London, 23^rd September 2011 – Deffinity MSA Limited (www.deffinity.com), a leading UK software company providing premium (SaaS) Project and Programme Delivery solutions to IT Vendors, Integrators, Architects, Media Companies, Consulting firms, Local Government and the global Financial Services sector, today announced the appointment of Khatija Tootla as Director of Corporate Governance.

Khatija has been a practising Attorney, Notary Public, Conveyancer and Arbitrator for 16 years, and has more than five years in corporate governance work in South Africa, providing training in King III, the new Companies Act 2008 and JSE Listings Requirements. She specialises in various fields of corporate and commercial law, company secretarial, corporate governance, regulatory, compliance and risk management. Khatija holds a B.A., LLB, LLM (Corporate Law) (Unisa), Post-grad. Cert. (Advanced Taxation), Cert. in Labour Law, MBA – Certificate in Management (U.K), Cert. in Intellectual Property Law (WIPO and UNISA). Khatija was a Group Company Secretary and Legal Counsel (Manager) for a listed company and for a state owned enterprise and is also Moderator for the CIS board exam for Institute of Company Secretaries (ICSA).

Deffinity is a premium web-based Project and Programme Management solution that is taking the market by storm. Deffinity creates a simple, intuitive, collaborative “live” project environment through a web portal, giving Project Managers, Finance Directors, Vendors and Clients an instant snapshot and total visibility of project portfolios in real-time. Unlike conventional project tools, Deffinity is the only cloud service to provide true PPM (Programme and Project Management) capabilities, whilst offering a unique customer service environment that differentiates and adds real value to working relationships.

Steve Pinkney, Global Director of Sales & Marketing said, “Following on from our summer announcement of the fourth international Deffinity office to be opened in 2011 (Houston, Frankfurt, Johannesburg, Istanbul), we are delighted to announce Khatija’s appointment at a critical time in our growth. As we engage upon ever larger global contracts and implementations, Khatija’s experience and wise counsel will ensure that our growth is measured and compliant”.

Khatija Tootla commented, “I have been impressed with the Deffinity team’s vision and professionalism, and understand their ambitious plans for global expansion. I was, therefore, delighted to accept their offer and look forward to guiding the company through the legalities inherent to a rapidly expanding organisation”.

Nadeem Mohammed, Managing Director and CTO said, “I would like to extend a warm welcome to Khatija in joining the Deffinity family. She possesses an incredible amount of experience and qualifications that will help us in the years ahead. Her disciplined approach and personable nature will only serve to improve the professional service that we strive to impart to our partners, customers and prospects alike”.

For further details go to www.deffinity.com or email info@deffinity.com.

London, 31st May 2011 – Deffinity MSA Limited (www.deffinity.com), a leading UK software company providing premium (SaaS) Project and Programme Delivery solutions to IT Vendors, Integrators, Architects, Media Companies, Consulting firms, Local Government and the global Financial Services sector, today announced the opening of their new office in Istanbul, Turkey. Deffinity Türkiye is the latest subsidiary company of Deffinity MSA Ltd (UK) and will serve as the new sales and operations centre for clients in the Turkish and Eastern Mediterranean market.

Deffinity is a premium web-based Project and Programme Management solution that is taking the market by storm. Deffinity creates a simple, intuitive, collaborative “live” project environment through a web portal, giving Project Managers, Finance Directors, Vendors and Clients an instant snapshot and total visibility of project portfolios in real-time. Unlike conventional project tools, Deffinity is the only cloud service to provide true PPM (Programme and Project Management) capabilities, whilst offering a unique customer service environment that differentiates and adds real value to working relationships. Deffinity’s drag-and-drop functionality, with a choice of hosted or enterprise solutions, allows clients (and their clients) to track all project and service related activities on a “live” basis. Customers can choose from a mix of modules to create their “own Deffinity” including Projects, Programme Management, Resource Planning, Change Control, Audits, Inventory, Timesheets, Document Management, Service Catalogues, Tender Management, and Training Manager, all of which gives them an affordable, flexible tool that grows with them as the business evolves, on a straightforward monthly subscription.

Steve Pinkney, Global Director of Sales & Marketing said, “We are extremely pleased to announce our fourth new international office to be opened since January 2011. Our new operation in Istanbul has been achieved in record time due to the high levels of business and interest in the Deffinity solution both in Turkey and the Eastern Mediterranean in general. Deffinity is now available in multiple languages including all European, Cyrillic, Arabic and Kanji scripts which means that global project teams can work seamlessly together via Deffinity’s simple web portal. We look forward to many years of successful project implementations with our Turkish colleagues”.

Tugrul Ozbay, Director of Deffinity Türkiye said “My co-Director, Cem Redif, and I have been incredibly impressed with the Deffinity solution, as well as the commitment and passion of the team behind it. We totally understand why it is seen as ‘The new standard in Project and Programme Management’ and have detailed plans to promote this fact throughout our geographic region”.

Nadeem Mohammed, Managing Director and CTO said, “This is an excellent expansion for Deffinity, and I am delighted to see the many opportunities that we have in Turkey and the surrounding region. Deffinity is the world’s only true end-to-end PPM (Project & Programme Management) solution and our move into new countries and markets proves the immediate benefit that our solution brings to our customers, wherever they are in the world”.

For further details go to www.deffinity.com or email info@deffinity.com.

London, 27^th April 2011 –
Deffinity MSA Limited (www.deffinity.com), a leading UK software company providing premium (SaaS) Project and Programme Delivery solutions to IT Vendors, Integrators, Architects, Media Companies, Consulting firms, Local Government and the global Financial Services sector, today announced the appointment of Mr Tirumaleswar Reddy as Director of Development. Reddy (as he is familiarly
known) has been leading Deffinity’s contracted offshore development for the last three years and will also assume managerial responsibility for the company’s new entity, Deffinity India.

Deffinity is a premium web-based Project and Programme Management solution that is taking
the market by storm. Deffinity creates a simple, intuitive, collaborative “live” project environment through a web portal, giving Project Managers, Finance Directors, Vendors and Clients an instant
snapshot and total visibility of project portfolios in real-time.

Unlike conventional project tools, Deffinity is the only cloud service to provide true PPM (Programme and Project Management) capabilities, whilst offering a unique customer service environment that differentiates and adds real value to working relationships.

Deffinity’s drag-and-drop functionality, with a choice of hosted or enterprise solutions,
allows clients (and their clients) to track all project and service related activities on a “live” basis. Customers can choose from a mix of modules to create their “own Deffinity” including Projects,
Programme Management, Resource Planning, Change Control, Audits, Inventory,
Timesheets, Document Management, Service Catalogues, Tender Management, and
Training Manager, all of which gives them an affordable, flexible tool that grows with them as the business evolves, on a straightforward monthly subscription.

Steve Pinkney, Global Director of Sales & Marketing said, “Since the beginning of 2011 we have expanded our operational capability from London to Frankfurt, Johannesburg, Houston and now Bangalore in India. Reddy is an exceptional individual who has lead his team of 20 developers by example, working all hours to make Deffinity the incredible solution that it is today. As an inclusive and
progressive organisation we wanted to ensure that Reddy and his team share in our future success, and so we are delighted that he has accepted the role of Director of Development, as well as taking managerial control of our important new entity, Deffinity India”.

Nadeem Mohammed, Managing Director and CTO said, “I have known Reddy for many years and he has consistently  demonstrated a passion, commitment and energy that is shared by Deffinity’s senior management team. With our growing client base it is crucial that we consolidate all aspects of
Deffinity’s evolution, and I am delighted that Reddy has accepted our offer. With all development work now sitting firmly under the Deffinity India banner, we are positive that our progress, despite being well ahead of plan, will accelerate and reach even higher levels”.

For further details refer to www.deffinity.com or email sales@deffinity.com.

London, 31st March 2011 – Deffinity MSA Limited (www.deffinity.com), a leading UK software company providing premium (SaaS) Project and Programme Delivery solutions to IT Vendors, Integrators, Architects, Media Companies, Consulting firms, Local Government and the global Financial Services sector, today announced the opening of their new office in Houston, Texas. Deffinity North America Ltd is the latest subsidiary company of Deffinity MSA Ltd (UK) and will serve as the new sales and operations centre for clients in the USA.

Deffinity is a premium web-based Project and Programme Management solution that is taking the market by storm. Deffinity creates a simple, intuitive, collaborative “live” project environment through a simple web portal, giving Project Managers, Finance Directors, Vendors and Clients an instant snapshot and total visibility of project portfolios in real-time. Unlike conventional project tools, Deffinity is the only cloud service to provide true PPM (Programme and Project Management) capabilities, whilst offering a unique customer service environment that differentiates and adds real value to working relationships.

Deffinity’s simple drag-and-drop functionality, with a choice of hosted or enterprise solutions, allows clients (and their clients) to track all project and service related activities on a “live” basis. Customers can choose from a mix of modules to create their “own Deffinity” including Projects, Programme Management, Resource Planning, Change Control, Audits, Timesheets, Document Management, Tender Management, and Training Manager, all of which gives them an affordable, flexible tool that grows with them as the business evolves, on a simple monthly subscription.

Steve Pinkney, Global Director of Sales & Marketing said, “Further to our recently announced new offices in Frankfurt and Johannesburg, we have now brought plans for US expansion forward following significant new customer wins in North America. Having firmly established ourselves in the UK during the last 12 months, with customers ranging from some of the largest Investment Banks to leading IT Service Providers and global Pharmaceutical organisations, we are now looking to replicate this success in North America. We have been fortunate to hire industry veteran John Maloney, and he is already establishing Deffinity as a premium brand throughout his extensive contact within leading US organisations.

Nadeem Mohammed, Managing Director and CTO said, “Again, I am delighted with how our marketing plan is coming together, and we are now well ahead of schedule. These are exciting times for all at Deffinity and we are firmly on our way to establishing our solution as the definitive new standard in project delivery”.

For further details refer to www.deffinity.com or email sales@deffinity.com.

Deffinity open new office in Frankfurt

Deffinity Europe Ltd will provide coverage for Northern and Southern Europe

London, 15^th March 2011 – Deffinity MSA Limited (www.deffinity.com), a leading UK software company providing hosted (SaaS) Project and Programme Delivery solutions to IT Vendors, Integrators, Architects, Media Companies, Consulting firms, Local Government and the global Financial Services sector, today announced the opening of their new office in Germany. Located in the heart of Frankfurt’s Bankenviertel or Financial District, Deffinity Europe Ltd is a new subsidiary company of Deffinity MSA Ltd (UK) and will provide coverage for Deffinity’s customers in Northern and Southern Europe.

Deffinity is a web based Project and Programme Management solution that is taking the market by storm. Deffinity creates a “live” project environment through a simple web portal, giving Project Managers, Finance Directors, Vendors and Clients an instant snapshot and total visibility of project portfolios in real-time. Unlike conventional project tools, Deffinity brings to life every component of a project from the moment it goes live, keeping all project schedules and documentation in a single accessible location so access is available from anywhere in the world, at any time of day. Deffinity saves up to 50% in project administration costs and allows the user to efficiently manage their IT assets and resources, and maximise profitability at all levels.

Deffinity’s simple drag-and-drop functionality, with a choice of hosted or enterprise solutions, allows clients (and their clients) to track all project and service related activities on a “live” basis. Customers can choose from a mix of modules to create their “own Deffinity” including Projects, Programme Management, Resource Planning, Change Control, Audits, Timesheets, Document Management, Tender Management, and Training Manager, all of which gives them an affordable, flexible tool that grows with them as the business evolves, on a simple monthly subscription.

Steve Pinkney, Global Director of Sales & Marketing said, “Following recent announcements about our new operational offices in Scandinavia with Deffinity Nordic Ltd and South Africa with Deffinity Africa Ltd, we are pressing ahead with aggressive expansion plans that will ensure global availability of services and local contacts for our growing client base. In the last 12 months we have firmly established ourselves in the UK, with customers ranging from some of the largest Investment Banks to leading IT Service Providers and global Pharmaceutical organisations. We are now closely engaged with leading European organisations and are committed to the highest levels of service excellence”.

Nadeem Mohammed, Managing Director and CTO said, “The business marketing plan that we implemented in Q4 of 2010 is firmly on target and we are delighted with our progress to date. There is a lot more hard work ahead, but the calibre of our growing Deffinity community will ensure that we achieve our stated objective, which is to be the new global standard in project delivery. I am delighted to welcome our new colleagues in Frankfurt and know that their knowledge and experiences will greatly enhance our presence throughout continental Europe”.

For further details refer to www.deffinity.com or email sales@deffinity.com.

Further expansion will serve as Head Office for Continental Africa

London, 8^th March 2011 – Deffinity MSA Limited (www.deffinity.com), a leading UK software company providing hosted (SaaS) Project Delivery solutions to IT Vendors, Integrators, Architects, Media Companies, Consulting firms, Local Government and the global Financial Services sector, today announced the opening of their new office in South Africa. Located at 4^th Floor, West Tower, Nelson Mandela Square, Sandton City, Johannesburg, the office will be run by Bryan Mutambiranwa, Director of Deffinity UK’s new joint venture company, Deffinity Africa Ltd, and will also serve as Deffinity’s Head Office within continental Africa.

Deffinity creates a “live” project environment through a simple web portal, giving Project Managers, Finance Directors, Vendors and Clients an instant snapshot and total visibility of project portfolios in real-time. Now being used to deliver major projects by many leading UK investment banks, service providers and IT Consulting companies, Deffinity saves up to 50% in project administration costs and allows the user to efficiently manage their IT assets and resources, whilst maximising profitability at all levels.

Deffinity’s simple drag-and-drop functionality, with a choice of hosted or enterprise solutions, allows clients (and their clients) to track all project and service related activities on a “live” basis. Customers can choose from a mix of modules to create their “own Deffinity” including Projects, Programme Management, Resource Planning, Change Control, Audits, Timesheets, Document Management, Tender Management, Training and Service Desk, all of which gives them an affordable, flexible tool that grows with them as the business evolves, on a simple monthly subscription.

Steve Pinkney, Global Director of Sales & Marketing said, “Following our recent expansion into Scandinavia with Deffinity Nordic Ltd, we are delighted to open our new office in Johannesburg and launch Deffinity Africa Ltd. This is the result of keen interest in our solutions from the Finance and Mining sectors in particular, and we will be announcing significant contract wins in the very near future. We are also engaged on opportunities in the SADC region (Southern Africa Development Community) – Botswana, Tanzania, Angola, Mozambique, Zambia, Congo and Kenya. These areas will be managed from our Johannesburg operation.”

Pinkney added, “I am particularly pleased to welcome our new Business Development Director in South Africa, Bryan Mutambiranwa (BSc Hons, Information Systems). Bryan is a highly placed and successful professional with a 16 year track record and has extensive experience with global technology companies such as IBM Global Services, Computer Associates, Gartner, Checkpoint, and Visionapp. Bryan has held a series of senior roles within these organisations and was responsible for key growth, technical & business solutions build, project management, marketing and operations within the African market. We consider him to be a valuable addition to the Deffinity community and look forward to many successes in the region”.

For further details refer to www.deffinity.com or email sales@deffinity.com.

Deffinity creates a “live” project environment through a simple web portal, giving Project Managers, Finance Directors, Vendors and Clients an instant snapshot and total visibility of project portfolios in real-time. Now being used to deliver major projects by manyleading UK investment banks, service providers and IT Consulting companies, Deffinity saves up to 50% in project administration costs and allows the user to efficiently manage their IT assets and resources, whilst maximising profitability at all levels.

Deffinity’s simple drag-and-drop functionality, with a choice of hosted or enterprise solutions, allows clients (and their clients) to track all project and service related activities on a “live” basis. Customers can choose from a mix of modules to create their “own Deffinity” including Projects, Resource Planning, Change Control, Audits, Inventory, Timesheets, Document Management, Tender Management, Training and Service Desk, all of which gives them an affordable, flexible tool that grows with them as the business evolves, on a simple monthly subscription.

Steve Pinkney, Global Director of Sales & Marketing said, “We have been delighted and quite taken aback by the rapid take-up of our Deffinity solution here in the UK, and have a defined strategy that will replicate that success internationally. Overseas, we have been seeking credible service providers who bring with them an established customer base, and recognition of the added value and innovation that Deffinity will offer their customers, as well as providing a valuable revenue stream with professional service opportunities within their region.”

Pinkney added, “Our new subsidiary, Deffinity Nordic, will be based in Stockholm and cater for the Scandinavian market. In othercountries, we have established new partnership/reseller agreements with leading Service Providers; Axcom in France, Peritia International in South Africa and XiCorp in the Middle East. We are in advanced discussions with prospective partners in Germany,Switzerland, Italy, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the USA. To support this global community we have also released a multi-language version of Deffinity which will ensure that all countries can collaborate seamlessly in a “live” project environment”.

For further details refer to www.deffinity.com or email info@deffinity.com.

Who Moved My Cheese? is an enlightening story of four characters who live in a “Maze” and look for “Cheese” to nourish them and make them happy. Two are mice named Sniff and Scurry, and two are mouse-size people named Hem and Haw.

“Cheese” is a metaphor for what you want to have in life – whether it is a good job, a loving relationship, money, a possession, health, or spiritual peace of mind. And “The Maze” is where you look for what you want – the organisation you work in, or the family or community you live in.

In the story, the characters are faced with unexpected change. Eventually, one of them deals with change successfully, and writes what he has learned from his experience on the maze walls. When you come to see “The Handwriting on the Wall” it’s easier to discover for yourself how to deal with change and enjoy more success and less stress in your work and in your life.

At Deffinity, whenever we come across organisations, particularly Installers, we like to draw friendly parallels with the “two little people” in the story. That’s because so many of these businesses have ended up in the same trap. Similar to the story, these “two little people” managed to get by; finding project work (cheese) here and there. They repeated the same action over and over again because it made them some money and it was exciting. They followed the same path through the maze since the start.

However over time, the “little people” realised that their supply of cheese was diminishing by the day. Yet, although new cheese was staring them in the face, they turned away the opportunity and settled for their daily routine, going still deeper into the maze, compelled by pieces of new cheese here and there. Eventually the cheese dried up and that’s when they decided it was time to find new cheese.

Moving into the field of managed services can be a daunting task for any installer. Managed Services, unlike project work, requires a completely different outlook towards managing, measuring and reporting to customers. The challenge is to transform the business using qualified resources, a change to processes and a suitable solution that underpins delivery; at the same time minimising disruption to the business. Of course, there’s more to it than just that. A fundamental part of the process is a cultural shift throughout the organisation from top to bottom, particularly when dealing with massive change.  

The great thing about managed services is, to some extent, you’re almost guaranteed some form of income on a regular basis over the contractual period. In other words there’s a continuous supply of cheese! Provided you deliver a quality service of course. And that’s just the point – Delivering a Quality Service. So what does this mean exactly if you’re still in the position of one of those “little people”?

You need to consider:

• Skills in selling managed services
• Management of the service
• Continuous Improvement and innovation
• Keeping the Competitors Out
• Qualified personnel – Training Programme

If you’ve been selling installation services for any length of time, then selling managed services requires a completely different skill set. Installation of a product/service will naturally be a sub-set of the managed services proposition. However there is a need to consider why a prospect would shift from their current supplier to you. What’s unique to your business that isn’t currently offered by the prospect’s incumbent supplier? It’s difficult enough to knock an incumbent off their perch, but if you aim at the right level with a robust message around delivering efficiency and cost savings, underpinned by a solution that can guarantee such promises, then you have a good chance of being successful.

Haw, one of the two little people in the story, in his search for new cheese, reflected on his experience. In the story, he pondered a return to see his old friend and decides to help him by writing the following on one of the Cheese stations:

Change Happens

They Keep Moving The Cheese

Anticipate Change

Get Ready For The Cheese To Move

Monitor Change

Smell The Cheese Often So You Know When It Is Getting Old

Adapt To Change Quickly

The Quicker You Let Go Of Old Cheese, The Sooner You Can Enjoy New Cheese

Enjoy Change!

Savour  the taste of new Cheese!

Be Ready To Change Quickly And Enjoy It Again & Again

What Haw wrote applies to anyone in the Managed Services industry. If you fail to recognise and adapt to change, it opens the gates to competitors to prove they can deliver something better. Therefore you need to anticipate change all the time. One of the ways to achieve this is through excellent Account Management. In other words feeling the “pulse of your customer” and continually monitoring what’s going on around the client’s environment and changing your delivery to meet their requirements.

Another equally important and fundamentally important principle in managed services is to stick to the contract and review it on a regular basis with the client. Measuring how the team perform by transaction, and reporting back to the customer in real-time is where the greatest level of change is required. Spreadsheets work to some extent and you can get by. But anyone who has been in the game will tell you that when the customer needs a new or immediate report, historical data held in Excel spreadsheets is not the way to go. What is needed is a “live” project environment where status is updated on the fly, for all to see.

Providing managed services requires an on-going effort to improve products, services and processes. These changes can be small and referred to as “incremental” improvement, or can often be radical “wholesale” improvements. Customer delivery processes should be constantly evaluated and improved in the light of their efficiency, effectiveness and flexibility. Innovative service delivery solutions help to improve communication with internal teams and suppliers, and provide a means to report back to customers in real-time. They also allow for integration into the client’s environment. By continually monitoring the service and introducing service improvements, you will lock customers in and ensure that you retain a healthy long term relationship.

Steve Pinkney

Director

Deffinity MSA Ltd

www.deffinity.com

Sontel design and install voice and cabling solutions for the Local Government and Retail sectors. Staying on top of project delivery whilst maintaining high standards of quality across a number of concurrent projects is a challenging task. From an Operations perspective, managing a large pool of permanent and sub-contract staff and dealing with the administration behind it adds to the demands of the business. Furthermore, customers demand immediate information which means that a burden is placed upon project managers and their attempts to multi-task with all parties.

Like many other businesses that attempt to run their operations with spreadsheets and disjointed applications, Sontel found themselves in a predicament. They needed a solution that was cost- effective for their business, would seamlessly integrate with business operations and, most importantly, deliver real-time information to customers wherever and whenever they needed it.

Springboard is based on the Deffinity.com platform, and it has allowed Sontel to regain control of their business and deliver a truly unique customer experience. A birds-eye view of every customer- related activity including projects, incidents, requests for new services and auditing for compliance, has enabled Sontel to better manage their workload, and at the same time deliver an innovative and highly efficient service. Customers are provided with a login to a unique dashboard from which they can view up-to-the-minute status reports. This level of information means that the customer is assured that their demands are being met, and that they are consistently receiving agreed levels of service from the contract.

Sontel Network Communications are a leading provider of cabling and wireless networking technology as well as unified messaging solutions, based on Siemens HiPath OpenOffice. For 15  years  they have been a key installer of voice and cabling solutions to the Local Government and Retail sectors.

Deffinity.com is an on-line platform for Service Delivery and Project Management. It is aimed at mid-tier and large Systems Integrators, as well as blue-chip organisations who are looking to standardise service and project delivery, whilst consolidating all relevant data, so delivering exceptional value to their customers. 

Contact: Chris Amies – camies@sontel.co.uk

DDI: 01280 822 801

Mobile: 07900 98 00 78

Deffinity, a privately owned City-based company, was formed by a group of senior professionals with extensive experience in major project and service work within the UK banking and IT markets. Their integrated, customisable solutions provide powerful management and analysis tools that include: