Sqware Peg launches 'Click to Cloud'

Sydney-based integrator Sqware Peg has launched a business called 'Click to Cloud', which has been set up to build and offer hosted software for specific vertical industries.

The applications are being built using Salesforce.com's value-added reseller program, announced last week.

"We are developing industry specific solutions, built on the Force.com platform, and taking them to market," said Sqware Peg managing director Shawn Stilwell.

Sqware Peg had a long and very successful partnership with Salesforce.com, installing the vendor's online CRM system for the likes of Domain.com.au, TelstraClear and RM Williams, Stilwell said.

The Force.com platform allows third party developers to branch out beyond customer relationship management and build applications using Salesforce.com's platform that do not necessarily augment the Salesforce.com CRM suite.

Stilwell described Force.com as a "platform as a service".

"It has all the tools to allow us to build applications without having to set up the whole stack - the hardware and operating system side of things is already provided and supported."

Partners like Sqware Peg need only some Apex programming skills to build their own applications to be hosted in the cloud.

The first cab off the rank for Sqware Peg is an online recruitment application.

"Every recruiter has a CRM tool, an applicant management tool, and something to aggregate the leads for pushing onto job boards," Stilwell said. "We are building that entire suite on Force.com, to allow recruitment companies to manage the whole process so that you press one button and push all that data to Seek, MyCareer and others."

The company plans to build similar applications for motoring dealers.

Click to Cloud has already sold its recruitment solution to one Australian recruitment agency using the Force.com platform.

"In less than 60 days, we have productised a concept for an application and sold it to a customer on Force.com," Stilwell said. "I would be impressed if I walked into Oracle or SAP and could get an application sold as a product in under 60 days," he said.

Stilwell said the value-added reseller program allows companies like Sqware Peg to "build a real product-centric recurring revenue model."

"We are mainly a services business, we put a lot of IP into deploying solutions but we've had no way to take them to market," he said.

Sqware Peg, which has offices in Sydney, Hong Kong, Singapore, Auckland and Melbourne, has assigned five staff to the 'Click to Cloud' business.