Software Vendors

The Software industry has been through radical changes over the past 2 decades, and the result leaves three classes of software company. Mega-vendors with a complex array of hundreds of overlapping products, lacking integration and often built with outdated technology. Mid-sized companies, not big enough to threaten the mega-vendors but with existing products in an established market with growth challenges. Start-ups and small companies with new, potentially disruptive technology trying to develop a niche.

These companies all need to innovate. They need to cater for sophisticated customers with ever higher expectations in highly competitive markets. This means a delicate balance between casting aside entrenched ideas without losing traditional strengths. Essentially an organisational and leadership challenge, these companies need new ideas articulated clearly with buy-in across the organisation. No mean feat in such a fast moving environment.

Over his 30 year career, Cliff Longman has worked for large and small software companies in the data management space. This extensive organisational experience and in-depth market and technical know-how coupled with his articulate leadership enables him to quickly add value to software companies in all three classes. Working with executives, product managers, product marketers and highly technical R&D staff, Cliff is a past master at solving cross-disciplinary problems with buy-in from across the organisation. His skills with analysts, the press and customers enable him to quickly evaluate new product ideas. In start-ups where cash conservation is key and punching above your weight in the market while developing product with limited resource is necessary, Cliff’s creative side brings a clear focus to working smarter rather than harder.