The factors of making the first successful customer reference to leverage the business of start-up software company - multiple case study in Thai software industry

|The first customer is the first reference. The first reference is especially important for start-up companies that plan to deliver complex software and hardware products. The first successful reference usually means further business. However, often new technology companies face different kinds of problems with their first customer relationship. Thus, it makes sense to study the success factors in more depth. Nine Thai start-up software companies have been investigated to gain a more profound understanding of this phenomenon. The literature review partly explains the state-of-the-art of the subject including the current partnership theory and reviews the leader user design methodology and the technology models. There are some shortcomings in current theories, because they do not take into account special situations of the new technology start-up company. Based on the nine case studies a model has been developed that takes into account some of the aspects needed to create a successful business with help of the first references. The model indicates the importance of the commitment of the first reference customer to the business of the technology start-up company. The business success of the first customer reference depends in many cases not just on technology knowledge but also on existing social contacts. The research is new in this recently industrialized country. (C) 2003 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.