QSR named 2009 Australia National Winner

by Nicole Gemmell

Innovative research organisation claims top spot at Australian Dell Small Business Excellence Awards

A rigorous approach to customer service, innovative technology and the use of its own software impressed the team of judges at this year’s Dell Small Business Excellence Award in Australia, where the top spot was awarded to QSR International. 

QSR International is a small business with a world leading product that helps researchers and organisations to work with and analyse qualitative data.  Based in Victoria, QSR has over 400,000 users across more than 150 countries with an estimated 49 per cent market share.  

QSR’s software began in academia, but has since spread to many other areas. Recently, it has been used, for example, to conduct research and facilitate collaboration on chronic poverty, to research on links between social issues and health problems in South America and to evaluate the role of community meetings following the disastrous 2006-2007 fire season in Victoria.

Having developed an industry leading software offering, QSR regularly updates this in order to maintain a competitive edge.  Unlike previous versions, NVivo 8 enabled the analysis, not just of written materials, but also video, audio and digital photographs – a major leap forward for their industry. 

NVivo 8 was the most successful software launch in QSR's history and has taken the product further than previous versions have been able to achieve. 

Moreover, streamlining back-end technology, including introducing virtualised servers from Dell and VMWare, as well as scalable Dell/ EMC storage has delivered cost and scalability benefits that will enable rapid expansion as the customer base grows further.

John Owen, CEO of QSR International, said: "Our success has been almost entirely attributable to innovation – not only in the way we use technology in our software, but in the way it's factored into every facet of the business. We even use our own software to analyse our customers' feedback when designing and developing new products." 

"Our size allows us to be flexible and responsive. We were the first in our industry to achieve Microsoft Gold Partner status, the first to incorporate emerging technologies, and we’re consistently the first to release new functionality and features. We're an Australian business, with a big global footprint."

For more information, please visit QSR’s official website: http://www.qsrinternational.com