Daily Archives: May 9, 2018

Brisbane-based software group simPRO has established a team in California as part of a strategic move into the USA’s booming West Coast solar and security markets.

simPRO began in Brisbane in 2002 and over the last 15 years has grown to become one of the world’s leading job management software platforms, with more than 100,000 users worldwide.

The company has now appointed a team of three to focus on the Californian cities of San Diego and Sacramento, supporting its existing US headquarters in Colorado.

Announcing the move, simPRO US President Glenn Nott said the company had received strong interest from businesses in California looking for a job management platform like simPRO’s.

‘California is our fastest growing market in the US, particularly in the solar and security industries,’ he said.

‘The California solar industry has exploded over recent years, creating demand for technicians and field maintenance people.

‘Helping businesses that provide this maintenance and ensuring they can deliver the right people, at the right place and at the right time is what simPRO does best.’

The US solar industry generated $USD154 billion in economic activity in 2016, with about 360,000 people employed in the industry. California makes up nearly half of the entire US industry.

‘We see the solar industry as a major opportunity, not just in the short term, but over the long term as solar energy becomes more common and affordable,’ Mr Nott said.

‘While figures are less readily available, we see the more established security industry as a large opportunity and one that has potential to achieve high growth for simPRO.’

Mr Nott said the high levels of technological sophistication of local California businesses was also an important part of the decision to target the state with additional resources.

simPRO provides office and field-based software solutions for service, project and maintenance trade contractors from a wide range of industries.

The company’s software streamlines business processes such as project management, asset maintenance, stock management, scheduling, invoicing and payment processing.

In 2016, simPRO raised AUD$40 million in capital and has made strong inroads into the US market since ramping up expansion 12 months ago.

TIQ Europe has previously worked with simPRO to support their expansion into the UK market.

Digital industries are identified as one of Queensland’s emerging export strengths in the Queensland Trade and Investment Strategy 2017–2022.

Flight Centre Travel Group’s (FCTG) powerful, pocket-sized chatbot travel assistant, is super-charged and ready to battle the travel grind on behalf of the country’s corporate road warriors.

FCTG today is announcing the Australian arrival of Sam at the btTB GBTA conference in Sydney. The award-winning mobile travel assistant app has been developed by the group’s innovation lab in Europe.

Employing a blend of AI (artificial intelligence) and integrated travel consultant support, Sam overlays the most important features that a business traveller needs with the experience that a leisure traveller enjoys.

Sam is now available for clients of FCTG brands FCM Travel Solutions and academic travel provider Campus Travel. FCTG’s SME business travel specialist Corporate Traveller and entertainment and sports travel brand Stage and Screen, will make Sam available for clients, second half of 2018.

FCTG’s corporate division executive general manager, James Kavanagh, said today’s launch was an exciting milestone for the Australian business travel community following the launch of Sam in the UK and the USA in 2017.

“By downloading Sam, our customers won’t miss a thing,” Mr Kavanagh said. “Sam’s messages are intuitive, helpful and include practical information and advice that is based on context, relevance and a traveller’s personal preferences.”

Mr Kavanagh said Sam fulfilled the necessary travel management functions, but went a step further by tracking a traveller’s location, providing real-time information for traffic and flight delays, and featured interactive city guides, weather updates and gate changes.

“Sam will even give you information about what carousel your luggage is on and allows you to book an Uber ride within the app,” Mr Kavanagh said. “Plus, some of the new functionality that’s on its way, is a perfect example of how AI is redefining the travel management space.”

“Across the USA and UK FCM has travellers from more than 80 national and multi-national companies currently using Sam. A recent survey of our USA clients who had downloaded the app, included comments from customers who were loving the ‘automated weather and traffic’ alerts and many praising the real time updates following the recent storms across the US East Coast.”

Sam Also Brings The World’s First ‘Chatbot Assisted Community’

As part of FCTG’s announcement, customers will also be shown the new ‘Community’ functionality – which is a first for the Australian and global business travel industry.

‘Sam Community’ – soon to be released, taps into the knowledge and experience of a global community of business travellers, serving up user-generated tips and advice based on a traveller’s location or when they ask Sam for assistance or inspiration.

FCM Travel Solutions general manager Melissa Elf said the tips and advice that would be available through the ‘Community’ function were provided by business travellers for business travellers.

“Sam Community acutely focuses on the experience of the traveller and how to enhance that traveller’s situation then and there. By providing locally relevant and personalised advice that’s consistently up to date, the entire traveller experience is going to be safer, easier and more enjoyable,” said Mrs Elf.

As well as ‘Sam Community’, the FCTG team will also be showcasing other new Sam functions that are coming soon including:

Sam for Travel Bookers:
Sam will ensure Travel Bookers are aware of potential issues impacting their traveller(s) and prompt appropriate actions including booking changes and communication with the traveller to ensure their wellbeing.

Enhanced traveller safety features:
Sam will soon recognise the user’s location via a blend of itinerary information and GPS and match this to any critical incidents, triggering real time relevant alerts with an ability to respond with appropriate action for the individual traveller.

Deeper integration:
Sam currently integrates with many leading service providers including Uber, Lyft and Certify, and is in the process of growing its integration with global travel suppliers.

The Aquis Champions Tour showjumping event has concluded at Elysian Fields at Canungra on Sunday (May 6) with a narrow win by rider Merrick Ubank after he rode Alantinus to win the Pryde’s EasiFeed Gold Tour Final on Sunday in front of an excited crowd.

Ubank scored the win by just .35 of a second from Clint Beresford and Emmaville Jitterbug to claim the first prize of $35,000 in the richest event on the Australian Jumping calendar.

More than 300 of Australia’s best showjumpers have competed on the Gold Coast in a nine-day program for more than $340,000 in total prize money at the third annual Aquis Champions Tour.

Competition manager Michelle McMahon was delighted with the quality of competition at the prestigious event.

“Over the course of the program we’ve seen some spectacular jumping and tough competition with competitors from all Australian states and international entrants from Japan and New Zealand. Elysian Fields has been a first-class venue and this has been reflected in the quality of this elite event.” 

The Coolmore Silver Tour was won by Stephen Dingwell riding Cavalier Du Rouet, just .06 of a second ahead of Tom McDermott and Elegance De La Charmille. McDermott had paid double entry fee for the chance to win triple prizemoney, which resulted in him winning $12,000 for this class.

McDermott riding Alpha Activity then went on to win the hard-fought IRT Bronze Tour.  He beat Chris Chugg and KG Queenie with a huge gallop to the last fence for another $10,500 in prizemoney.

The junior championship was won by Jess Rice-Ward riding Dusky Farm Cavalier, while the amateur championship went to Morgan Daniel and Aladino. Jessie O’Connell rode Cassis Z Ten Halven to win the young rider championship.

The final event of the day is always a crowd favourite and this year did not disappoint. The winner of the Gollan Racing Speed Derby with an impressive clear 84.68 seconds was Clint Beresford riding SL Donato.

Second place went to Katie Laurie riding Cera Caruso and third was the entertaining Ron Easey riding Simplistic with a time of 87.49. Spread over almost 500 acres of prime pristine rural land at Canungra on the Gold Coast hinterland Elysian Fields features polo fields, show jumping facilities and acres of riding and relaxation country, plus luxury accommodation.

The facility, which has previously hosted a concert by Elton John, is the home of the biggest prize money show jumping competitions ever held in Queensland and the location for the highest level of polo tournaments ever played in Queensland.

Gold Tour Final top 10 placings: