Like everyone else, the state of the economy is something I watch. And lately its felt like watching a slow motion car crash. I can’t look away and yet I can’t really do anything either. Some days I feel like I’m watching from the curb, and other days I’m strapped to the hood.

Despite that, Seapine Software in general and Surround SCM sales in particular are doing well. We’ve had good growth each month this year, and good growth from last year. I’d like to believe that this is due exclusively to outstanding product management. A steady and seasoned hand at the wheel, guiding Surround through the rocky shoals of a troubled economic sea. I’d like to believe that, but I’ve been told in no uncertain terms by everyone around me that it just isn’t so. There even seems to be small but vocal minority that believes we’re succeeding despite product management, not because of it. Apostates.

More likely is that it has something to do with the concepts discussed in this white paper “Quality-Centric Application Lifecycle Management in a Down Economy.” I think many companies have gotten savvy to the fact that when the economy is tight, people want to make sure the things they spend money are worth the cost. And that means people raise their quality expectations.

I have a friend who is a CFO, and one of his sayings (besides “Cash is King”) is “Revenue covers a multitude of sins”. When revenues are down, companies demand the highest quality. I think people understand this, and want to make sure that the products they produce have as few problems with them as possible, to ensure that every sales goes well and every customer is a happy one.

That’s where Seapine comes in. Our products are all about making you more productive, producing higher quality products so you can survive and grow during tough periods. I’d really encourage you to take a look at the white paper I referenced above. This is especially true if your company is looking at some belt tightening and every project and activity is under scrutiny. This is a time when you need to increase quality, because you can’t afford a frustrated customer. You can’t afford inefficient processes that lack repeatability and reliability.

I can’t directly change the state of the world wide economy, but I can try and make sure that our customers have the kind of sales growth that we are experiencing. Because the only thing worse that being in a slow motion crash, is knowing that you could have avoided it.