real success because not only did we sign up with the partner, but by November 2004 we also won two clients in Botswana and Johannesburg. Implementation has already started at both sites. The partner has also invested in developing a team to promote eNccompass in South African countries and we expect more business from there.

eNccompass-global has started its journey from Botswana and South Africa. We are confident that it will shortly cover many more countries across the globe.
 

Chinmay Patra
Godrej Infotech Ltd.