Gradually, accountants and small business owners began to make the move from laborious manual bookkeeping to the lightning-fast world of computerised accounting with Internet functionality. Pastel was acquired by JSE-listed Softline in February 1999. Pastel has grown to become a hugely successful accounting software organisation with more than 200 employees around the world. The company's products are sold in 37 countries and there are versions available in eight languages with two more in development, he says. Because the software is so versatile, powerful and cost-effective, we have built up a significant customer base.
Pastel is the dominant software developer in South Africa.
It has created an organisation covering many areas, including training, support and consulting. Pastel is a compulsory second-year course in many tertiary institutions. Corrigan says one of the company's goals is to expand its range of software. CRM systems allow companies to create and maintain relationships with their customers. While having good customer relations may sound like basic business sense, it's not always easy to achieve.