Local Microsoft development powerhouse and Britehouse subsidiary, 3fifteen has announced the opening of a branch office in Durban and the appointment of Peter Pinnock as the regional executive in charge of servicing this growing market.

James Baber, the company’s CEO says that the new branch office will bring a full service, on the ground presence to the KwaZulu Natal region.

As such, by contrast to the approach many of its peers have taken, he says that the new branch will over the coming months grow to house a comprehensive development team that’s focused on servicing customers in the Microsoft CRM and Information Worker spaces.

As business in the region begins to gain momentum, Baber says its focus will be expanded to offer the full range of services offered by 3fifteen at its head office and in its other regions.

Baber explains that the company’s expansion into the KwaZulu Natal region is part of a long-term strategy to comprehensively cover all of the major business centres in South Africa.

“While it’s theoretically possible for our development team to reside anywhere in the world, we pride ourselves on providing our customers with an on site presence as they require,” he says.

“As such, up until now, KwaZulu Natal customers were serviced out of our Johannesburg head office. With the potential in this region becoming really compelling we believe it makes good business sense for us bring a local presence to KwaZulu Natal.”

The Durban branch is the second, 3fifteen has opened in the space of two years.

“The former, our branch in Cape Town, has in 24 months grown to accommodate 15 developers,” Baber enthuses.

“And we are as positive about the potential having an office in Durban holds,” he says.

Baber says that the company is particularly bullish about its decision, since it took the new Durban team only two weeks to win its first piece of new business.

“We are convinced that the on the ground presence we now have in this region will reap good rewards. Our plan is to make the business stemming from this region capable of providing sound returns as soon as possible.

“And judging by the fact that we’ve managed to close two CRM deals in the month our Durban branch has been operational, we believe this is a realistic goal,” Baber concludes.