Making 2010 a year to remember

With only three months left, companies need to act quickly and use all available resources to ensure 2010 is a year to remember. They will need to consider alternative methods to help increase their revenues and establish a pipeline for the coming year. This is according to data and lead generation specialists CG Consulting.

Database 360, a division of CG Consulting, has announced that it is experiencing an enormous interest in its African database, a comprehensive resource of companies and executives throughout the African continent.

CG Consulting sales and marketing director Louise Robinson says companies are under immense pressure to ensure their future. Everyone is looking for alternative markets to grow their businesses and it is evident that Africa is one of the biggest emerging markets. We are inundated with requests for accurate data throughout the continent.

Database 360 is a database developed specifically to provide IT organisations, wanting to do business in Africa, with access to the right people, the right contact details, and the right information about the specific needs of these companies.

The reality is that data for emerging Africa is almost non-existent. This is the reason why we have invested significantly in time and resources to build and develop a comprehensive database of businesses in Africa, she explains.

She warns that South Africa data is everywhere and one can purchase a list from anyone and simply hit the send button and start spamming potential clients. This will result in turn losing credibility and potential business. One needs to be sure the data is accurate, up-to-date and relevant. If not, then you are wasting your time, money, and damaging your reputation.

Database 360 is a data company with offices in South Africa and the UK. The company does not purely collate data with contact details, its team of specialised consultants contacts clients, discusses the client's potential business needs and develops data resources - based on this information.

In addition, the company conducts regular research and surveys through its databases, especially to determine their specific needs. As a result, Database 360 has a wealth of relevant information that can be used by companies, specifically in the IT industry.

Database 360 is not only able to offer its clients first level contact data, but also the informational data that is able to provide insight into a client's needs.

People want to do business in Africa, but the challenge for many has been where to start. Many African countries still do not have websites so one is unable to Google them and pick up their contact details, the Web data that is available is also often outdated or non-existent so we need to continuously call and verify and update the data, another challenge facing companies wanting to do business in Africa has been knowing who to talk to when in the door, she says.

The data currently held by Database 360 includes corporate data across all the major business verticals with contacts for the offices of IT, finance, CEO, HR etc. In addition, the company has French, Portuguese and Arabic speaking people working within the company that has assisted the company overcome the language barrier when dealing with many African organisations. As a result, Database 360 has become a gateway to doing business in Africa.

"It has been our goal over the last couple of years to develop a qualified database that will offer our own clients a full view of businesses in Africa, and I believe we have now achieved this," she concludes.