Over 25 years ago, SDS President and founder Dave Cole was working as a media sales executive. At the time, desktop computers were becoming more commonplace and Dave recognized the impact new technology could have in reducing the time it was taking to create or revise media advertising proposals. It was then that Dave decided to upgrade his own computer programming skills and write his first media application, ’SDS Sales’.
While proud of how much SDS has grown over the years, Dave isn’t overly interested in reflecting or looking back these days. That’s because he and his SDS team are too busy continually looking forward for ways to help their diverse range of broadcast clients.
A Canadian firm based in Toronto, SDS (Specialty Data Systems) now produces a fully unified suite of enterprise software for radio, television, and digital media. Collectively called ‘SDS Symphony’, the component applications are unique within the industry, and include Sales, Traffic, CRM, Creative, Finance and, for TV, Programming.
“Our team is continually motivated by the ever-changing broadcast landscape and the challenges that our clients bring to us”, said Dave Cole. “We see change as opportunity and that’s what motivates us.”
The SDS unified applications run on the same database, meaning everyone in every department is looking at the same data, subject to user rights. This all-in-one application suite is designed bottom up to work together, and greatly improves the management, operations, and bottom line to over 500 radio and television stations and on-line portals across North America.
“The foundation of SDS’s success is based on listening to our clients”, said SDS COO, Jim Anderson. “Through this direct collaboration, we implement solutions that streamline workflow, consolidate departments, and, through the application of AI to sales and inventory, increase revenues.”
It’s these qualities of being scalable, agile, and eager to innovate which makes SDS stand out from their competitors, and resulted in SDS being ranked #1 by the Traffic Directors Guild of America.
“We wear a lot of different hats around here and we needed a software vendor that would help us work smarter, not harder,” said Darryl Grondines, CFO of Summit Media. “SDS Symphony completely eliminated all information silos, and we now have access to simple and efficient enterprise reporting, as well as rapid process improvement and streamlined administration, which all play vital roles in the growth and development of our company.”
As for the next 25 years, Dave Cole knows that while the communication industry will always change, the heart of SDS and their products will not.
“SDS has always thrived on developing software solutions that make the business of broadcasting easier and more profitable for our clients”, added Dave Cole. “As the communications industry evolves, our culture for being both software and client focused will always remain at the heart of everything we do.”
