About Prodata
One of the leading value-added distributors in South Africa, Prodata has been providing specialized hardware and software solutions across Africa and the surrounding Indian Ocean Islands for the last 30 years. It provides a variety of services to its client base including system integration, corporate solutions, software development, consulting, and distribution.
Its business model is based on building long-term client relationships, ensuring that all services offered are geared towards value proposition over a period of time and not on the short term. Prodata also prides itself on a strong set of values covering customer satisfaction, quality, service excellence, professionalism, and integrity.
A new opportunity
Prodata’s partnership with Exclaimer began when it was in the process of developing software to meet a growing need from its client base; one that would allow a company to centrally mange corporate email signatures.
“We had built a solution for Linux in the early 2000s that would let our clients centrally control all email signature elements more easily such as legal disclaimers and formatting,” described Jay Bradley, Founder and Managing Director at Prodata.
“We had been getting more and more requests to make email signature management easier, which we were unable to cope with using our Linux-based solution alone. We felt it was best to build a new solution to work with Microsoft Exchange, something we believed did not exist at the time. At the time, we didn’t know of any other software providers offering a similar value proposition, but upon taking a look at the wider marketplace, we discovered there was another vendor known as Exclaimer.”
Becoming the African branch of Exclaimer
As this new business relationship started to take off, Prodata rapidly took on a proactive approach to selling Exclaimer solutions. “We have never just sold Exclaimer software; we’ve always gone that one step further. For example, we’ve carried out beta tests for its Quality Assurance team, have been a direct part of the product development for a number of Exclaimer solutions, and have invested a lot of time in ensuring Exclaimer has a strong foothold in Africa.”
Mr Bradley also highlighted that Prodata is now seen to literally be the African branch of Exclaimer. “We truly live the Exclaimer brand and hold our business partnership in very high regards,” he stated. “Exclaimer builds great value-added solutions that provide a real benefit to companies looking to maintain control of their corporate email signatures. Whether it be for compliance purposes through using an appropriate email disclaimer or making sure all end-users have consistent branding, email signature management is important for any company of any size. This is what makes Exclaimer’s solutions really easy-to-sell, especially when we bundle it with other products to clients we have good relationships with.”
Looking to the future
With many business forecasts predicting market growth opportunities in Africa over the coming years, Prodata is in a strong position to continue being the ‘face’ of Exclaimer across the continent. At the same time, the company continues to be loyal to Exclaimer and it has developed a real emotional attachment to the partnership both organizations share.
“Prodata has truly been instrumental in Exclaimer’s market growth in Africa, and our business relationship has been mutually beneficial to both parties,” Mr Bradley concluded. “There is no question of us ever choosing to work with another email signature management provider and we are very proud of all that we have done with Exclaimer. I am confident that our partnership will be even more fruitful in the future as a result of our continued collaboration.”
INDUSTRY
IT
LOCATION
South Africa
Jay Bradley Founder and Managing Director