RAY SMUTS AFTER CATERING to the needs of larger companies for a good number of years, Cape Town-based Macro 2000 has decided it’s time also to look at the needs of the small, often single, operator by launching a “stripped-down” PC version of its software. And marketing executive Anthea van Breemen is curious to know why most enquiring about the new product are from KwaZulu Natal. “I guess it’s because there are a lot of small enterprises in that province,” she suggests. “While the new version still offers all the functionality of the Macro 2000 software, the difference is you can run it off a PC operating system like Windows XP. “Basically a single user system, it enables one to do warehousing, stock control and distribution.” The new product is available on a rental basis starting at R 1 500, excluding the cost of installation. To buy instead would cost between R35 000 and R70 000, depending on the number of modules required. As to why Macro 2000 prefers to rent rather than sell its software products, Van Breemen says :”From our perspective, rental is a strength rather than a weakness because the software is offered on a month to month basis. The customer can terminate the agreement at any time. Bigger market “We believe there is a much bigger market for us in the SME sector as this often requires a low entry level, with a strong growth path when ready.” Van Breemen says many people are also running Macro Warehouse Management system interfaced with mainstream accounting software, one such example being a large cold store in Durban. Macro 2000 is a Microsoft business partner (or independent software vendor) and also an IMB business partner.
