Author: Editor

By Jake Sheperd, Synthesis Co-founder, Technical Director & Hero Builder When I was young I dreamed that I could fly and everyone would realise how amazing I was: the only human being who could fly. It turns out that I did not have the superpower of flight. But I did have another power; the power of imagination. I am not the only person with this superpower. You have it too. The way you use it is to imagine your future. Imagine what you could accomplish if you made enough good decisions. One of those good decisions is to invest in…

By Johan Reyneke, Customer Engagement Lead at SilverBridge Holdings Companies are using artificial intelligence (AI) as a tool to generate value. This is hardly surprising given the rapid push to modernise systems and embrace digitalisation over the last two years. Organisations are therefore likely to increase their AI investments as they look to become more efficient and deliver a better customer experience given current global uncertainties coming out of the COVID-19 pandemic. Half of respondents in a recent global survey have indicated that their companies have adopted AI in at least one business function. And while these functions remain largely…

Managing customer payments is one of the most critical components to help ensure the longevity of a small business in South Africa. This is especially the case when it comes to informal traders, micro-businesses, and others who might not have the systems in place to deal with card transactions, according to Craig Leppan, Head of Business Development at Halo Dot. “When it comes to transacting with customers, small businesses need many things extending from inventory and stock control management through to the payment at the end. Tooling the business correctly to help the owner understand what it is being sold…

CRS Technologies General Manager Ian McAlister offers his perspective and considerations related to this payroll management strategy. Managing payroll involves more than just paying employees. There’s a lot that needs to be done before the payroll can be processed and it is a meticulous and often complex scenario that demands constant attention – one of the main reasons it’s best left to the experts and why many companies are opting for the outsource option, says Ian McAlister, General Manager, CRS Technologies. McAlister says outsourcing is gaining traction in the market as a primary way to handle the realities of modern…

South Africa does not face a looming water crisis, it’s already happening. And it’s going to get a lot worse unless government gives our ailing water infrastructure the urgent attention it requires, says Databuild CEO Morag Evans. South Africa has always been a water-scarce country owing to unevenly distributed rainfall patterns. Additionally, factors such as a burgeoning population, increasing urbanisation and migration, as well as industrialisation place further strain on the nation’s water availability. Add to this the effects of climate change, where extreme weather events such as floods and prolonged droughts are becoming more commonplace and it’s not surprising…

World Hypertension Day (17 May) once again brings to attention the risks of high blood pressure (hypertension), a condition that affects one in three South African adults. Pharma Dynamics, SA’s leading provider of cardiovascular medicine, encourages the public to get their blood pressure tested in order to manage the chronic disease early on. Since hypertension rarely exhibits any symptoms, it often goes undetected and untreated – increasing your risk of a heart attack, stroke or heart failure. The only way of knowing whether you are at risk is to get yourself tested, and World Hypertension Day offers the perfect opportunity.…

4 Key considerations towards adopting a hybrid work strategy By Wilhelm Greeff, Business Manager: Modern Workplace at Decision Inc. South Africa The hybrid working model will likely become the new standard operating model for many organisations in various industries. However, there are still significant concerns to address before it is successful. Whether it is employee connectivity, access to back-end systems, and cybersecurity to name a few, companies must rethink how they approach this digitally-driven environment. Below are a few key aspects to consider. Picking the right jobs Those businesses looking to embrace hybrid work, must consider the type of functions…

With around 20 per cent of South Africa’s urban households living in informal settlements, President Cyril Ramaphosa’s recent announcement that government is to pilot 3D printed homes certainly sounds like good news for the country’s housing crisis, but is South Africa’s construction industry ready for 3D printing? Databuild CEO Morag Evans believes it is. “The sooner our construction industry embraces 3D printing technology, the sooner we will reap its manifold benefits,” she says. 3D printing is not new to construction. Since the first 3D-printed commercial building was constructed in Dubai in 2016, the technology has been used all over the…

By Ralph Berndt, Sales and Marketing Director at Syrex The traditional view of hyperconverged infrastructure (HCI) sees it combining storage, computing, and networking into a single system. But in today’s connected world, this definition must extend to now include integrating everything on a software layer. Statistics show that 69% of organisations globally who have moved to the hybrid cloud have either already deployed HCI or are in the process of doing so. This reinforces the importance of HCI as the digital glue tying business operations together. One of the strengths of this total HCI approach is the fact that business…

By Natalie Meikle-Braes, HR Manager at Decision Inc. South Africa In a consulting environment, engagement translates to the willingness of an employee to represent the organisational brand and give it their best when it comes to dealing with clients. This engagement is a direct reflection of their passion and satisfaction in being part of the business. It is therefore imperative for organisations to understand their employees. And the best way of doing so is by listening to them when they provide feedback on where things can be improved. This will help create an environment that will make employees thrive. At…