As an entrepreneur, there is an inherent curiosity about the financial performance of industry peers. Is your sector expanding or contracting? Are your peers seeing growth? Short of interrogating financial data of listed businesses, there are limited tools available to entrepreneurs to access this data in an affordable manner.

This is the key opportunity that the team from SME Snapshot are tackling.  

“One of the major issues facing the South African economy is the lack of real-time data, especially when it comes to the SME sector,” says Tyronne Nel, Director at SME Snapshot. Nel point out that this lack of real-time data impacts the entire SME ecosystem including lenders, incubators, accelerators and business owners. 

“Think about the construction sector for a moment – we know there has been a significant increase in the number of projects out to tender and we know that SANRAL is planning to issue over R40bn in road-building tenders over the next 3 years. Yet I challenge you to find a lender who is prepared to go and fund SMEs or contractors in this construction sector at the moment – the lenders are incredibly risk averse because the entire construction sector is perceived to be high risk from a lenders perspective.”  

 The SME Snapshot solution

In response to this lack of data in the sector, the SME Snapshot tool was developed to begin capturing real-time data around each of the sectors.

“Initially, we started off using the Snapshot tool to support our accounting clients,” says SME.Tax Master Franchisor Ken Brown adding: “Snapshot provided our clients with an interactive dashboard showing them all the critical numbers that would be important to lenders – all we have to do is upload the accounting data and then track the key metrics.”

For clients who are not using an automated accounting system, they can upload their trial balances manually.

Some of the key features of Snapshot include:

• Aggregated sector data allowing businesses to compare their financial performance against peers through the SME Index ™
• Management of deadlines like VAT, Income Tax, Annual Returns and Compensation Commissioner
• Key metrics like profitability and margins can be tracked

As the dataset began to grow,  Nel and Brown realized they had a powerful asset on their hands. The tool is now being used by a variety of different players in the SME ecosystem including lenders and incubators and they are presently piloting a project with the Innovation Hub in Pretoria.

“The SME Index ™ allows organisations to then compare their financial metrics against industry and sector peers and spot downturns or improvements in real-time,” says Nel.    With the South African SME ecosystem devoid of real-time data, SME Snapshot provides a powerful solution for all role players and is now eyeing international expansion. 

South Africa’s Mother City will host a first-of-its-kind Summit from 13 – 15 May 2019 where pioneers in the provision of digital media and marketing technology solutions to the region’s SMEs will meet for three days of knowledge-sharing, networking and dynamic debate.  

As Africa’s biggest and fastest-growing technology hub, it is no surprise that BigFive Digital chose the city of Cape Town as host for its inaugural Summit. This event is a first for the continent for companies building digital marketing, commerce, and back-office solutions for small businesses across Africa and the Middle East (AME).  

According to the 2018 Endeavor Insight Report, released in conjunction with the Cape Innovation and Technology Initiative (CiTi), Wesgro and the Allan Gray Orbis Foundation, Cape Town employs over 40,000 people within the sector - twice as many as Johannesburg. Other major tech hubs in Africa such as Lagos and Nairobi employ 9,000 and 7,000 people respectively, according to CiTi. Cape Town’s unique blend of unrivalled scenic beauty, urban style and global culture has made it a melting pot of creativity and innovation for digital and tech professionals.  

“The choice of Cape Town as location for the inaugural BigFive Summit, where digital solutions for African companies are showcased, is testament to the fact that Cape Town is not only emerging as Africa’s tech hub, but also a hub for thought leadership in tech-enabled approaches to doing business,” says Tim Harris, CEO of Wesgro. “This event also shows increasing global recognition for Cape Town as an internationally competitive tech and innovation hub. The Cape region's strength lies in a combination of factors including access to sound infrastructure and a skilled and energetic workforce, proximity to four top universities and two globally recognized business schools, a favourable lifestyle, and a local and provincial government supportive of entrepreneurship and innovation.”

Hosted by BigFive Digital, one of the foremost thought-leadership enterprises connecting AME media and tech companies to SMEs, BigFive Summit will assemble a compelling mix of media, tech and digital stakeholders, influential thought-leaders, and disruptive start-ups in Cape Town to address the five key elements fuelling the rise and growth of the AME digital ecosystem – Search, Social, Mobile, Location, and Payments.

“As Africa’s leading technology hub, it is indeed our honour to host the BigFive Summit in Cape Town”, says Alderman James Vos, Mayoral Committee Member for Economic Opportunities and Asset Management. “As a forward-thinking city we look forward to continuing to enable the Tech sector and partnering with endeavours arising from this Summit”.

The Summit is set to feature headline talks and workshops that will challenge thinking, stimulate ideas and offer practical advice for those with the common goal of bringing to market digital solutions for SMEs throughout Africa and the Middle East.

Speakers include Katlego Maphai, Co-Founder and CEO of Yoco; Louw Barnardt, Co-Founder and MD of Outsourced CFO; Gustav Praekelt, Founder and CEO of South African Praekelt Group; Sarah Utermark, Country Director, Mobile Marketing Association South Africa; and Nick Grubb, Chief Executive: Radio at Kagiso Media.

The inspiring speaker list also features the world leaders in Search and Social marketing, Google and Facebook respectively, plus Thabo Seopa and Paul Plant, two of the Co-Founders of BigFive Digital, together with many other industry luminaries.

Details of the Event: BigFive Summit 2019

The Summit will take place from 13 - 15 May 2019 at Workshop 17 at the prestigious V&A Waterfront in Cape Town. With two cocktail receptions, plus a networking dinner all included in the package, delegates will have an opportunity to engage with like-minded companies eager to promote and sustain the local commerce landscape.To register as a delegate, join our list of speakers or learn about sponsorship opportunities, visit: www.bigfivedigital.org/summit.

ENDSExecutive Survey – Receive a Discount Code to attend BigFive Summit

BigFive Summit is currently running an Executive Survey to gauge how leaders inside companies who serve or sell to SMEs view the digital opportunity. The full findings of the survey will be presented at BigFive Summit. Anyone working in this space is encouraged to participate in the survey. The more responses we receive, the better. All contributors to the survey will receive a discount code on tickets to the event. Take the survey here: http://bit.ly/ExecutiveSurvey

For more information about BigFive Summit or this press release, please contact:

Mika Stanvliet | This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. | 081 534 6237

About BigFive Digital: BigFive Digital was created to support digital media and technology solutions providers serving local SMEs throughout Africa & The Middle East. BigFive Digital has been co-founded by four highly respected global media and digital commerce executives: Thabo Seopa, Paul Plant, Charles Laughlin, and Oscar Sousa Marques. Collectively, they have spent more than a century experiencing digital transformation, witnessing first-hand the impacts of disruptive innovations in local marketing and commerce in various countries all over the world.  For more information about BigFive Digital, visit: https://bigfivedigital.org/

About BigFive Summit:Hosted by BigFive Digital, BigFive Summit is a knowledge-sharing and networking event for companies that provide digital marketing and technology solutions to local businesses across Africa & The Middle East. The Summit is built around the five pillars that support local commerce, namely: Search, Social, Mobile, Location and Payments. It is these five sectors that are fuelling the rapid rise and growth of digital and technology adoption across the region. Any company with a vested interest in this exciting ecosystem is invited to join us in Cape Town, from 13 - 15 May 2019.For more information about the Summit, please visit: https://bigfivedigital.org/summit/ https://www.smesouthafrica.co.za/cape-town-is-home-to-africas-most-productive-tech-sector/

Details regarding the speaker line-up and agenda for BigFive Summit have been announced. Cape Town will play host to the Summit from 13 – 15 May 2019 where pioneers in the provision of digital media and marketing technology solutions to the region’s SMEs will converge for three exciting days of knowledge-sharing, networking and debate. The overarching purpose is to explore how media, mobile and technology vendors, and their agencies, can work together to drive and promote technology adoption for literally millions of local businesses across Africa and the Middle East.

With an estimated 40 million small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Africa and the Middle East (AME), it should come as no surprise that our continent is supporting a vibrant and fast-growing ecosystem of media, telecoms, financial and software companies eager to bring these businesses into the digital age. 

Enter BigFive Summit, a first-of-its-kind for Africa, designed by and for companies engaged in the supply, sale and servicing of digital marketing and productivity solutions to SMEs across the Africa/Middle East region.

Hosted by BigFive Digital, one of the foremost thought-leadership enterprises connecting AME media and tech companies to SMEs, the event will assemble an exciting mix of media, tech and digital stakeholders, influential thought-leaders, and disruptive start-ups to address the five key elements fueling the rise and growth of the AME digital ecosystem – Search, Social, Mobile, Location, and Payments.

The event features a number of exciting and influential speakers, each of which is an experts or pioneer in their respective fields:

Katlego Maphai is the Co-Founder and CEO of revolutionary South African innovation Yoco. Maphai has overcome many hurdles to build a payments solution that today powers tens of thousands of small businesses in SA by providing an easily accessible and easy-to-use platform to help start, run and grow your business.

Louw Barnardt is the Co-Founder and MD of Outsourced CFO. In 2017, he was nominated as one of FastCompany’s Most Innovative Companies of the Year, and in 2018 received the Emerging Entrepreneur of the Year Award. Outsourced CFO is disrupting traditional financing and accounting practices for SMEs providing cloud-based services, combining integrity and professional excellence.

Gustav Praekelt is the Founder and CEO of South African Praekelt Group. He is a passionate believer that mobile technology will transform Africa. While spearheading groundbreaking work in the digital arena, Gustav established the Praekelt Foundation, to develop scalable mobile solutions for social good, whose programmes have reached over 100 million people across 30 countries.

Brendan King is Co-Founder and CEO of Vendasta Technologies, a Saskatoon Canada-based multi-award-winning platform for the sales and fulfilment of digital solutions. Vendasta partners with almost every major digital brand, including Google and Facebook, and is the platform of choice for many of the leading marketing agencies in North America.

Nick Grubb is Chief Executive: Radio at Kagiso Media, one of South Africa’s largest media owners. Nick oversees radio operations at Kagiso, including two of the country’s largest independent stations, Jacaranda FM and East Coast Radio. A Bachelor in Journalism and Media Studies from Rhodes University, Nick’s entire career has been in media, and he is expertly placed to talk about the changing dynamics of media consumption across AME.O

ther confirmed speakers include:

Chantelle Bowyer, CEO, Metis Online (South Africa)

Cheryl Ingram, Digital Marketing Director, The Digital Media Collective (South Africa)

Adi Engel, CBDO, vCita (Israel)

Trevor Harries-Jones, CEO, Yola (South Africa & USA)

George Leith, CRO, Vendasta (Canada)

Sandy Lohr, CEO, Matchcraft (USA)

Lyndon Munetsi, CRO, Trudon (South Africa)

Trevor Nadeau, CEO, Local Knowledge (Dubai)

Sohail Nawaz MBE, Former CEO ACS Media (Bahrain)

Magnus Rademeyer, Managing Director, AfriGIS (South Africa)

Ezana Raswork, Founder and MD, Africa 118 (Kenya)

Lunga Siyo, CEO, Trudon (South Africa)

Daryl Van Arkel, CEO, BPS & Vicinity Media (South Africa)

The speaker list also features:

Thabo Seopa and Paul Plant, two of the Co-Founders of BigFive Digital, hosts of BigFive Summit.

BigFive Summit promises to be an informative event packed to the brim with topics highly relevant to any company selling or servicing technology solutions to the region’s SMEs, including:

Why Africa is Poised for a Small Business Revolution

How Industry Leaders View the AME Digital Opportunity (results of Exec Survey)

The Changing Face of Media & Solution Selling

The Local Customer Journey 2019

The Payments Revolution and the Transforming of Africa’s Small Business Ecosystem

Transforming Business Results with Location Insights

Time for Local Radio to Tune-In to the Digital Opportunity

Running a Digital Agency in an Automated Age

The Impact of Data/AI and Machine Learning on Local Commerce

Messaging Apps and Conversational Commerce

Unlocking the Location Data Opportunity

Can SEO Work for Very Small Businesses?

The Importance of Reputation Management

BigFive Start-up Showcase – A Peek at the Next Wave of Disruptors

The Unfiltered Truth – SMEs Talking Digital Transformation

The Service Imperative – Preventing Customer Churn

The Do’s and Don’ts of Search & Social Marketing

The Path to Ecommerce for Small Businesses

Details of the Event: BigFive Summit 2019

The Summit will take place from 13 - 15 May 2019 at Workshop 17 in the prestigious V&A Waterfront in Cape Town and will feature some of the finest digital practitioners sharing strategic insights, best practices, and practical guidance for success, through a series of engaging presentations, tactical sessions and networking forums. 

With two cocktail receptions, plus a networking dinner all included in the package, delegates will have an opportunity to engage with like-minded companies, eager to promote and sustain the local commerce landscape.

To register as a delegate, join our list of speakers or learn about sponsorship opportunities, visit: www.bigfivedigital.org/summit 

Executive Survey – Respondents will receive a Discount Code to attend BigFive Summit

BigFive Summit is currently running an Executive Survey to gauge how leaders inside companies who serve or sell to SMEs view the digital opportunity. The full findings of the survey will be presented at BigFive Summit. Anyone working in this space is encouraged to participate in the survey. The more responses we receive, the better.

All contributors to the survey will receive a discount code on tickets to the event.

Take the survey here: http://bit.ly/ExecutiveSurvey

ENDS 

For more information about BigFive Summit or this press release, please contact:

Mika Stanvliet | This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. | 081 534 6237  

About BigFive Digital:

BigFive Digital was created to support digital media and technology solutions providers serving local SMEs throughout Africa & The Middle East. The Africa/Middle East region is enjoying a period of sustained economic growth. Every major indicator is predicted to perform above global averages for the next decade, with the region boasting six of the world’s ten fastest growing national economies*. Local digital commerce is widely recognized as a lead indicator of a healthy and growing modern economy.*Sources: The Economist; The UN; The World Bank; McKinsey & Co.BigFive Digital has been co-founded by four highly respected global media and digital commerce executives: Thabo Seopa, Paul Plant, Charles Laughlin, and Oscar Sousa Marques. Collectively, they have spent more than a century experiencing digital transformation, witnessing first-hand the impacts of disruptive innovations in local marketing and commerce in various countries all over the world.  

For more information about BigFive Digital, visit: https://bigfivedigital.org/ 

About BigFive Summit:

Hosted by BigFive Digital, BigFive Summit is a knowledge-sharing and networking event for companies that provide digital marketing and technology solutions to local businesses across Africa & The Middle East. The Summit is built around the five pillars that support local commerce, namely: Search, Social, Mobile, Location and Payments. It is these five sectors that are fueling the rapid rise and growth of digital and technology adoption across the region. Any company with a vested interest in this exciting ecosystem is invited to join us in Cape Town, from 13-15 May 2019.

For more information about the Summit, please visit: https://bigfivedigital.org/summit/

BigFive Summit is coming to Cape Town from 13–15 May 2019, featuring headline talks and workshops that will challenge thinking, stimulate ideas and offer practical advice for those with the common goal of bringing to market digital solutions for SMEs throughout Africa & The Middle East.

BigFive Summit is the ideal networking and knowledge-sharing hub for media and technology companies, digital agencies, influential thought leaders, as well as disruptive startups and entrepreneurs across the Africa/Middle East (AME) digital tech ecosystem. The Summit’s agenda and content is constructed around the cornerstone pillars that support the local digital commerce ecosystem — Search, Social, Mobile, Location, and Payments.  

BigFive Summit is open to anyone seeking to play an active role in advancing SME participation via digital marketing, productivity improvement, transactional ecommerce, and back-office efficiency.

The event will highlight the enormous opportunities and challenges associated with bringing to market digital media and cloud-based business efficiency solutions for local merchants.

“In recent years, as a direct consequence of the explosive growth in smartphone adoption, literally millions of African & Middle Eastern consumers are experiencing the online world for the first time,” comments Thabo Seopa, Co-Founder and Chairman of BigFive Digital. “We created BigFive Digital to serve and support the growing community of media, mobile, technology and software companies who are providing the infrastructure that allows local SMEs to participate in this digital revolution.”

BigFive Summit ultimately sets out to promote and sustain the local commerce ecosystem by sharing best-practice and knowledge across topics of mutual interest, for the purpose of fostering mutually beneficial partnerships and business development opportunities. Attendance at BigFive Summit will provide delegates with ample opportunities for networking and business development.

“It is very much our intention to provide a platform for market-leading African & Middle Eastern media, marketing and technology vendors to learn, share and collaborate with their regional and global peers,” says Paul Plant, BigFive Digital’s Director of Operations. “We seek to build a multi-national community of like-minded companies who share our passion and objectives for helping local business owners to benefit from the digital economy.”

BigFive Summit will take place at Workshop 17 at the V&A Waterfront, in Cape Town from 13-15 May 2019.

For more information and to register as a delegate, visit www.bigfivedigital.org/summit

For speaking opportunities, please contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Or to exhibit or sponsor at BigFive Summit, please contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

-- ENDS --

For more information on BigFive Digital or this press release, please contact: Mika Stanvliet | +27 (0) 81 534 6237 | This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 

Global commercial giants descend on Cape Town for the continent’s largest ecommerce gathering.  

Cape Town, South Africa: More than 300 companies within the African ecommerce ecosystem will gather in Cape Town on the 19th and 20th March to review the latest technology influencing online retail and fulfillment. Attendees will learn how to leverage the rapid growth of cross border payments; customer security and how African companies can compete with the likes of Amazon.  

The experts guiding the 2019 event are global leaders and game changers shaping the ecommerce landscape well beyond Africa. Google, Naspers, DHL and Jumia are among the giants who will be shaping the discussion. “The collection of thought leaders and the topics under discussion this year are aimed at creating an immediate impact for African ecommerce companies. From marketing to fulfilment, the world’s best will be on stage sharing best practice and innovative hacks to drive online growth”   

“It is quite remarkable to have all of these industry leaders on the same stage not only willing to share but actively working to grow the industry and ensure African customers receive a world class online shopping experience.” Terry Southam, Kinetic Managing Director. 

DHL partners with the conference for the second year running, extending their commitment to driving innovation within the fulfilment space as Lead Sponsor of the Show.  

Steve Burd, Vice President Sales for DHL Express Sub-Saharan Africa, explains that the ongoing partnership between DHL and eCommerce Africa is a good fit. “As the market leaders in express logistics in Africa, we have extensive first-hand experience of the positive impact that ecommerce has on the continent. The massive growth in cross-border and international ecommerce in Africa sees DHL working with thousands more customers across the continent each year, helping them to expand their brand across borders.” 

He adds that the development of ecommerce in Africa continues to unlock major opportunities for growth. “E-commerce allows entrepreneurs and SMEs to connect with a large customer base and scale up rapidly which accelerates the need for support services. E-commerce growth therefore has a ripple-effect on many other industries on the continent.” 

“DHL’s partnership with eCommerce Africa provides us with an additional platform to connect with organisations and help them to understand key logistics considerations, and learn how to plan for and overcome any logistical challenges,” adds Burd. 

eCommerce Africa 2019 has taken additional care this year to ensure an event that is accessible to an extended audience, by offering an additional track agenda on the expo floor that educates business owners on how an effective ecommerce strategy can grow their business.  This agenda offers everything that startups and smaller businesses need to kick start and rapidly scale their business. These tickets are available at an inclusive price of only ZAR 350, to ensure every startup, small business owner and ecommerce dreamer has the opportunity to participate. 

Follow @eCommerceConfex on Twitter and join the conversation using the #ECO19 hashtag or register for the event here. 

For more information, please contact:This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.+27 (0) 21 180 470014 Pickwick Road, Salt River, Cape Town. 

ABOUT KINETIC

Kinetic is a proudly South African conferencing company with an international footprint across East, West and Southern Africa. As the proud leader of the CX, ecommerce and IT conferencing industries, we strive to accelerate corporate and personal growth by connecting people, connecting companies and facilitating meaningful business connections.Established in 2008, we have produced over 100 conferences and exhibitions that have hosted over 100 000 delegates, 5000 speakers and 450 sponsors. Our mission is to inspire change in the industries we service, by leaving our delegates with fresh insights, new perspectives and real business opportunities. 

ENDS

The Innovator Trust, an enterprise development organisation, and the Cape Innovation and Technology Initiative (CiTi), Africa’s oldest incubator, are calling on Cape Town-based growth-stage ICT entrepreneurs to join the intensive 2-year enterprise development programme.

The ICT sector has gone from strength to strength and is one of the fastest-growing industries on the African continent. Yet African entrepreneurs are still finding it a difficult business landscape to navigate. That is why The Innovator Trust and CiTi, through exposure, training and mentorship, now aim to equip entrepreneurs and businesses in the sector with tools that will keep them on track, assist them to achieve their goals and create tech leaders of the future.

ICT entrepreneurs in need of mentorship, skills development and business support who have been operating for more than 2 years and are fiercely committed to growing their business, can now apply to the prestigious 2-year Innovator Trust programme, co-developed and run by CiTi at the Woodstock Bandwidth Barn and remotely in Cape Town.

Applications close on 22 February and the selected candidates will be announced on 4 March. 

The Innovator Trust programme aims to support the: increase annual turnover, equip businesses with the necessary accreditation to remove red tape, as well as increase profitability and number of employees.

Get ready to move the dial on your business.

Celebrating its 20th year of supporting entrepreneurs, CiTi currently runs a number of incubation programmes from idea to growth stage. After a very successful first cohort of the programme, completed in 2018, CiTi confirmed a second collaboration with the Innovator Trust to support further Cape Town businesses over the next two years. Applicants need to be in “ICT”, but this has included a broad range of focusses in the past, from IT recruitment, network security to cabling service provider and software solutions. The programme, designed by CiTi and Innovator Trust, is not to be taken lightly. Monthly training, mentorship sessions with industry experts, and a strong focus on technical improvements means a substantial time and focus commitment by the entrepreneur. But this intensive design enables significant business progression over the two years. 

“Once the entrepreneurs who take part in our Enterprise Development programmes become more established, they turn their focus to growth. This accelerator is especially for entrepreneurs who’ve created businesses with high-growth potential and provides them with the skills to scale at speed and responsibly,” says Tashline Jooste, CEO of the Innovator Trust.

Cape Town was recently confirmed as the Tech Hub of Africa, by an Endeavor Insight Report commissioned by CiTi and partners, presenting growing opportunities for those businesses serious about growth, and with the right support.

“I believe strongly that ICT entrepreneurs are going to be critical to South Africa’s economic growth, which is why we need to focus on equipping these businesses with the skills they need to grow, create jobs and stimulate our economy,” adds Jooste.

In order to be considered for the programme, prospective applicants must meet the following criteria:

A company defined in South Africa as an SMME, QSE or EME;

Must be operational and trading for two or more years;

The business should be at least 51% black-owned;

A minimum Level 1 – 4 BBBEE status according to the DTI or ICT Codes;

The business must be a registered company with key focus in ICT and be based in Cape Town and surrounding areas.

In addition, applicants will need to supply copies of their company registration, company profile, and annual financial statements along with their BEE certificate and IDs with their applications.

“We had a fantastic experience on the Innovator Trust programme, perhaps most beneficial was the advice and mentorship on our financial management, up-skilling of our team, and establishing a 3-year budget and growth plan for the business. Our advice to entrepreneurs considering the course is “JUST DO IT!!!” The skills and knowledge you gain are invaluable and put us on a serious growth trajectory.” states Jennifer Classen, Founder of Ngaphaya Y2K10, and Participant in the 2015 – 2018 Innovator Trust programme.

Ready to grow your business? Learn more about the programme and submit your application HERE.

Compucart Anything Office, leading provider of boutique services and support to the SME market, has launched a fresh brand and identity aligned with vibrant and dynamic vision.

With more than 17 years of experience, the company has been a trusted supplier of products and services that run from end to end office supplies and outsourced procurement through to superlative technology implementations and solutions. “The foundations of our business are made up of three core areas – Supply, Managed IT Services and Specialised solutions. As part of our rebrand, we have allocated colours to each of these pillars so they are easy to identify and engage with,” says Rowan Fine, Managing Director, Compucart Anything Office.

“This ensures that our customers can instantly recognise our areas of expertise. It also allows us to showcase the comprehensive ecosystem of solutions we offer to the small to medium enterprise market.” Compucart has been working with small to medium enterprises (SMEs) in the South African market for more than 17 years. The company specialises in providing niche and tailor-made solutions to help SMEs overcome the most common challenges they face on a daily basis. Its goal is to alleviate client pain points as not all SMEs have the budget for a dedicated office manager, IT manager and procurement office. “We offer software and hardware as a Service, manage office fit outs, and provide hands-on support to our clients,” says Fine.

“We work with customers to assess their specific needs and create solutions that match. This allows us to provide our clients with the help they actually want, where they want it, and at an excellent price point. Our relationships with strategic suppliers, vendors and manufacturers has meant that we can create packages that save our customers’ money.” The company has developed a procurement health check assessment tool to determine exactly where a company is spending more than it should and how systems or expenses can be refined. Using this insight, Compucart Anything Office then offers a three-month trial period where it uses these insights to solve the problems and prove the price point. “Our clients stay with us because they know we are providing them with the best quality and the best cost,” concludes Fine. “The new brand reflects this in its bright colouring, clearly defined pillars of expertise and in the fresh brand voice.

We are a company that SMEs have trusted for more than 17 years and our new brand identity, colouring and strategy reflect that.”

To find out more about Compucart Anything Office and the value it can deliver to your organisation visit www.compucart.co.za, call +27 (011) 025 4406, or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

It’s never been more important, and perhaps more difficult, for people to be engaged in their work. Things move fast. People have the flexibility to work when they want, often outside 9 to 5. And they’re working everywhere: in the office (where it can be noisy and filled with distractions) and out of the office (where it’s often even harder to focus). But when people are engaged, it usually means they’re happier. Plus, engaged employees outperform their peers in terms of productivity, sales, energy levels, healthcare savings, and lower turnover rates.

SMARTER WORKING HELPS PEOPLE BE AT THEIR BEST

The Smarter Working approach can help an organization enhance some of the factors that contribute to employee engagement and happiness.

First, it’s essential that people have a choice of workspaces within their workday such as places to collaborate, unassigned desks, quiet spaces, or touchdown areas. Second, they need the right communication tools—those designed for them—to use seamlessly throughout their day. This has a wonderful effect. People can embrace their own work style, the way they work best. They feel like the company is listening to them, they’re more satisfied with their job, and they are more likely to stay. So, there is a greater sense of belonging, which promotes a culture of trust. This means they enjoy more independence and have more control over their day. This kind of supported autonomy breeds engagement for employees and creates a company others will want to join.

WITH SMARTER WORKING, THE TALENT POOL WIDENS

When companies adopt a Smarter Working approach and provide an array of workspaces and communication tools, there is an additional (and big) advantage: the opportunity to recruit the best people, wherever they may be in the world. Because just like a great idea can come from anyone, great talent can come from anywhere.

A MORE SATISFIED WORKFORCE CONTRIBUTES TO BOTTOM-LINE PERFORMANCE

With Smarter Working, people have the tools and freedom to contribute to the company’s success in their own unique ways. This is gratifying and provides a real sense of fulfilment. And that matters because employee satisfaction and productivity are closely tied to financial success.1

In South Africa, Plantronics promotes Smarter Working concepts through its team members, authorized distributors and partners. Read more about Smarter Working https://www.plantronics.com/za/en/smarter-working  

About Plantronics
Plantronics is an audio pioneer and a global leader in the communications industry. We create intelligent and adaptive solutions that support our customers’ most important needs: experiencing and facilitating simple and clear communications while enjoying distraction-free environments. Our solutions are used worldwide by consumers and businesses alike and are an optimal choice for open office environments. From Unified Communications and customer service ecosystems, to data analytics and Bluetooth? headsets, Plantronics delivers high-quality communications solutions that our customers count on today, while relentlessly innovating on behalf of their future. For more information visit  www.plantronics.com/za

1 ”When the walls come down,” Oxford Economics, page 9. 2 ”The Engaged Workplace,” http://www.gallup.com/services/190118/engaged-workplace.aspx.

EDGE Evolve is an ICT company with a strong commitment to the development of local small enterprises. Core to the EDGE Evolve companies’ new business development is the submission of tenders. This is an intricate process of co-ordination and requires reliable partners such as courier services for the collection and delivery of response documents both locally and across the African continent.

EDGE Evolve followed and extensive RFP process in order to procure a service provider that demonstrated the capabilities to meet the business requirements.  Pheelo Transport & Projects (PTP) was shortlisted in this process.

PTP did not have the required system capabilities, but requested the opportunity to enhance their offering to meet all the requirements.  EDGE Evolve was happy to support them in this endeavour.

PTP addressed the crucial requirements which we have found lacking from international suppliers in the past such as specific delivery date and time as well as an e-mail tender escalation mechanisms.  The comprehensive system which PTP provided as well as their commitment to customer services made them the natural choice in awarding the business to them. 

“Pheelo demonstrated an eagerness to do business with Edge that surpassed our expectations by far.  Not only do they provide a cost-effective service, but their systems innovation outperformed international providers by far.  Edge is excited to find this entrepreneurial spirit in a business partner that meets the empowerment profile of our rainbow nation.”  - Martin Ackerman, Bid Office Manager - EDGE Evolve

About Pheelo Transport & Projects - PTPPheelo Transport & Projects was founded by Pheello Mpitso who started off making small deliveries around the neighborhood serving the community. In 2004 “Pheelo Transport & Project” was officially registered and started Sub-Contracting in other companies offering a delivery and collection service. PTP has been existing for over a century and continues to serve its people proudly in the delivery and collection field. 

Contact Details:

EDGE Evolve – This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Pheello Transport & Projects – This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Dr Leon Grové believes it is the people in your business that will determine whether you survive and prosper through to 2020.

Leon is one of the four featured speakers – along with Bryce Biggs, Clive Coetzee, and Rob Smorfitt - at the Business 2020 workshops being presented by the Pietermaritzburg Chamber of Business workshops on the 24th and 25th of March. Leon is a registered clinical psychologist, as well as a consultant, trainer, facilitator, author, executive coach and mentor.

He writes, publishes (author of the book ABC of Stress), and consults to a wide range of corporate and government clients. He has a particular interest in the fields of leadership and personal development. This work ranges from working with senior level executives on emotional intelligence to schoolchildren making career choices.

He assists with the assessment of leadership effectiveness and emotional intelligence for the staff  in senior leadership positions. He also takes a keen interest in the development of younger people and assists with assessing and coaching young people in the selection of a career direction. Amongst his younger clients, he is known as “Doc Groovy”.

At the workshop, Leon will address essential people aspects of your business –

-      how to successfully choose partners or staff

-      how to maximise benefits from your networks

-      how to keep your people engaged and committed

On the 24th, the four speakers will be focusing their input on start-ups and new businesses (concept, or start-up businesses, or those under three years since their establishment).

The workshop on the 25th will be focused around the needs of established SME businesses.

Bryce Biggs of Bryce Biggs Consulting is coordinating the Business 2020 workshops on behalf of the PCB. For more details on the workshops, which will take place at the Chamber offices in Pietermaritzburg, contact Lorna Jones on 033 345 2747 or at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..