CF Apple Computer

A lot of people know the name Apple, but don t know what it stands for, O Toole says. We are going to get reps out on the road and into business premises to show people what Apple can do, especially the untapped market in Blenheim. Tell them it s a whole package with after sales service. The new marketing strategy will see the recruitment of a new salesman. There will be cold calling on businesses, as well as adverts in the local paper and other print media.

We have to educate business that there is an alternative to standard. We have not advertised for a long time. We will also start on some direct marketing, especially in the education sector, he says. Advanced Communications currently employs seven people three in the store, including office manager Sarah Richards, two sales reps out on the road, one technician, plus O Toole. It plans to increase staffing as business allows.

O Toole says it is easy to attract staff in Nelson as the area is a place where people want to live. At present, the company largely serves the consumer market, plus graphic designers, especially those making local tourism brochures. The launch of iPods has boosted trade in recent years, with education another mainstay. Office manager Sarah Richards says local schools, even as far away as Marlborough or Golden Bay, form a large part of Advanced s customer base.

This is helped by a scheme called Laptops for Teachers, where the teachers have a choice of three subsidised laptops. Local polytechnics and schools also have suites of Apple computers, a situation helped by the latest Macs that can run Microsoft Windows. A lot of people are sick of mainstream PCs and want something more reliable.