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Collaboration, Done Differently

Collaboration, Done Differently

Founded in 2001, Exist Software Labs has grown from a local tech firm into a regional player driving digital transformation in APAC.

Through its collaboration with Crayon, Exist has been able to strengthen its Microsoft capabilities, optimise cloud costs, and focus on delivering innovation to its customers. By combining Exist’s deep domain expertise with Crayon’s global reach and technical know-how, the partnership continues to unlock new efficiencies and growth opportunities in different industries.

Crayon empowers Exist to focus on what it does best.

Technology consulting and software development firm Exist Software Labs primarily served the US market in its early years. After the 2009 economic crunch, the company shifted its focus to the Asia-Pacific region, beginning with the Philippines and then branching out to Indonesia, Singapore, Japan, and Australia.

That pivot speaks to Exist’s ability to adapt to a changing market. Today, the company has not only broadened its technical expertise, but also built deep domain knowledge in the energy, banking and finance, healthcare, and retail sectors.

As Exist continues to serve customers across APAC, partnering with Crayon has become crucial to sustaining its growth.

“We have clients from different parts of the region, so it really helps that our partner, Crayon, has a global reach,” says Jonas Lim, Vice President for Technology. “If there’s a requirement in Japan or Singapore, we have familiar faces to work with. That’s a very, very big plus for us.”

We’d like to focus on what we’re really good at: implementation and service delivery. Crayon really helped with that. They enabled us to get the full benefit of Microsoft marketplace and maximize the incentives without having to navigate the complexities. In this way, partnering with Crayon really allows us to focus more on our customers.

Jonas Lim, Vice President for Technology at Exist Software Labs

Reducing complexity with Crayon’s Microsoft expertise.

Before expanding into app modernization, data engineering, and cloud-related services such as consulting, migration, and integration, Exist’s original niche was open-source software. Nearly a decade ago, the company partnered with Microsoft to build exposure for Azure and ensure the environment could accommodate non-Microsoft applications.

Exist turned to Crayon after recognizing the need for guidance in navigating the fast-evolving Azure ecosystem and sustaining its Microsoft incentives.

“Crayon shielded us from the complexity of Azure and Microsoft, and allowed us to focus on our services and clients,” Jonas says.

“There are a lot of services and skill sets we are competent at, and then there’s also a lot that we’re not,” he explains. “We don’t consider ourselves experts on some of the Microsoft applications and services, so we rely on partners like Crayon. We leverage their expertise in those areas, especially in newer Azure offerings.”

While Exist could learn through trial and error, Jonas notes it’s far more efficient to work with a partner that’s already proficient. By focusing on their respective strengths, Exist and Crayon have unlocked more opportunities for collaboration and customer success.

“We’ve done a number of training and enablement sessions with our clients for their potential needs,” Jonas says. “This year alone, we’ve closed a handful of projects from doing those sessions with Crayon.”

Delivering long-term value through cost optimization.

Another key area of Exist’s partnership with Crayon is helping customers get the most out of their budgets, especially when deploying their requirements and applications on the cloud.

“We want to make sure clients get the most cost-effective license deployment model, and Crayon helps us find the best combination of specifications for cloud hosting or licensing. That’s not something we already have a ton of experience with, so we rely on Crayon for that,” says Jonas Lim, Vice President for Technology at Exist Software Labs.

“Crayon’s service team adds significant value by helping clients reduce costs by 20 to 30%,” he notes. “The real benefit is not just the savings, but also the trust we build in providing our customers with the most optimized, cost-effective solutions that support long-term growth and efficiency.”

When customers see that amount of savings (sometimes in six-figure contracts), it assures them that the tools and platforms Exist proposes are solutions they truly need, not just add-ons to make a quick sale.

“It’s really about looking at the long term for the client,” he says. “And we love that about Crayon. Our shared philosophy when we deal with clients is we prioritize the value over the sale. Once the client knows we’re giving them value, the sale will just come along.”

That added value of cost optimization goes a long way in earning customer trust and loyalty.

“If they have another requirement, they come back to us. They trust that we will provide them with the most cost-efficient option,” Jonas says.

He adds, “We’ve seen projects grow, for example, from $500 or $800 in hosting to $5,000 over time. This growth is not forced, but organic. I think that’s better because it lasts longer.”

Driving growth through complementary strengths.

One more way Crayon empowers Exist to achieve lasting growth is through its community initiatives. For instance, the Partner Connections program brings together like-minded technology providers to explore synergies and deliver more robust solutions to customers.

“One of the things I really like about Crayon is its partner-to-partner programs that foster collaboration rather than competition,” Jonas shares. “We’ve had relationships before where it felt like we were competing with the rest of their partners.”

Crayon changed that dynamic. When Exist needed providers with specific skill sets, Crayon bridges the gap and connects the team with the right implementation partners.

“They do this with their other partners that offer the skill sets we require,” Jonas says. Exist gains access to more collaborators that complement their expertise, and more opportunities to broaden their capabilities and clientele.

Together, Exist and Crayon show that collaboration is the strongest strategy for success. With Crayon’s expertise, enablement programs, and partner network, Exist can concentrate on building smarter solutions, stronger relationships, and sustainable growth across the region.

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