Issue 18.indd - Altech Group

THE OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF THE ALTECH GROUP
JANUARY - MARCH 2013 l ISSUE 18
ALTECH’S FINANCIAL RESULTS 2012
09
WE CHAT TO LAURENCE SAVAGE
10
Altech Group COO gives us an insight into what makes him tick
CHANGING THE FACE OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
16
Altech Talk chats to Dr Steven Shepard
ALTECH MULTIMEDIA SCOOPS TT100 AWARD
27
Altech Multimedia acknowledged for excellence in research and development
A PARTNERSHIP REKINDLED
Arrow Altech Distribution reignites relationship with Microchip
33
ntents
FROM THE CEO’s DESK
4
THE STRATEGIC UPDATE
6
ALTECH AUTOPAGE CELLULAR DONATES TABLETS
8
ALTECH’S FINANCIAL RESULTS
9
A message from Craig Venter
R600 000 leap for maths and science
NO PEOPLE, NO DIFFERENCE
10
SAKE24 REWARDS ALTECH
WE BID FAREWELL TO PETER WATTRUS
12
TECH TALK
13
AN INTERVIEW WITH DR STEVEN SHEPARD
16
LEADING THE COMPLIANCE RACE
19
THE ALTECH GROUP’S WORLD CLASS FACILITIES
20
ALTECH’S PARTNERSHIP WITH HUAWEI PAYS DIVIDENDS
ALTECH ENTERS THREE-YEAR CONTRACT WITH SAPS
22
ALTECH NETSTAR CONTRIBUTES TO RECORD BREAKING RIBBON
23
Altech Talk chats to Laurence Savage: Altech Group COO
A technology partnership for the future
Technology - a catalyst for change
Altech Card Solutions is now PCI DSS compliant
Altech Netstar doing their part for HIV/AIDS
NEW GROUP APPOINTMENTS
24
ntents
ALTECH ACADEMY STUDENT BREAKFAST
Inspiring students who received tertiary bursaries
ALTECH SIYABONGA AWARDS
Acknowledging dedication to the group
ALTECH MULTIMEDIA RECEIVES TT100 AWARD
Rewarded for excellence in research and development
LEARNING FROM START-UPS
Strategising and embracing technology
ALTECH AUTOPAGE CELLULAR BIDS FAREWELL TO PAPER
AAPC eliminates all paper from its retail outlets
25
26
27
28
29
MOBILITY IS CHANGING CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIPS
30
ALTECH NUPAY EYE OF AFRICA PRO-AM
31
SPARKING INTEREST IN ELECTRONICS
32
Using customer behavior to improve customer relations
Amateurs and professionals tee off together
Arrow Altech Distribution introduces scouts to modern electronics
A PARTNERSHIP REKINDLED
Arrow Altech Distribution reignites a relationship with Microchip
33
MOBILE PAYMENTS MADE EASIER
34
ETHICS - THE FOUNDATION FOR GOOD BUSINESS PRACTICE
35
CASH IS OLD SCHOOL
Altech NuPay’s OneTouch Schoolz Card is the easy way to pay
36
HOW TECH START-UPS ARE CHANGING BUSINESS
37
STAFF COMPETITION
38
Altech NuPay launches NuPayMe mobile payment solution
Read, enter and stand a chance to win!
FROM THE
CEO’S
DESK
A MESSAGE FROM CRAIG VENTER, CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER: ALTECH
On 1 March this year, Altech’s new business structure came into effect.
The leadership team decided the change was necessary for two reasons.
First, we need a structure that can best drive Altech’s strategic business
growth areas. Second, the successful disposal of Altech’s direct interests
in the East and West African operations has left us with a business that
is different than before and needs a fresh approach.
The new structure will support our business strategy focus on TMT
(Telecommunications, Multi-media and Electronics, and Information
Technology) and the convergence of these sectors.
Here is how we will be operating in future:
4
•
Telecommunications – This structure consists of Altech
Autopage Cellular, Altech Netstar and Altech Radio Holdings
(Altech Alcom Matomo, Altech Radio Distributors, and Altech
Fleetcall). With the disposal of Altech East Africa, the Converged
Services and Connectivity structure will fall away.
•
Multi-media and Electronics – This structure remains
unchanged with Altech Multimedia, Altech UEC and Arrow Altech
Distribution.
•
Information Technology – This structure consists of Altech
Isis, Altech Swisttech, Altech Card Solutions and Altech NuPay.
•
Altech West Africa will no longer form part of the Altech structure
as Altech has sold its shareholding in this operation.
Business Development – This new structure was formed to drive
the future growth initiatives. New businesses and/or technologies
that will drive the future business will be housed in this structure,
until they have been developed into fully integrated businesses.
The following businesses/projects will form part of the Business
Development structure:
o Altech Project Purple – A strategic converged solution that will
contribute to future growth opportunities for Altech.
o Altech Eyenza Mobile Money – This is a mobile money
platform that will provide unique pre-paid billing services for
users.
o Huawei – Altech concluded a value added partnership
agreement with Huawei Africa, a world leader in the telecoms
and IT industries, to distribute their enterprise product and
service offerings.
Tim Ellis, currently group executive: converged services and connectivity,
will take direct responsibility for the Business Development structure. This
will be in addition to his current group responsibility for the Altech Radio
Holdings business.
The general manager of Project Purple, Marius Marais, as well as
the general manager of Altech Eyenza Mobile Money, Johan van der
Westhuizen, will report directly to Tim.
Due to the strategic importance of the Business Development cluster, Tim will
report to an Altech Management Committee consisting of:
Craig Venter – CEO Altech
Dr Willie Oosthuysen – CSO / CTO Altech
Laurence Savage – COO Altech
Dr John Carstens – CFO Altech
Johan Klein – Group Executive: Corporate Services
For day-to-day operational matters, Tim will report directly to Willie
Oosthuysen.
I am convinced that the above changes to Altech’s business structures will
contribute to the future growth of our group. I urge all of our employees to
give their full commitment and support to this endeavor to drive the success
of the business.
I also want to congratulate Tim on his new responsibility, and wish him much
success.
On the sustainability path
Our new business structure aims to ensure a long and prosperous future for
Altech. This is in harmony with the Sustainability Strategy that was launched
by Altron in January this year. Far from being an add-on to business-as-usual,
the four focus areas of the Sustainability Strategy go to the heart of how the
group conducts its business.
Here is a summary of the four business facets covered by the Strategy:
1. Financial Sustainability
Core objective: improve profitable revenue growth through expansion.
Focus areas:
• Income and growth
• Cost and cash management
By managing economic, social and environmental risks and opportunities,
we drive sustainable, profitable growth. Our commitment to address
shareholder needs, maximise profits and minimise consumption of
resources, is the foundation of our commitment to financial sustainability.
We are committed to deliver innovative and sustainable products and
services to customers. This is our blueprint to providing improved
financial and social benefits to our stakeholders while minimising our
impact on the environment.
4. External Relationships
Core objective: build and maintain strategic alliances and key
partnerships.
Focus areas:
• Clients and customers
• Strategic partners
• Suppliers
• Environment
• Corporate social investment
Building and sustaining relationships with all stakeholders and caring for
the environment are part of our identity. All our initiatives, strategies and
engagement processes form the foundation of our external relationships.
Altron, and Altech, has always followed a sustainable approach – there
is no other way for a company to remain in business for so many years.
But a company as big and as aggressively growing as ours, cannot rely
on unwritten rules – we need the formal structure for the next phase of our
journey. The document we now have has crystallised and formalised the way
in which we have been operating for almost five decades.
Now, more than ever before, we have to think differently and act decisively to
embrace the challenges we are faced with.
Our Annual Results
On 25 April 2013 we announced our annual financial results for the year
ended 28 February 2013. Highlights of the results included the fact that
we had sold our loss-making East and West Africa operations, that we had
added a Business Development Division within the group to anticipate and
address future growth opportunities, and that our partnership with Huawei
was beginning to pay off particularly with respect to the contracts we had
secured with the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA) and the
South African Police Service.
2. Human Capital
Core objective: invest in our biggest asset – our people.
Focus areas:
• Transformation
• Human resources (core skills development, staff retention,
succession planning)
• Company culture
The key to our success lies with our people. Sustainable human
capital highlights our commitment to train, develop and empower our
employees. Through the growth of our people, we prosper.
3. Products and Services
Core objective: lead through innovation by embracing technology and
market shifts.
Focus areas:
• Innovation
• Product and service offerings
While we did report a net loss on our revenue, it is important to note that
we are now beginning with a new slate after two years of losses mainly due
to the poor performance from our East and West Africa operations. Already
our order book stands at more than R1bn for the new financial year and it is
important that we now focus more than ever on the future. This will require
hard work from all employees within the group, but I am confident that with
our five year growth plan for growing revenue we will see a better set of
results in August.
Thank you for all your efforts during the first three months of this calendar
year. They do not go unnoticed. I wish you all the best for a productive and
sustainable three months until we meet again on the pages of Altech Talk.
Craig Venter
Altech CEO
5
THE
STRATEGIC
UPDATE
The rise of the CEO consumer:
are we ready?
DR WILLIE OOSTHUYSEN
Chief Technology and Chief Strategic Officer: Altech
Technology is shifting the balance of power between corporates and their customers. The more we know about them, the more they
know about us.
Advertising used to be something of a dark art. Men in ponytails
hatched creative concepts in smoke-filled rooms. They dazzled the
grey-suited rest of us with talk of positioning, touch points and above,
below and through the line campaigns. The impact of their work was
seldom immediately measureable, and by the time sales data and
customer survey results were in, the campaign had run its course.
Increasingly, however, technology is introducing science into the art of
advertising. The days of looking backward four times a year to correlate
sales with a few dozen advertising and consumer variables, are well
and truly over. These days, the world’s biggest multinationals are
employing analytics 2.0 – a set of capabilities that can chew through
terabytes of data and hundreds of variables in real time. Instead of a
murky polaroid, analytics 2.0 allows a company to create an ultra-highdefinition, 3-D picture of its marketing performance at any given time.
Enabled by exponential leaps in computing power, cloud-based
analytics and cheap data storage, these predictive tools measure
the interaction of advertising across media and sales channels.
They can identify precisely how external influences, such as the
6
economy, competitor offerings and even the weather, affect advertising
performance. By mining their big data to adjust advertising strategies
on the fly, companies can get between 10% and 30% more value out of
their existing marketing budgets.
This iterative process is akin to consumers “training” companies to
change their advertising practices.
One such change relates to the nature of mobile advertising. Almost
everyone has a mobile phone. Therefore adapting your print or
electronic adverts for a mobile device makes sense, right? Wrong.
Research shows that display adverts do not work well on mobile
devices, mainly because users don’t like them.
How then to leverage the mobile opportunity? The answer is to offer
consumers value. And for mobile users, value equals applications.
Users spend, on average, 82% of their mobile minutes with applications,
and just 18% with web browsers. Instead of buying tiny banner adverts,
marketers should develop apps that add value to consumers’ lives and
enhance long-term engagement with their brands.
To win consumers’ trust, companies have to think less about what they
want to sell, and more about the value they can add to the consumer. If
not, the consumer tunes out.
The potential for this dynamic, where consumers set the tone for
advertising, has always existed, but until recently a lack of alternatives
and the means to “punish” and “reward” advertisers prevented it
from becoming reality. Increasingly, however, consumers can choose
between multiple services and products. And technology is handing
them the power to exercise those options. Enter the CEO consumer.
The flip side of the marketing coin
These days companies know more than ever before about their
consumers, but the same is true for consumers. By sharing their
experiences on social media, consumers are closing down corporate
hiding places.
made available in machine-readable formats. This, in turn, gives rise
to choice engines that can interpret this data. These choice engines
make it easy for consumers to compare complex offerings, such as
insurance policies, mobile device contracts and banking options, and
make informed decisions.
An example of a choice engine at work is BrightScope, an American
company that uses data that employers have to submit to the United
States Department of Labor to grade retirement plans. The company
now reviews and analyses over 45 000 different plans, calculating and
publishing a single numerical score for each one. It also publishes
distribution rankings for funds, allowing asset managers, companies
and individuals to see how their plans compare with other options.
The value of private-company disclosures is not limited to pre-purchase
decision making. Legislation such as the Consumer Protection Act and
the imminent Protection of Private Information Act, increasingly hand
consumers control over their data that is in corporate hands. Reward
and loyalty programmes record consumer behaviour meticulously,
but until now the consumer had no way of accessing his or her own
data. Understanding your own purchasing and behaviour patterns is
hugely empowering when it comes to changing your habits to more
cost-effective patterns.
In an era where consumers are demanding information and taking
control of their spending, the single biggest threat to companies is
dishonesty. Trust and reputations will stand or fall by companies’
willingness to disclose information – both about themselves and what
they know about their customers – truthfully and transparently.
Access to smarter information creates smarter consumers who know
more and demand more. Customers look for companies that will
disclose information that gives them, as potential shoppers, more
decision-making power. In fact, these savvy consumers could know
more about your organisation than you know about them as customers.
The driving force behind the age of the CEO consumer is not so much
the massive amount of information that is available. More importantly is
the rise of technology that empowers consumers to use the information
intelligently. Following are just three examples:
1. Social media platforms allow people to participate in extremely
targeted discussions. LinkedIn, for instance, has a group where
BMW drivers can discuss service experiences. It becomes a
research resource for someone either looking for a new car or
shopping around for a dealer.
2. The digital nature of content creates rich media. People share
text, video, audio and images at the press of a button. When they
want to complain about a dirty store, they don’t send a letter to
management, they post a picture on a social media platform.
3. The proliferation of intelligent mobile devices that are easier
to afford and use. As a result, the number of empowered
consumers increases exponentially, and with them, the number
of conversations they are having about your organisation.
One of the most dramatic developments in terms of consumer
empowerment, are so-called choice engines. The January/February
2013 edition of the Harvard Business Review ascribes the advent
of choice engines to a combination of modern technology and
changing government policies. The results, it says, is that increasingly
government-owned data and private company disclosures will be
The fact of the matter is that ultimately companies will be punished
in real time for poor service or non-performance. Customers will have
the power and the ability to switch immediately from one provider to
another. Already there are mobile phones that can take four different
SIM cards, allowing the user to switch between service providers
depending on network performance.
What does this mean for Altech (and others)?
The nature of our business places us at the heart of the technology
revolution. We are well-positioned to drive and facilitate consumer
empowerment through the set-top box software Altech UEC writes,
the tablets and smartphones Altech Autopage Cellular supplies, the
websites Altech Technology Concepts develops, and of course the
channels we have that give us direct access to end users.
It also means that consumers have more data about us as a company,
the same way that we leverage information about them to target specific
customers with certain products. We need to continue to deliver quality
products at affordable prices to the market. Only then will we be ready
to service the new breed of consumer and business.
We can also not afford to stay behind our competitors in understanding
and analysing structured and unstructured data sources about our
own products and markets. Big data, the concept of understanding,
analysing and using huge volumes of data about customers, the
markets and trends to make instant decisions, will be a very important
focus area for Altech going forward. This will allow us to be successful
in the ever-evolving world of informed consumers.
7
Altech Autopage Cellular
p forr matthss and
d scieence
R600 000 leeap
in their future career and being agents of change in their
community.
co
This is only possible with the generous support
of
o our funders and partners,” says Kirstin O’Sullivan, external
relations manager for LEAP Science and Maths Schools.
AAPC is committed to responsible corporate citizenship,
as is demonstrated by its previous education initiatives.
The TRAC programme, for example, provided 10 schools
The 2013 academic year started on a high note for teachers and
students at the LEAP Science and Maths school in Ga-Rankuwa.
Altech Autopage Cellular (AAPC) donated 113 HTC tablets to the
school to encourage teaching and learning.
“Education is the cornerstone of economic growth and development.
This principle is embedded in the Altech Group’s CSI policy and
reflected in the choice of investments we make,” says Jessie Makhudu,
senior manager for transformation at AAPC. The LEAP investment
is in line with AAPC’s CSI strategy to contribute towards bridging
the digital divide among previously disadvantaged communities and
enable innovative learning in the classrooms. “The use of information
and communication technology in education should not only focus on
providing computer literacy, but also to encourage learners to read and
write.”
“At LEAP we are working hard to provide children from township
communities with access to quality education so that they have the best
chance of passing matric with maths and science, achieving success
8
around Tembisa with 25 laptops each plus 12 months
free access to the Internet. More recently Boitumelong
and Tembisa secondary schools were the first of five
schools to receive the Streetwise Solution. The Solution consists of
30 information terminals with compact keyboards and screens with
a user-friendly text-based interface, offering email functionality and
connectivity to online reference material. This includes encyclopedias,
email, current news, curriculum-based worksheets and a host of other
learning tools from reputable content developers. AAPC views this as
a R1-million investment in a generation of engaged and empowered
young people.
“Information technology has a direct impact on South Africa’s economic
competitiveness. Therefore, our goal is to contribute toward creating a
generation of pioneers that can contribute toward our economic growth
and development for the betterment of our future for generations to
come,” concludes Jessie.
Altech’s Financial Results
The Altech Group’s annual results for the financial year ended 28 February
2013 were announced on Thursday 25 April to Altech management, the
analyst community and the media.
Financial highlights for the year were as follows:
• Revenue
• EBITDA
• EBITDA margin
• Operating profit before capital items
• Operating profit margin
• Profit before tax (excluding capital items)
• Loss before tax (including capital items)
• Adjusted HEPS
• Return on shareholders’ equity
• Annuity Income
R10.4 billion
R765 million
7.3%
R548 million
5.2%
R414 million
R1 044 million
290 cents
31.5%
82%
Altech Group CEO Craig Venter said at the time that while the group’s
revenue increased, operating profit was lower than that of the prior year
mainly due to losses incurred in Altech’s operations in East and West Africa.
However, with the disposal of these operations, he was confident that the
Altech Group would again return to its normal pattern of profit growth as a
result of a renewed focus on the company’s remaining assets.
“On the whole, our operations in South Africa and some international
operations performed well despite continuing adverse economic conditions.
With the operational challenges in East and West Africa having been
resolved, I am confident that the Altech Group will again return to its normal
pattern of profit growth as a result of a renewed focus on our remaining
assets and the innovation strategies that we are putting in place. Over
the past 16 years the group has been acquiring and building a strong and
competitive portfolio of businesses in the Telecommunications, Multi-media
and Information Technology space. We are now in a position to unlock value
from innovation and convergence through these assets, and enhance our
activity base by further exploiting our intellectual property,” said Venter.
Broad results for the four divisions within Altech were as follows:
The Telecommunications and Wireless Communications Division, which
consists of Altech Autopage Cellular – including Altech Technology Concepts
– and Altech Netstar, performed as expected with the Altech Netstar Group
increasing total revenue for the period to R1.04 billion – despite operating in
a market characterised by declining revenues per vehicle.
Altech Autopage Cellular saw a slight dip in revenue from the prior year
due to the continuing decline in average revenue per user (ARPU), driven
by increasing price competition among networks. However, improvements
in internal processes and customer service had a mitigating effect on the
increased price competition.
However, a number of significant contracts concluded during the second half
of the year will see positive results in the future. This included a R119 million
contract with the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA) and a
R196 million three-year contract with the South African Police Services.
The Altech Stream East Africa Group, which formed part of Altech’s
international converged services division, continued to suffer significant
losses during the financial year.
The Multi-media and Electronics Division, which consists of Altech
Multimedia (incorporating Altech UEC) and Arrow Altech Distribution,
performed exceptionally well for the period.
Growth in Altech Multimedia was achieved across all lines of business
(consisting of devices, support services and system integrated solutions),
both in Africa and internationally. Revenue increased to R1.8 billion, with
Altech UEC South Africa and Altech Multimedia Europe being the top
performers.
Despite an excellent performance in 2012, Arrow Altech Distribution
experienced a decline in revenue during 2013. To mitigate the risk of short
product cycles and the rapid development of substitute products, Arrow
Altech Distribution has been focusing on streamlining their demand creation
initiatives this year, resulting in an increase in design registrations which
will result in market share growth in the next financial year. The business
concluded three new supplier agreements with Murata, Cinterion and
Microsoft during the year and received the Conlog Supplier of the Year
Award for the second consecutive year.
The Information Technology Division, which consists of Altech ISIS, Altech
West Africa, Altech Card Solutions, Altech NuPay and Altech Swisttech,
performed as expected, with the South African businesses showing good
results, while the West African business was sold with effect from 28
February 2013.
Altech Card Solutions and Altech ISIS were the most significant contributors
to operating profit, while Altech Nupay performed well following accelerated
growth in unsecured lending.
Altech Eyenza Mobile Money’s e-Wallet solution was launched during the
year under review and the business had signed up a number of affiliates.
Of strategic importance in this division was Altech’s ability to increase its
presence in the payment industry, positioning the group as a significant
player in this field.
The Converged Services Division, which consists of Altech Alcom Radio
Distributors, Altech Fleetcall and Altech Alcom Matomo, saw a decline in
turnover as a result of delays in the awarding of tenders at major customers.
This was further exacerbated by disruptions related to the unrest in the
mining and transport sectors.
9
NO PEOPLE, NO DIFFERENCE
Contrary to what his surname may suggest, Altech’s new COO
appreciates the subtleties of business, and of life.
Laurence Savage is adamant: “Use the word ‘people’ when you refer to
the individuals working at Altech, not ‘staff’.” It is clear that he dislikes
the word. “Companies aren’t made up of staff. They are made up of
people who are committed and want to make a difference. When people
give our business as little as 10% discretionary effort, the competitors
can’t touch you. Your dreams and goals become unconquerable. None
of this is possible when people think and act like staff.”
Laurence sees people as the cornerstone of a company’s success.
Everything that sets a business apart from its competitors – reputation,
intellectual property (IP) and relationships – are all in the hands of our
people. In Altech’s case, he has firsthand experience of the value our
people add.
“I’ve done business with this company for more than 10 years, and the
one thing that has always stood out for me, was that Altech keeps its
word. As the primary contractor on a job that required a total solution
I could always commit to deadlines based on Altech’s
for a client,
cl
promises. I was never disappointed or embarrassed.” Some of the
promise
pro
contracts
co
ontract Laurence refer to have been running for as long as 12 years.
“It is rare to come across such sustainability in this day and age. To me,
this
to Altech’s core values.”
thi
is speaks
spe
I don’t lik
like
ke receiving
rec
surprises and I don’t like delivering them.
Invariably issues
isssues can be either solved or mitigated long before they
become major challenges.
This
with and confidence in Altech convinced Laurence to
Th
his experience
exp
aaccept the position as Altech’s COO. He was aware of the company’s
challenges in East and West Africa, but believed those paled in
challe
comparison to solid bedrock businesses and sound fundamentals
com
that provide substantial runways into the future.
th
Solutions unlock sustainability
S
According to Laurence, the ICT industry sees Altech as a
A
trustworthy and long-term relationship business. People take
tr
ppride in exceeding customer expectations by delivering quality
pproducts. “Whenever problems occur, management is prepared
to deal with the situation and believe me, for a customer, that
makes all the difference!”
m
A cornerstone of Altech’s reputation is its entrepreneurial
spirit
and willingness to challenge the norm and this evidently
s
eemanates from its roots as a family business. Combined with
ttechnical excellence, the company has what is needed to offer
truly
integrated solutions to its market. “Many people talk about
t
hhaving a solution-based mentality, but in most cases it is nothing
more than jargon they use when they run out of things to say,”
m
is Laurence’s opinion. “Two or three products bundled together
don’t
don make a solution. You need to link appropriate products
into the customers’ business in such a way that productivity and
efficiency improve. Only once you have established a strategic
effic
partnership with a customer where you are contributing value to
par
10
improving that customer’s cost of sales, reducing his expenses and
delivering productivity and efficiency improvements, can you talk about
a solution.”
In addition, excellence in one sector can be transferred to others. South
Africa’s banking industry, for example, rates among the best in the
world and many other businesses are directly or indirectly linked into
the technology that supports the financial institutions.
Guiding Altech to deliver integrated solutions that can be scaled is one
of the key objectives Laurence has set for the future.
Arguably the biggest opportunity, however, lies in the fact that South
Africans are quick adopters. “Take payment mechanisms as one
example. I haven’t had a cheque book for the last 10
years and I can’t think of anybody I know who still uses
Anybody can buy machines and buildings and equipment, but only the
one. New entrants to the banking and lending sector
people in the business hold the cards that secure customers, procure
have shown us just how open the market is when you
good value and secure decent returns for stakeholders and investors.
understand your customers and are willing and able to
meet their needs reliably and securely.”
Is there a market?
It is one thing to have the solutions, but is there a market in the current
economic conditions for what Altech has to offer? Laurence is confident
that the answer is yes.
“South Africa is fortunate in that many of its consumers do have
discretionary spend available, unlike Europe and to a lesser extent
America, where the tough economic cycle has affected a far broader
spectrum of the population. This gives the ICT industry the opportunity
to claim a sizeable share of the consumer’s wallet.”
The ever-changing nature of the ICT industry ensures continuous
opportunity. “The industry keeps on reinventing itself. Thirty years
ago people still used pagers, today we conduct most of our financial,
entertainment and social interactions over a mobile device. I don’t
believe that’s where it will stop. Apps were a foreign concept five years
ago, now we can’t live without them.”
Does our new COO have a favourite tech toy? “I use the golf weather
app a lot,” he admits, demonstrating how online and offline worlds
enhance each other.
Laurence the family man
Laurence met his wife Karin in the Sudwala Caves – “Where else
for a savage!” They have been married for 24 years and have
two sons. Patrick (17) is a swimmer and enthusiastic golfer, while
Andrew (15) is following in his father’s long-distance running
footsteps. “I am extremely proud of them. They achieve what they
set their minds to and as a result they can really become anything
they want to.”
Laurence turned his focus to directorships of listed companies and
ways to extract top-notch financial results.
“During the last 10 years or so, I’ve refocused again, this time on
turning companies in trouble around and acting as a change manager
who can extract the best out of a business.” He feels that the broad
spectrum of experience he has accumulated thus far positions him
well for the challenges
g of his new position.
p
When not working, Laurence thoroughly enjoys playing golf and
expanding his saxophone repertoire. “It started as a bit of a joke
four years ago when I was given a saxophone as a birthday gift. It’s
a difficult instrument to master and I can only play 12 songs, but it
is great fun.”
Laurence has an engineering degree and an MBA, and completed
an executive programme at Northwestern University in Chicago.
“I loved the Americans’ focus, drive and project mentality. They
almost live life like a project.”
In Laurence’s own life, he believes in directing his efforts towards
achieving goals. “For me it was never so much about advancing
my career, as it was about the milestones I’ve set myself, both
personally and professionally.”
The nature of those milestones has evolved over the years. In his
20s Laurence pursued sporting achievements, including running
sub-2.45-hour marathons and paddling 10 Dusi canoe marathons.
Professional success took precedence in the following decade as
Sampie Pienaar, Managing Director: Altech NuPay;
Norman Mshaba, PGA Pro; Bert Griesel, CEO: Bairds and
Laurence Savage, Chief Operating Officer: Altech.
Sake24 rewards Altech
Proudly displaying the Sake24 award for the company
with the best content in their annual report for 2012 is
Janine van Eden, Group Company Secretary: Altech.
We bid
farewell t
o
Peter Wattrus
Peter Wattrus, financial director at Altech Autopage
Cellular, has announced his retirement after a long
and illustrious career in the Altech stable of almost
three decades.
During his time with Altech, Peter touched the lives
of many Altech employees who viewed him not
only as a strong and capable leader, but also as
someone who could be confided in.
We wish him and his family all the best for the
future.
Boyd Chislett, Managing Director: Altech Autopage Cellular and
Craig Venter, CEO: Altech bid farewell to Peter Wattrus.
12
TECH
TALK
Dr Willie Oosthuysen,
Chief Technology and Chief Strategic Officer: Altech
Altech and Huawei: a technology and solution
partnership for the future
Great companies, like Altech, are capable of great innovation.
When they partner with other great companies, the outcome can
Our visit to the Huawei headquarters, which is more like a university
campus than a corporate head office, was nothing short of eye-opening.
be phenomenal – particularly for consumers and enterprises in
South Africa.
Where other tech companies use such a space to highlight their
equipment, Huawei’s is all about innovation. One can walk around all
day, looking at technologies and solutions being developed.
And this is what we expect to result from our strategic partnership
with Huawei, the Chinese technology company that is leading
the world when it comes to innovation in the telecommunications
and networking space. I am writing this article from Shenzhen in
China, on my third trip to our technology partner Huawei, joined by
Craig and I quickly realised that our relationship with Huawei could be
about much more than routers and switches – and so it is that Altech has
forged a wide-ranging partnership with the company.
a group of senior executives from the various Altech companies.
There are three streams to this partnership: lines of business and
technologies to service providers, enterprise customers (and SME) and
Already Huawei touches the lives of all of us, often without us
consumers.
even realising it. All of our cellphone service providers use Huawei
networking hardware, for example, which is of world-beating
standard and much more cost-effective than its major international
competitors.
Also, there is virtually not a 3G card or dongle in this country that
has not been manufactured by Huawei (and then white-labeled –
I’m willing to bet that if you haven’t looked closely at your card yet,
In the service provider space, Huawei is now the undisputed world
leader, having in the past few years overtaken some of the world’s
best-known technology brands. When it comes to technologies such as
optical transmission, wireless access, routing, switching and security for
service-provider clients, Huawei sets the pace. This is only to name a
few. Huawei also innovates and specialises in Data Centre technologies,
storage area networking, wireless access, Ethernet switching, IP routing,
you should do so and you’ll notice the Huawei name.)
IP telephony and many other areas. One area that is of particular
interest, which was also the topic of the last few issues of this article, is
Last August, Altech CEO Craig Venter and I visited the Huawei
Cloud Computing, how to enable it, and how Huawei and Altech can take
headquarters in Shenzhen, China. Shenzhen, located just north
of Hong Kong, is one of China’s five Special Economic Zones and
home to some of the country’s most successful high-technology
companies. It is, thus, a hotbed of innovation – led by firms such
as Huawei.
solutions jointly to market.
And it does so at prices so competitive that service providers have little
choice but to consider its products. The cost differential is such that if
your competitors buy Huawei technology, then so should you, if you wish
to remain viable in the marketplace as a telecoms operator.
13
The enterprise aspect of our partnership – such as wireless access,
Here’s another example, which will benefit banks in their efforts to
handsets, storage, servers, telephony, enterprise routers and switches
and the like – is a relatively new area for Huawei, which would normally
either go directly to the service provider market, or unlock local
expertise in specific markets by entering into partnerships. This is what
was initially envisaged with our partnership, but we have expanded it to
combat ATM bombings: an automated security and surveillance
solution that could effectively put the kibosh on this scourge.
include the consumer and service-provider streams.
to mention risks to life and limb. A solution to this problem requires
a preventive element, as well as quick response to possible on-theground incidents.
Banks realise their liability for others’ losses, such as damage to
shopping malls due to ATMs being blown up on their premises, not
Tech
By employing a geofence security solution, the area around an ATM
would be electronically monitored around the clock. By taking into
account parameters such as time of day, the number of people in the
monitored area and their behaviour, the security application would be
able to send an alert, take photographs of people’s faces (and use
facial recognition technology), and link with the armed response teams
of security services such as Altech Netstar.
Health and safety in mines is another area where our partnership
could leverage technology well. A straightforward example would be
The potential for innovative end products in this stream is massive;
by marrying Huawei and Altech’s technologies, as well as Altech’s
local knowledge and relationships, we can bring unique solutions
to the marketplace, which will translate into greater efficiencies and
expanded offerings, as well as savings, greater choice and unheard-of
convenience for consumers.
For example, Huawei has developed an application that has the
potential to revolutionise the way we do banking: a mobile kiosk that
incorporates technologies such as touch screens, document scanners,
telepresence video at affordable price levels, and scanners that read
both hands and veins – thus introducing a new layer of personal
identification security. What Altech brings to this solution is access to
our major banks’ back ends, allowing for our partnership to offer the
an automated system that uses counter lines and camera technology
to monitor who goes underground and who re-emerges. As soon as
there is a discrepancy, management can be alerted that someone is
unaccounted-for and swift steps can be taken to locate the missing
person.
Consumers, too, stand to benefit from our partnership with Huawei,
such as in the mobile phone market. At present, South Africans have
little in the way of choice when it comes to handset and call cost options.
Huawei has also developed a range of telecommunications products
that are world-class – and cost a fraction of the products made by
famous brands such as Apple, Samsung or BlackBerry, for which South
Africans fork out top dollar (and swallow hard).
banks a complete, fully operational package.
By introducing a high-quality multi-SIM Huawei cellphone to the market,
A consumer would then be able to do all his or her regular banking
consumers would be able to access more than one of our networks
on a single instrument – obviating the need for multiple handsets, and
cutting out costly interconnect fees by allowing them to call from the
without entering a bricks-and-mortar bank branch. He or she would
even be able to electronically order a card, be issued with it on the
spot and promptly use it to withdraw funds. How’s that for a solution
that beats anything out there right now, and one that holds enormous
promise for the majority of South Africans, who are either unbanked
or underserved by the banking sector? Of course there is also mobile
banking and mobile wallets, but that would be the topic for our next
edition.
14
network of their choice (or availability).
Now imagine being able to buy a package that includes an Androidpowered Huawei cellphone, tablet and fixed-line handset (of course,
fitted with Altech Autopage SIM cards), for the cost of a single Apple
iPhone 5. Immediately, consumers are offered a great deal more
choice, and connectivity like they could never have imagined, and that
at a price that will suit the pockets of so many more South Africans than
With this solution, social grant payments could even be regulated to
is the case at present.
the extent that recipients could be limited to spending their grant on
things for which it is intended, such as food and clothing – which means
Huawei has recently introduced the 7-inch and 11-inch tablets, powered
by Android as well as a new P2 smartphone. Be on the lookout for
these innovative devices that promises to change the way we think
our taxpayer rands are more effectively utilised, and recipients are
substantially better off for it. Government, too, would be able to glean
a much clearer idea of how grants are being used, through efficient
about tablets.
monitoring.
It is technological possibilities such as these, created by the partnership
between Altech and Huawei, which excite me tremendously. They
represent not just a win-win scenario for the two groups, but in actual
fact a win-win-win scenario – because for consumers they mean much
greater choice and convenience, much better connectivity with their
world, and lowered costs that break down the barriers to entry to the
21st Century for so many people.
The Altech-Huawei partnership has been identified as one of our largest
growth opportunities for the Group, providing access to multiple new
technologies, at the correct quality and affordable prices. One should
be watching this space for some great news on very large infrastructure
projects that Altech and Huawei will jointly provide to the South African
Huawei’s telecommunications innovations also have the potential to
market. We have already tested and can now showcase some of
these technologies at the new HQ building for the Altech Group. We
enrich existing solutions, as well as offer new ones. In a country such
are using Huawei technologies in our enterprise building. End-to-end
as ours (and, indeed, on the African continent), moving money around
can be a risky and expensive proposition for many people. Cellphone
banking and money transfers have been the response to this situation,
but most are linked to specific banks and cellular service providers, in
solutions such as VOIP, IP telephony, cloud-based solutions, IP video,
Telepresence, video conferencing, wireless access, and many more
can now be seen and experienced at our new building. This has been
made possible through leveraging the Altech-Huawei partnership, and
the process limiting consumer options and convenience.
technology solutions delivered through Altech Autopage Cellular.
But with e-walleting integration linked to a bank-agnostic debit card,
consumers could enjoy scores of e-wallets on a single handset,
This is a true showcase of latest technologies. And that truly is
phenomenal.
revolutionising banking, money transfers, pre-paid electricity, airtime
purchases and much more. Personal risk is lessened as people do not
have to carry cash with them and they pay less in terms of costs such
as transaction fees.
15
He is a fellow of the Da Vinci Institute for Technology Management of
South Africa, a member of the Board of Directors of Champlain Community
Television, and a member of the Board of Trustees of Champlain College
in Burlington, Vermont. He is also the Resident Director of the University
of Southern California’s Executive Leadership and Advanced Management
Programs in Telecommunications, and adjunct faculty member at the
University of Southern California, the Garvin School of International
Management (Thunderbird University), the University of Vermont,
Champlain College and St. Michael’s College.
So that’s the official version. We asked him some questions to try to find
out a little more:
Can you tell us a little about yourself and your career to date:
I’ve been very lucky in the sense that my career has taken an amazingly
non-linear path from where I started to where I am today. The bio says what
bios are supposed to say, but here’s the real story. When I was 13 years
old my father was transferred to Madrid, Spain, where I lived until it was
time to go off to university. As a result of that childhood I fell in love with
languages (I speak seven of them), travel (I visit about 70 countries every
year) and culture (the soul of any country). It’s also what got me interested
in writing: I’m a storyteller. I have written more than 60 books and hundreds
of articles, and I also do a lot of commercial photography.
I actually started my professional life as an underwater cinematographer
and SCUBA instructor. I owned a diving business in California for many
years, something that fed my interest in biological sciences as well as my
love of teaching.
Dr Steven Shepard:
Technology –
a catalyst for change
In March, the Altech Academy, in conjunction with the Da Vinci Institute
for Technology Management, hosted a seminar on “The Changing Face
of Information Technology”. The seminar was presented by Dr Steven
Shepard and we caught up with him to find out a little more about the man
behind the information.
The official biography is as follows:
Steven Shepard is the president of the Shepard Communications Group in
Williston, Vermont, and is also a professional author and educator with 24
years of varied experience in the telecommunications industry.
He received his undergraduate degree in Spanish and Romance Philology
from the University of California at Berkeley, and his Masters Degree in
International Business from St. Mary’s College. He spent 11 years with
Pacific Bell in San Francisco in a variety of capacities, including network
analysis, computer operations, systems standards development and
advanced technical training, followed by nine years with Hill Associates, a
world-renowned telecommunications education company, before forming
the Shepard Communications Group.
16
Can you explain the connection between Spanish and Romance Philology
and IT?
You’re assuming, of course, that there is a connection! I have always loved
the natural world, especially the ocean. So when the time came to declare
a field of study I opted to enroll in marine biology as a professional pursuit.
However, as I said earlier, I love languages because of my upbringing, so I
also got an undergraduate degree in a field called Romance Philology with
a specialisation in ancient Spanish. Philology is the study of the origins
of languages; Romance Philology is the study of the origins of Romance
languages, of which Spanish is one.
What is your South African connection – how did you come to be part of
the Da Vinci Academy?
I met Roy Marcus and the Da Vinci team in early 2004 because of my
affiliation with the University of Southern California, where I am a professor
and the director of a number of executive leadership programs. Da Vinci
was looking to forge alliances with other schools around the world and
because of my strong interest in the global marketplace (and especially
Africa) I jumped at the chance to work with the school. Da Vinci and I hit
it off immediately and I’ve been affiliated ever since in a variety of ways.
What excites you about South Africa and what makes you nervous?
This is a great question. If you look at a map of California, you will see that
in the centre of the state there is a large inland valley called the Central
Valley. That valley is the agricultural heart of California – and to a large
extent the entire United States. But here’s the interesting thing: If that
valley were a country, it would be the seventh-largest economy in the world
among all nations! That’s how important it is.
Yet California’s central valley is dwarfed by the central valley that runs down
the spine of Africa, from the north central highlands of Uganda and Kenya
all the way to South Africa. That African Rift Valley is many, many times the
size of California’s valley. The message? Africa could feed the world.
I believe that South Africa is in something of a pole position, and finds itself in
a rather unique place: because of the country’s advanced technology base,
robust business environment, relatively open and democratic government
and forward-looking philosophy, I believe that South Africa stands alone
as the country that can lead all of Africa to a new beginning, to a place
where the rest of the world looks for ideas about innovation, promise, and
hope. I don’t choose these words lightly: I mean what I say. Roy Marcus
at Da Vinci is always teasing me because it seems as if every time we get
into a discussion about innovation or technological advancement and a
particular product or concept comes into the conversation, he points out
that it originated in South Africa. The amazing thing is that more often than
not, he’s right.
My belief is that education in a country like South Africa is the breaker of
chains, the thing that eliminates all barriers between the status quo and
the desirable future that beckons. Organisations like the Da Vinci Institute,
which uniquely focus on the practical application of knowledge with an eye
toward growing sustainable business rather than simply on the academic
pursuit of knowledge, lie at the heart of this success formula.
What specific challenges do you believe South Africa faces when it comes
to technology?
Not as many as you would think. Similar to most countries, the
telecommunications and IT infrastructure are struggling in South Africa to
keep up with the demands of the market, but that’s actually a good problem
to have. Far more impactful, I believe, is the legacy thinking that pervades
many of the legacy companies in the greater tech industry as well as in
government – especially regulation. This is by no means unique to South
Africa, by the way. It is a serious problem, however.
in the world and stayed there for many, many months – not because it
was such a great book, but because it had a great message. And when I
actually saw those implications in my consulting work around the world, it
really hit me that this technology stuff was important. So I was well into my
40s by the time I reached that stage!
What was your first computer, and what was the first thing you made it do?
Ah…a great question. I bought my first computer in 1984 – a Mac. Now
here’s the fun part: I still have that computer, almost 30 years later, and it
still works. It boots in about 30 seconds and still does about 90% of what I
want a computer to do!
You say information technology is changing – how is it changing and is this
a good or bad thing?
Instead of a world where technology drives business, today, business drives
IT. It has become a force for transformational change that yields analytical
and collaborative capability. It is a world where decisions are made by
the executive team including sales, marketing and the CEO instead of
IT leadership. It is an environment where the vision is provided by such
executives as the Chief Trends Officer or the Chief Analytics Officer, not
just by the CIO or CTO. It’s a world where the output is not technology
services, but rather business services that enable the enterprise. Finally,
it’s a technology environment where the infrastructure is shared and virtual
rather than fully dedicated.
What should companies be doing to keep up with the changes – not just IT
companies, but also companies which sell non-related products?
They should study their customers and recognise that customers are now
in charge, not them!
Can you talk a bit about where these changes will lead us? What further
changes do you foresee?
An easy answer. These changes will take us to a place where technology,
in all its many forms, will become a catalyst for business success rather
than a means unto itself.
Based on research that I was intimately involved in a few years ago, we
learned that the impact of technology is extraordinary –
and life-changing. For example, based on a study we did
about the developing world, we found that if the penetration
of mobile telephony – not Internet, not broadband, just
simple phone and text – is increased in-country by as little
as 10 percent, the gross domestic product of that country
goes up by as much as two percent. That’s extraordinary!
Take communications and connectivity into the far
reaches of a country and watch as education, healthcare,
economic growth and transparent government accelerate
in terms of their level of deployment and acceptance.
At what age did you first realise IT was your passion or
area of interest, and what made you realise it?
It was purely by accident – certainly not because of
a plan on my part. In 1998 I published a book called
Telecommunications Convergence. It focused far less
on the technology itself than it did on the implications of
the technology – social, economic, competitive. The book
became the number one best-selling technology book
From left to right: Professor Roy Marcus, Chief Executive Officer: Da Vinci
Institute; Craig Venter, Chief Executive Officer: Altech;
Dr Steven Shepard and Johan Klein, Group Executive: Corporate
Services and Operations.
17
The Altech Academy in partnership with the Da Vinci Institute
recently hosted a seminar called The Changing Face of
Information Technology that was presented by
Dr Steven Shepard from the United States of America.
Delegates arriving for the Technology seminar at the new
Altech Head Office building in Woodmead.
Attending the Technology seminar are Robbie Venter, Chief
Executive: Altron and Neil Kayton, Chief Executive Officer:
Powertech.
Dr Steven Shepard entertaining and baffling delegates with his
innovation theories.
Sitting in the front row of the seminar are from left to right:
Robbie Venter, Chief Executive: Altron; Laurence Savage, Chief
Operating Officer: Altech; Neil Kayton, Chief Executive Officer:
Powertech; Dr Willie Oosthuysen, Chief Technology and Chief
Strategic Officer: Altech; Alex Smith, Chief Financial Officer: Altron.
Networking after the Technology seminar are
Laurence Savage, Chief Operating Officer: Altech and
Johan Klein, Group Executive: Corporate Services and Operations.
18
Altech Card Solutions
leads the compliance race
Altech Card Solutions has become one of only a handful
of payment service providers in South Africa to be certified
as compliant with the Payment Card Industry Data
Security Standard Version 2 (PCI DSS).
PCI DSS is the global data security standard adopted by
payment card brands. PCI security standards are technical
and operational requirements set by the PCI Security
Standards Council (PCI SSC) to protect cardholder data.
The standards apply to all entities that store, process or
transmit cardholder data, and has been endorsed by all the
major card brands, namely Visa, MasterCard Worldwide,
Discover Network, American Express and Japan Credit
Bureau (JCB). PCI DSS is designed to protect credit card
users and merchants against fraud, as its requirements
protect the transaction process as well as cardholder
information. It consists of critical steps that mirror security
best practices.
Altech Card Solutions (ACS) followed the three-step
process of: assess, remediate and report to achieve PCI
DSS compliance. “In the assessment phase we took an
inventory of our IT assets and analysed our associated
business processes,” explains ACS Key Account Manager,
Henry Minnaar. “We rectified any deficiencies in the
remediation phase and finally submitted a report to all our
stakeholders. Trustwave, our qualified security assessor
and provider of information security and compliance
solutions, performed the validation.”
Chris Dewe, General Manager: Integrated Transaction Solutions
(a division of Altech Card Solutions); Dennis Kriedemann, Qualified
Security Assessor: Trustwave; Derek Chaplin, Managing Director: Altech
Card Solutions.
Altech Card Solutions believes that PCI-DSS compliance is one of the most
effective data security regulations today. It has a positive effect on information
security and can significantly help companies improve their data security
posture.
19
THE ALTECH GROUP’S
WORLD CLASS FACILITIES
Altech Head Office - Woodmead
Altech Card Solutions - Linbro Park
Altech Head Office - Woodmead
Altech NuPay - Alberton
Altech Fleetcall - Centurion
20
Alte
ech UEC - Mt Edgecombe, KwaZulu Natal
Altech Netstar - Midrand
Altech Autopage Cellular - Midrand
Altech Autopage Cellular - Midrand
Arrow Altech Distribution - Jet Park, Boksburg
Altech Radio Holdings - Woodmead
21
Altech’s partnership with
Huawei starts to pay dividends
On the 28th of March 2013 Altech and Huawei announced that they
had jointly secured a significant contract to the value of R119 million
excluding VAT, with the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa
(PRASA), to provide digital signalling network technology for South
Africa’s major metropolitan areas including Gauteng, Durban and
Cape Town.
In essence, technology controls the movement of trains to ensure
that they operate efficiently while improving passenger safety. “This
technology will give management ‘eyes’ on the rail tracks, allowing
them to monitor the movement of their trains … to determine when
it’s safe to proceed, and when to stop,” says Tim Ellis, Group
Executive Business Development Division.
Traditionally, this type of information was collated through the
deployment of expensive fibre-optic cables or copper wire running
the length of the entire rail network. Theft of copper wire along
rail networks, which provides the backbone of vital communication
between rail controllers, has in the past resulted in disaster.
(GSM-R) technology will be wireless and will eliminate the risk of “down
time” caused by interruptions to the communications infrastructure. “This
will be the first time that GSM-R technology will be deployed in southern
Africa,” says Tim, adding that it is already widely used in Europe and in
other industrialised nations.
In addition, this project will
result in significant new
job creation, skills transfer
and new learnerships. The
deployment of the GSM-R
technology is one leg of the
recently announced PRASA
infrastructure development
plan. “The project will also
benefit several small, medium
and micro enterprises,” he adds.
Tim says the technology that Huawei – lead partner in the joint
venture – and Altech will provide eliminates this risk. The GSM-Rail
Altech enters into three-year
communications contract with SAPS
Police operations in Gauteng have received a major boost with the
closing of a three-year contract with the Altech Group to maintain and
upgrade the SAPS TETRA radio network in the province.
Altech subsidiary Altech Alcom Matomo will be responsible for providing
Motorola two-way communications equipment, upgrading the TETRA
infrastructure, software, and ongoing maintenance of the radio network.
This contract is to the value of R196 million (excluding VAT and subject to
options from SAPS).
Good communications are critical for the South African Police Service to
do its work properly and efficiently. Officers on the ground need to be in
constant communication with their stations via in-vehicle and handheld
radios, using a network that is always secure and reliable. TETRA provides
them with that platform, but it is essential that the network is up to date,
well-maintained and serves their requirements. “This is where Altech
comes in, to ensure that officers in Gauteng have the communications
resources they require at all times,” says Tim Ellis, Group Executive
Business Development Division.
Already, the contract, which was signed at the end of 2012 by Deputy
National Commissioner Lieutenant-General Dr AL Mofomme, has delivered
an order to Altech for hardware and software upgrades and monthly
network maintenance.
22
Tim mentions that he is immensely proud of the foresight and bravery
demonstrated by the police Commissioner and the department’s commitment
to implement a world class infrastructure to maintain law and order.
“It is unrealistic to expect our police service to address crime on its
own. Just as police officers on the ground need the active support and
assistance of the public to address and prevent crimes, so SAPS as an
organisation needs the unwavering support of the private sector to meet its
infrastructural and operational requirements.
The Altech Group is thus thrilled to become a partner of SAPS, and have
the opportunity to offer world-class expertise and service to our men
and women in blue in Gauteng, South Africa’s commercial and industrial
heartland.
By providing them with the communication tools they need, and ensuring
that the TETRA network is fully functional at all times, we are an active
participant in efforts to make the province a better and safer place for all its
citizens, and that truly is something to be proud of,” Ellis says.
Altech Netstar contributes to a
record-breaking ribbon
Hundreds of volunteers joined
Afrika Tikkun, Constitution Hill
and the Johannesburg Junior and
Mini Council in Johannesburg on
World Aids Day to create what is
believed to be the longest HIV/AIDS
awareness ribbon in the world.
An Altech Netstar helicopter
hovered overhead as more than 6 000 donated red T-shirts were
pinned together to create a 1.5km-long HIV/AIDS awareness ribbon.
It was 500m longer than the previous record. The ribbon has yet to be
ratified as a new Guinness World Record.
A bird’s eye view of Constitutional Hill in the Johannesburg CBD.
Constitutional Court Judge Edwin Cameron, one of South Africa’s
most prominent openly HIV-positive citizens, spoke on the day and
said that although the disease is now easy to treat and manage, the
biggest problem still facing HIV-positive people is stigma.
“Stigma is condemnation, rejection, ostracism, moralism and
isolation. Why is there stigma? Probably, I think, because in most
cases HIV is passed on through sex. And we feel embarrassed and
ashamed when a natural, loving, affirming act of bodily connection
turns out to have transmitted a possibly fatal infection,” said Justice
Cameron.
The Justice, who has been on HIV treatment for the past 15 years,
concluded his speech by saying: “We South Africans, we Africans,
have suffered too long and too terribly under this epidemic. Its grief
and fear lie deeply in our hearts. It does not have to be so. This World
AIDS Day 2012, starting with you and me, let us begin to make it
different.”
The HIV/AIDS ribbon initiative was intended to create awareness and
encourage people to know their status, in order to prevent the spread
of the disease and manage it effectively. The T-shirts for the event
were donated to the communities where Afrika Tikkun works. Afrika
Tikkun is an NGO that delivers education, health and social services
for children, youth and their families through its community centres of
excellence. Their aim is to produce a new generation of productive
citizens, a noble aim that is made possible by the support of strategic
partners, including Altech Netstar.
The 1,5km-long red ribbon being laid out in support of
HIV/AIDS awareness.
Shown smiling and enjoying the day are hundreds of
volunteers who pledged their day in support of the HIV/AIDS
awareness ribbon day.
23
New
Group
Appointments
Marius Marais, General Manager: Project Purple
Marius has been appointed General Manager for Project Purple at Altech Management Services.
Marius holds a Masters of Business Administration (Cum Laude) and a Bachelor of Business Administration
with Honours from the University of Stellenbosch. He also obtained a Diploma in Datamatrix (Computer
Science) from UNISA, and a National Diploma for Technicians (Light current) through the Technicon of
Witwatersrand.
Marius Marais
His role and responsibilities will include the daily running of Project Purple in the Altech Group.
Before joining Altech, Marius was employed as Group Operations Executive and Group Digital Executive at
Avusa.
In his free time Marius enjoys his membership of the Rotary Club (PP), scuba diving, amateur radio operations,
recreational jogging and walking.
Willem Rossouw, Group Network Architect: Altech
Willem has been appointed as Group Network Architect at Altech Management Services.
Willem holds a National Diploma in Computer Systems from the Vaal Triangle Technicon.
Willem Rossouw
Willem will be responsible for supporting the Altech Group’s strategy pertaining to efficiencies and projects in
the IT sector, also for gathering business requirements and objectives, providing blue prints for architectures
and products, communicating the relevant information clearly to stakeholders and advocating for the necessary
investment necessary to execute effectively. Additionally, he will be contributing to the building of new
Information Technology business ventures.
Before joining Altech, Willem was employed as a Consulting Systems Architect and a Consulting System
Engineer at Cisco, as well as Network Engineer for Persetel Qdata Networks.
In his free time Willem enjoys camping, off-roading, hunting, reading and running.
Marilet Branders, Junior Market Research Specialist: Altech
Marilet has been appointed as Junior Market Research Specialist at Altech Management Services. Marilet
holds a B.Com Strategic Management Honours degree as well as a B.Com Entrepreneurial Management
degree from the University of Johannesburg.
She will be responsible for research to strategically drive, differentiate initiatives and to create a competitive
advantage within the Altech Group.
Marilet Branders
24
In her free time she enjoys triathlons, trail running, surfing, scuba diving, cooking and spending time with family
and friends.
Altech Academy
Student Breakfast
The information technology, telecommunications and
innovations industry has become increasingly reliant on
This year’s breakfast saw 19 students attending, who are all enrolled
in the various disciplines such as Information Technology, Computer
the skills of young talent for the sustainable development
of these industries. It is for this reason that Altech hosts
a Student Academy Breakfast once a year in order to
Sciences, Engineering and Finance. At the completion of their degrees,
the students receive a two year employment contract with Altech, and
the opportunity to implement and grow their knowledge in a business
introduce and inspire the various students the Group
identified for bursaries in tertiary institutions.
setting.
A university education does not have value in itself; its
value only emerges when the graduate starts applying
his or her knowledge and skills in the workplace and the
broader society to add value to it. The Altech Academy
Bursary Scheme is therefore a talent-based scheme aimed
at attracting and retaining outstanding individuals.
Preference is given to candidates with an exceptional
academic record and those individuals who display the
potential and the ability to contribute to the success of
the Altech Group once they have completed their studies.
Given these selection criteria, it is safe to assume that
Altech attracts some pretty impressive young people each
year.
Amongst the honorary guests at this year’s breakfast was
Dr John Carstens, Chief Financial Officer: Altech seen here mingling
with some bright young minds.
Nineteen Altech Academy Bursary students were invited to the
breakfast this year.
Addressing students on 31 January 2013 at the
Altech Academy Student Breakfast was
Altech CEO Craig Venter who himself holds a
number of university degrees.
25
The Altech Siyabonga Awards are presented to employees within the Altech Group to acknowledge dedication, delivery
above and beyond the call of duty, and consistent, professional conduct for others to aspire to.
The individuals that Altech would like to honour and thank are…
DECEMBER 2012
JONATHAN BILLINGS: CLIENT LIAISON OFFICER – ALTECH AUTOPAGE CELLULAR
Altech Autopage Cellular launched a new concept in their showroom six months ago to offer
technical and device support to customers. The intent was to pilot the concept for a short period to
understand the potential value it could offer. Jonathan was employed to fill this position and in the
six months since implementation has performed this function exceptionally.
He performs this function on his own with no support and often has clients queuing to see him,
some will wait for over an hour just to speak to Jonathan. He has received numerous customer
compliments as well as internal nominations through Altech Autopage Cellular’s internal stars of
excellence program.
Most days Jonathan does not take lunch as he does not want to let his customers down. This,
along with everything he does, exemplifies the right attitude and positivity that we encourage all
staff to have.
Laurence Savage, COO: Altech and
Craig Venter, CEO: Altech
congratulate Jonathan Billings.
It is with pleasure that we award the December 2012 Altech Siyabonga Award to Jonathan for
going beyond the call of duty.
JANUARY 2013
CHRIS KNICKLEBEIN: ALTECH ISIS
Chris has once again gone above and beyond for Altech ISIS and the client. The issues which we
encountered over December were replicated in January by an upstream system, and this destroyed
the client’s OIS system’s financial numbers. Once again Chris spent long hours and weekends
fixing the data and reloading OIS to make sure that the December month-end was corrected.
After he had fixed the data and had reloaded the corrections, Vodacom Operations started their
month-end process before all the data had moved into the publish area. This caused all the work
he had done to be corrupted. He once again worked weekends to rectify this without being asked.
Laurence Savage, COO: Altech and
Craig Venter, CEO: Altech
congratulate Chris Knicklebein.
26
At the end of January OIS set their QA flags within SLA for the first time in years. Before Altech ISIS
took over OIS from Vodacom they had not achieved their month end SLA. While this might be taken
as an “expected” achievement, we need to also take into account that OIS is being decommissioned
in two months. This is what makes Chris a worthy recipient of this award. Not only did he put in the
long hours, hard work and exceed the client’s expectations, but he did it on a system he is being
moved off. That speaks volumes for his work ethic, attention to detail, being a team player and most
importantly having pride in what he delivers.
We are pleased to award the January 2013 Altech Siyabonga Award to Chris for meeting SLA and
also for the extra work he has put in to get the client’s OIS system to the position it is in currently.
FEBRUARY 2013
INNOCENT NDLANGISA: AFRICA SUPPORT ACCOUNTS MANAGER –
ALTECH MULTIMEDIA
On 17 January 2013, Innocent secured R1 million profit in a single accessory product sale for the
company. GDL was tasked by their CFO, Mr Charles Reeves, to secure the R1 million extra to its annual
profit target for the year and this has now been achieved.
Innocent has recently completed the Accounts Manager course at the Altech Academy. In addition
to the R1 million profit, Innocent has ensured an additional R2.7 million profit through accessory and
material sales for repairs by year end and has displayed skill and care in managing the in-warranty fund
payments to Africa in a manner that has saved the company R5 million on 1,131 warranty provisions.
This is a total company contribution of R8 million from one individual and a GDL support team diligently
applying themselves to serve the company.
We are pleased to present the Altech Siyabonga Award for February 2013 to Innocent for his outstanding
Laurence Savage, COO: Altech and
Craig Venter, CEO: Altech
congratulate Innocent Ndlangisa.
achievement.
Altech Multimedia
wins TT100 award
Altech Multimedia has been acknowledged by its peers as a leader in
business excellence. At an event hosted by the Department of Science
and Technology in Johannesburg, Altech Multimedia received a
Technology Top 100 award for excellence in research and development.
The TT100 programme recognises South African companies that
have developed a culture of technological innovation and excellence.
The programme is one of the foremost business awards programmes
that celebrate and honour South African companies for their business
proficiency in the management of technology, innovation, people,
systems and research and development.
In 2011, Altech Multimedia was awarded a TT100 award for Excellence
in the Management of Systems. In 2012 the company again rose to
the challenge and pocketed the award for Excellence in Research
and Development. Altech Multimedia was also a finalist in four
other categories, namely: Management of Systems, Management of
Innovation, Management of People and Management of Technology.
Technology Top 100 trophies on display before the
awards ceremony.
Alan Sullivan, CTO of Altech Multimedia, and Dr Willie Oosthuysen,
CTO of Altech, were at the event to receive the award. Alan had this
to say: “We face fierce competition in the global market, but strong
leadership and the tenacity of our employees enable us to consistently
perform. Winning a TT100 award is a great honour for us and we look
forward to building on this achievement in the years to come.”
27
Enterprises can
learn from
start-ups about
adopting new
technology
Compared to smaller start-ups, established enterprises are often more
risk averse and slow to embrace new technology – often much to the
chagrin and frustration of some of their gadget-toting employees.
In order to help enterprise strategists compare their company’s use of
technology against that of competitors, and help them decide when,
how and where to adopt new technologies, Gartner has created a
framework that classifies enterprises according to their technology
adoption profiles. The classification considers an enterprise’s
willingness and strategies to embrace technology, and whether the
strategy is adequately funded and supported by management. Gartner
is the world’s leading information technology (IT) research and advisory
company.
to use their personal mobile devices for business – thereby ensuring
mobility and, in some instances, increased productivity – more cautious
enterprises might hold back due to security concerns. They worry about
whether their company’s systems will be breached, leading to theft of
information or data. This is a perfectly valid concern.”
However, Anton notes that there are many instances where enterprises
ought to take the lead from start-ups. “A good example is how start-ups
are using the cloud as well as more modern, open source software,
tools and processes. Enterprises are often stuck in a rut with expensive,
unwieldy software for which they have to pay costly annual licensing
fees. Being progressive and switching to customised solutions will be
far more cost-effective in the long run.”
“Technically aggressive” companies are well-funded and use IT to
keep abreast of competitors. According to Gartner’s system, they are
Anton says that competitors might usurp those enterprises that are too
slow to embrace new technology. “With technology changing so rapidly,
Type A enterprises. Type B enterprises – the category that includes the
majority of enterprises – are mainstream IT users with adequate funds
that use IT for productivity. The Type C’s are the most risk averse and
we realise it can be daunting to find something that best suits your
enterprise’s particular needs. Altech ISIS has a customised offering
designed to assist clients to run their businesses better through the
technologically conservative, and carefully control their IT expenditures.
more effective use of technology. Through our ability to adapt to local
conditions, we will help you to adapt your company to stay cutting-edge
and ahead of the competition.”
“The more conservative enterprises often have a legitimate reason for
not wanting to be so quick to embrace specific tech trends, such as the
new Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) culture that more tech savvy startups are latching onto,” says Anton van Heerden, general manager of
Altech ISIS. “Risk aversion is not always simply about an unwillingness
to spend money on IT. While start-ups might encourage employees
28
Altech Autopage Cellular
changes the face of telecoms
by bidding farewell to paper
Altech Autopage Cellular (AAPC) is changing the face of South African
telecommunications by eliminating paper from its retail outlets. “As
of 1 February 2013, we operate in a paperless environment to make
the sign-up process more convenient and to offer our customers a
faster, better and more environmentally friendly service experience
in our stores,” explains Boyd Chislett, managing director of AAPC.
design team incorporated international best practices into the build,
ensuring that the stores have the right equipment to log information
only once and store it securely.
All documentation is available electronically and is legally compliant.
The added benefit for customers is that personal documentation,
Traditionally, the mobile telecommunications industry has been paperbased due to the vast amount of compliance documentation required.
such as identity documents, will be kept electronically. This means
that existing customers, who have utilised the paperless process
once, won’t have to bring a stack of documentation on a return visit.
The move to a paperless system significantly reduces customer
activation waiting times as there is no need to convert written analogue
information into a digital format.
Additionally, contracts are emailed to a subscriber, so there is no need
to leave the store with reams of paperwork. AAPC’s customer service
team can also log into the system should a customer have any queries,
negating the need for the customer to return to the store to resolve
an issue. Convenient and secure, the system will comply with the
In addition, the AAPC franchisees will save on printing, courier and
scanning costs; savings which are being funneled directly into improving
the customer experience. The move to paperless greatly benefits the
subscriber, the company and the environment.
“Our customers now enjoy a faster, more accurate and more convenient
experience, since there is no need to print and sign sales documents.
Upgrading an existing contract can be done with a few clicks,”
Protection of Personal Information legislation that will likely be passed
during the course of 2013.
“This is but one of the many innovations we are planning in order to
improve the overall customer experience,” says Boyd. “In the coming
months we will truly differentiate ourselves as a first class provider of
digital telecoms solutions.”
elaborates Boyd. “Converting our distribution channels to paperless
environments is increasing the efficiency of our sales staff, eliminates
the risk of lost documentation and decreases storage space. Not to
mention that we’re saving quite a few trees in the process.”
After reviewing the numerous technologies available to implement a
paperless solution, AAPC built the Altech Autopage Sales System. The
29
Mobility is changing
customer relationships
Emerging technologies have enabled companies to collect, store and
analyse customer information in ways that have greatly improved their
ability to attract and retain customers. Effective customer relationship
management (CRM) is now possible by using analytical techniques to
implement customer treatment strategies based on predictive modelling
that draws on a wealth of data about customer behaviour.
According to a new report from Forrester Research called Mobile is the
New Face of Engagement, a power shift happens when a billion people
use mobile devices to engage with brands, information and each other.
Mobile apps empower customers, partners, and employees wherever
they are. People can serve themselves in the moment to accomplish a
task like check a status, find an expert, receive an alert, make a purchase,
answer a question, share an opinion or send a message. This has had
a massive impact on CRM strategies and results and, consequently, on
how companies are working.
“The access and convenience of mobile apps and devices shifts more
power from institutions to individuals than did the PC or the Web,” says
Anton van Heerden, general manager at Altech ISIS. “The adoption levels
and growth projections of mobile devices and investment are staggering,
and companies that ignore this phenomenon do so at their own peril.”
According to the Forrester research:
• One billion consumers will have smartphones by 2016.
• Apple, Google and Microsoft will be the software platform for
more than 90% of smartphones and tablets worldwide.
• Carriers will compete for wireless spectrum and to support 5.8
million public Wi-Fi hotspots globally.
• In 2016, 350 million employees will use smartphones — 200
million will bring their own to work.
He adds that this isn’t as difficult as one might think. “Building these
relationships just means treating your customers and clients like true
strategic partners and showing them that you care about them. It’s
important to satisfy them with the right products and services, supported
by the right promotion and making it available at the right time and
location. Customers can easily detect indifference and insincerity and
they simply will not tolerate it. Long-term client and customer loyalty is a
long-term goal that you must pursue every day and with every transaction,
no matter how big or small.”
“Altech ISIS has helped a number of organisations to implement CRM.
We are seeing fantastic benefits both in better and stronger customer
relationships, and in the ‘stickability’ of how long customers are staying
with their chosen service provider.”
• Smartphones and tablets are valuable enough at work that
employees will buy their own.
• Mobile spend will reach $1.3 trillion as the mobile apps market
reaches $55 billion in 2016.
Key to this is a mind shift to “systems of engagement”. These, Forrester
says, “are different from the traditional systems of record that log
transactions and keep the financial accounting in orde: They focus on
people, not processes.”
• Tablet and smartphone apps, even at an average price of
$2.43, will grow explosively to $56 billion in 2015 as first-time
Anton says that CIOs need to rethink their roles, responsibilities and
skill sets within their IT organisations – much as they did with the
advent of the personal computer. “An effective CRM strategy that takes
this technological shift into account will lead to improved customer
satisfaction, lower service costs through customer self-service, increased
business productivity, lower internal costs, and significant new revenue
sources. And that will result in a future of profitable growth.”
device owners tap into the wealth of innovative apps.
• The spend on mobile will reach $1.3 trillion globally by 2015 —
35% of the technology economy.
• Business spending on mobile projects will grow 100% by 2015.
“This indicates that with smartphones and tablets becoming the platform
of choice for consumers and businesses alike, companies around the
world should be looking for new ways to engage customers via their
mobile devices,” Anton says. “Starting with creating conversations with
30
customers and prospects on social networks, companies should build,
nurture and develop customer relationships through every avenue
available to them.”
THE
ALTECH NUPAY
PRO-AM GOLF TOURNAMENT
Seccond Ann
nual Eye
e of Africa Pro
o-Am
m
On an overcast and cool Highveld morning, golfers from all over
Gauteng gathered for the second annual Eye of Africa Pro-Am Golf
Day. As a result of the roaring success of last year’s event, Altech
NuPay decided to again host the event at the Eye of Africa Golf and
Leisure Club on 25 February 2013.
The event started last year with a field of 15 professionals and 45
amateurs. This year the response was so overwhelming that the field
had to be enlarged to 100 players (25 professionals and 75 amateurs).
the amateurs, there was also a R25 000 purse for the professionals.
After all prizes were handed out, golfers were able to socialise with the
professionals and each other during the prize-giving dinner.
Altech NuPay would like to thank all the personnel at the Eye of Africa
Golf and Leisure Club for their assistance on the day as well as The
PGA of South Africa.
Golf, and sport in general, has always been very close to our hearts at
Altech NuPay, as is evident in the various sponsorships we are involved
in to develop the youth in our community. When the prospect presented
itself to again partner with the exclusive Eye of Africa Golf and Leisure
Club in growing the only pro-am golf day in our area, we grabbed the
opportunity without hesitation. Altech NuPay’s invited guests, business
associates, partners and clients not only had the opportunity to play
with seasoned professionals, but it also presented the opportunity to
introduce Altech NuPay’s newest product offerings to local businesses
and business owners.
The Golfers arrived to flying Altech NuPay banners and smiling staff
welcoming them. After registration, a peak into their arrival gift bags
and putting on some sunscreen for the merciless Highveld sun (even
though some were fooled by the overcast weather – they definitely felt
the effects the day after!), they climbed into their golf carts to see who
would emerge victorious. Even though it was one of the windiest days
this summer, the golfers exhibited skills worthy of the PGA! After a
superb day’s golf, Paul Marks emerged victorious. As part of his prize,
Paul became the second recipient of the coveted White Jacket donated
by Altech NuPay last year. In addition to the other exciting prizes for
Sampie Pienaar, Managing Director: Altech NuPay,
hands over the the coveted White Jacket to winning
professional, Paul Marks.
31
Arrow Altech Distribution
A
sparks young scouts’
interest in electronics
The Senior Scout Adventure takes places every alternate December
in and around the scenic Cederberg Wilderness Area in the Western
Cape. It combines a challenging hiking programme with outdoor
activities aimed at youngsters between the ages of 15 and 18.
The 2012 Adventure hosted about 400 scouts over 10 days. At
intervals along the hiking trails, the scouts visited bases, staffed by
volunteers, where they exercised their outdoor knowledge or learnt
new skills. The Electronics Base was visited byy 152 scouts who
had chosen to hike the toughest of the three
circular routes through the rugged Cederberg
mountains.
The three-hour activity at the Electronics Base
introduced the Scouts to the art of electronics
and gave them an insight into the workings of
modern electronic equipment. The scouts left
the base with a working device that they had
assembled themselves.
For the past three Adventures, Kinetic Electronicc
Designs (KED) has been responsible for the design
gn
and preparation of the project kits. “The kits have
ve
typically included about 30 leaded components,
nts,
PCB, battery and mounting- and enclosurerehardware,” says Andrew Spencer of KED. “Our aims
ims
include teaching the scouts the basic principless of
circuit operation, component identification and the skill
of THP soldering.”
Previously, budget constraints limited the complexity
xity of
the Adventure projects to torches, radios, an LED digital
compass and a digital voice changer. This year, due to the generous
assistance of Arrow Altech Distribution (AAD) and other contributors,
the Electronics Base presented the scouts with a kit to assemble a
fully-functional GPS receiver.
The receiver’s features included the display of location, altitude,
satellite signal strength, time and the routing from current location to
any of 10 user-programmable waypoints.
32
Steph Schoemann, AAD’s Cape Town
Stephen
branch manager, was instrumental
branc
in ensuring
that the kits could be
e
produced within the allocated budget.
prod
AAD supplied the GP 1604A-S1 9
volt batteries, Clover CV4162D-MYSF-N6
SF- 2x16-line backlit LCD display
modules,
ATmega88PA-PU 8Kb 8-bit
mo
microcontrollers
and Navman Jupiter
mi
J3-L
J3 GPS modules that were used
in the project. Stephen also spent
several
days at the base, assisting
se
with
w the training of the scouts in
assembly
techniques (and cooking
a
up a delicious braai for the staff!).
The project was only unveiled
at the start of the Adventure
and bowled
over both visitors to and
bo
participants in the Electronics Base activity. The scouts were
amazed that they could create such a useful device from a packet of
components. The Adventure organisers were extremely interested in
the possibility of making use of the project and technology at future
events. In the post-Adventure polls, the scouts voted the base, its staff
and the activity into overall first place.
Arrow Altech Distribution
picks up old family ties
In 1992, Microchip Technology appointed Pace Electronic Components,
an Altech subsidiary, as its first distributor in South Africa. This
month, more than two decades later, the relationship between the
two companies has been reignited through a distribution agreement
between Arrow Electronics and Microchip Technology (Microchip).
This global agreement includes Arrow Altech Distribution (AAD) as
one of Arrow’s operating companies. AAD will be locally supported
by Microchip’s representative Willem Hijbeek. According to André du
Preez, general manager: supplier marketing and business development
at AAD, the team is both delighted and excited that the relationship with
Microchip has been renewed. “It feels like a family being reunited after
a long absence.”
Twenty years ago, Altech launched and developed the market for
Microchip’s famous 8-bit microcontrollers and user-friendly development
tools. “Microchip has since expanded its product range significantly,
high level of confidence in Arrow Altech Distribution’s expertise,
infrastructure and ability to support Microchip’s broad product line in
South Africa. The company is ideally placed to serve the South African
electronics market in which they are extremely well established.”
which will strengthen our line card and solutions offering to our broad
customer base,” elaborates André. The new agreement includes
Microchip’s complete line of 8-bit and 32-bit PIC® microcontrollers,
About Microchip Technology
analog and interface semiconductors, wireless solutions and memory
Microchip Technology is a leading provider of microcontroller,
devices, along with related development tools.
During a recent trip to South Africa to launch the appointment of AAD
analog and Flash-IP solutions. It provides low-risk product
development, lower total system cost and faster time-tomarket for thousands of diverse customer applications
as a Microchip distributor, Norbert Siedhoff, Microchip sales director
for Europe, expressed his company’s admiration for the South African
business. “Arrow Altech Distribution’s corporate culture emphasises
worldwide. Headquartered in Chandler, Arizona, Microchip
offers outstanding technical support along with dependable
delivery and quality.
its own success and that of its customers and partners. We have a
Willem Hijbeek: Microchip SA; Norbert Siedhoff, European Sales Director:
Microchip; Steve Drehobl, Vice President MCU8 Division: Microchip;
Andre du Preez, General Manager: Arrow Altech Distribution.
33
M
MOBILE
PAYMENTS
MADE EASY
M
WITH NUPAYME
W
NuPay
Nu
the exc
exciting opportunity to simply add NuPayMe to
c
their current
product offering. Merchants, who are
not yet
ye registered for POS, can now register for
POS and NuPayMe at the same time and will be
able to transact before you can say – NuPayMe!
Me
PO S
Pay Me
Valu e:
ber
Car d Num
:
CVV :
Altech NuPay has always strived to be at the
forefront of payment technology and in recent
ent
years our merchants have enjoyed the fruitss of
our labour through the availability of a facility
ty to
process real time payments using a Point-of-Sale
-Sale
(POS) terminal. Being an innovative company that is
constantly looking for the “next frontier of innovation”
vation”
Altech NuPay has developed the next step in
electronic real time payments.
Dat e:
Ref eren
ce:
ber
Cell Num
NuPayMe is a safe, secure and user-friendly
Nu
solution
that will benefit all businesses
so
requiring
the immediate processing of real
re
time
transactions. It can be used in almost
t
any
a type of service environment, as well as
by any merchant needing to process debit
and credit card transactions remotely.
The NuPayMe product allows for the
acceptance of all major MasterCard and
Visa credit cards. By making use of the
NuPayMe product, merchants can
dramatically increase their collection
rate, there
thereby providing a healthier cash flow while
reducing the risk of cash handling.
h
YY
MM
Exp iry
:
Submit
Log out
l
Rep ort
s
Powered
cted
conne
cloud
This new innovation comes in the form of a web-based
eb-based
mobile payment collection solution that can be accessed
from anywhere, anytime, via cellphone, iPad, tablet
ablet etc., –
NuPayMe. Our merchant base consists of a wide and diverse spectrum
of industries and through interactions and countless conversations the
need was identified for a solution that could be used by merchants that
are not office bound, for example plumbers, electricians, debt collectors
and courier services to name a few. Current POS merchants now have
by:
Our partnerships are built on sound values and strong leadership. By
understanding our customer needs, continuous product innovation
and dedicated service enhancements, we improve our customer’s
business every day.
Altech Netstar fleet expands
Three new vehicles have been added
to the Altech Netstar fleet. Pictured
with the new vehicles are, from left to
right: Daniel Malabela,
Manager Company Vehicles;
Mahlatse Makhafola, Software
Support Technician and Ralph
Andrews, Fitment Quality Inspector.
34
Ethics – the foundation stone
for good business practice
The word “ethics” gets used a lot. Politicians talk about the need for an
ethical society. Pastors talk about developing a personal ethical code.
Most businesses, including Altech’s parent company Altron, have a
code of ethics by which all employees are expected to abide.
But what does ethics really mean? How do we, at Altech, ensure that
our management and staff behave ethically? How do we ensure that
we behave ethically towards our customers?
A basic definition of ethics is that it is a code of conduct that guides
acceptable and unacceptable behavior. Each individual is a member of
a particular cultural or social group, and our understanding of what is
acceptable or not acceptable is initially guided by our cultural influences.
As a result, to some degree, of globalisation, businesses - particularly
those with operations in several jurisdictions - have to observe a
code of ethics that cuts across different cultures. Altech is one such
operation and our code of ethics, while mindful of the cultural diversity
of the people who make up the Altech family, conforms to the principles
of good corporate governance.
Business ethics follow on from that definition – it is the code of values
and principles that govern how a person, or a group of people (Altech
staff) behave regarding what is right versus what is wrong.
The words that are written in Altech’s formal code are valuable only if
their intent is reflected in your actions. We cannot be any more – or less
– ethical than our staff and management, who run and work for Altech.
Take the time to familiarise yourself with Altech’s code of ethics and
ensure that you rest easy at night by complying with it. Make sure
that you behave ethically and that you blow the whistle on unethical
behaviour that you may see exhibited around you.
You make decisions every day, and your actions can impact the lives
of others. When business people make decisions that are not ethical,
many people can be hurt – including employees, customers, and
members of the general population, as well as the business itself.
Companies that are operated by people who do not choose to do
what is right, do not survive in the long-term. Often, making business
decisions that are counter to what is right may result in short-term profit,
but lead to the eventual demise of the organisation.
To get back to our questions above – Altech has an ethical code which,
if you follow it, will ensure that we behave ethically towards all the
different stakeholders that we encounter in our business lives. Help
Altech survive – make ethical choices always.
Within the context of our business, we have to behave ethically towards
our fellow staff members, our managers, our shareholders and, perhaps
most importantly, our customers.
Your sense of ethics has an impact on the type of conduct you exhibit.
When you are able to tell the difference between right and wrong and
you choose to do what is right, then you are acting in an ethical manner.
But in business, it’s not just about the difference between right and
wrong – it’s about applying that knowledge to business.
35
Altech NuPay’s corridors are buzzing with the news of a new pilot project that
will be launched in the month of May.
NuPay, in collaboration with ABSA Bank have developed the ABSA Schoolz
Card which is a Near Field Contact (NFC) card that enables students to pay
for items at school tuck shops simply by tapping the card on a NFC reader
that is connected to a terminal. This method of payment will substantially
reduce the amount of time students spend standing in queues, as well as
reduce the cash held on the premises by enabling exact amount payments.
Near Field Contact is quickly becoming the data communication method of
the future according to NuPays’ Managing Director Sampie Pienaar. It can
already be found in the transport, cellular and gaming industries, and is
rapidly expanding at a remarkable pace.
NFC, much like bluetooth, allows for communication between devices
through the use of radio waves. NFC devices do not need to be activated
before communication can occur. Data transfer occurs instantly once
physical contact is made between two NFC enabled devices.
The specific school chosen to pilot this new innovative product is the Marais
Viljoen High School in Alberton, Gauteng because of its long and ongoing
relationship with Altech NuPay throughout the years. Dave Hawkins,
Altech NuPay’s brand and communications manager, says that they are
very excited about the world of possibilities this product opens up for the
company and that Altech NuPay is expecting the reaction from the students,
parents and the school to be extremely positive, with the demand for the
card to increase and in so doing, pave the way for it to be introduced to a
number of schools and universities in the not too distant future.
Altech Academy Masters Students
The Altech Academy offers employees the opportunity to
enroll for programmes varying from short programmes to postgraduate degrees.
This year a number of Altech employees are studying towards
their Master of Science Degree in the Management of Technology
and Innovation.
From left to right in the back row:
Craig Duggan: Altech Card Solutions; John Pedregal: Altech
Netstar; Mark Gillon: Altech ISIS; Richard Wingfield: Altech
Management Services; Mattheus Van Emmenis: Arrow Altech
Distribution and Leon Nortje: Altech Autopage Cellular.
In the middle from left to right:
Michael Savvides: Altech Autopage Cellular; Keith Wrede:
Altech NuPay; Umer Farooq: Altech Autopage Cellular and
Julian De Combes: Altech Autopage Cellular.
From left to right in the front row:
Silva Lichtenstein: Altech Card Solutions; Pam Naidu: Altech
Multimedia; Shirley Schwikkard: Altech Multimedia;
Dr Steven Shepard; Monica Peethum: Altech Card Solutions
and Tom Davids: Altech Autopage Cellular.
36
How tech start-ups
are changing business
Twelve years after the world witnessed the spectacular dot com crash,
the global tech industry has made a respectable recovery. Every day,
innovative new technology start-ups are seeing the light all over the
world - creating jobs and causing the industry to blossom once more.
Technology news website, TechCrunch, published an analysis clearly
depicting the growth, bust and subsequent regrowth of the technology
sector earlier this year. Compiled by Tom Tunguz of Redpoint Ventures,
it reminds readers that in 1980, the global market cap of technology
companies amounted to $50 billion, accounting for 1.7% of all global
equities. By 1990, it had tripled to $176 billion.
Over the next ten years, technology companies displayed hypergrowth, with annual expansion rates of 140%, eventually surpassing
$8 trillion in global market cap. Just before the bubble burst in 2000,
IT companies represented one-fourth of all equity value in the world.
Following the bust, it deflated by 63% to $3 trillion. By mid-2012, the
tech sector seemed to have settled with equity of about $7 trillion,
which represented 14.7% of the total global market cap.
This time around, the prospects for the tech industry are good. A recent
report in Forbes magazine cites that technology job opportunities are
predicted to grow by up to 22% over the next 10 years, making it the
fastest growing industry in the US economy.
Africa too is experiencing a technology renaissance. Even though
only 14% of Africans have access to the Internet through a computer
or mobile phone – compared to global Internet penetration, which
reportedly stands at 32% - and only 2% have access to personal
computers, Internet usage is rapidly growing on the continent. Africa
is also said to be the world’s fastest growing mobile market, with the
number of cellphone users expected to reach approximately 735 million,
which will make it second only to Asia in terms of mobile penetration.
some way,” says Anton van Heerden, general manager of Altech ISIS.
Referring to a well-known mobile instant messaging utility which also
offers its users social networking, access to music, eBooks and other
forms of entertainment, Anton adds: “Everyone already knows about
Mxit and how it revolutionised the mobile landscape in South Africa
and on the rest of the continent. We’ve seen that tech start-ups that
generate the most buzz usually offer services that have to do with
mobile money or payments.”
A great example of this is FloCash, a payment provider that was cited
by Forbes Africa as one of Africa’s top 20 tech start-ups. The service
allows anyone with an e-mail address and a cellphone to easily and
safely send and receive money across Africa. A significant number,
estimated to be around 80%, of the continent’s adult population is
still unbanked. ExpenZa, a South African venture, helps those that
do have bank accounts to automatically track their monthly spending
and calculate budgets by intercepting and decoding the expenditure
notifications that are sent to them by their banks. It can also be used
manually, without the text messaging feature.
Anton points out that this rapid uptake of mobile in Africa is changing the
business landscape so fundamentally that the corporate world had to
take note. “South Africa’s major retail banks are also branching out into
mobile. This convergence between cellphone and banking technology
started with First National Bank, which was the first to develop a
smartphone app. The fact that they are letting their technology teams
take on development in the banking space, which is notoriously
tough and tightly regulated, is an indicator of how much the business
landscape has evolved.”
“That’s why many of the most successful tech start-ups to emerge
in Africa in recent years are those that are aimed at mobile users in
37
READ THIS
SE
EDITION
DITIION O
OF
F ALTECH TALK FRO
FROM
OM COVER
C
COV
TO COVER TO
FIND
THE
ANSWERS...
O FIN
ND T
HE ANS
ANSW
WERS...
Send your answers to:
Evette Wessels
(ewessels@altech.co.za)
by 7 June 2013
and stand a chance to win an
Altech NuPay NuCard
pre-loaded with R500.00.
QU
QUESTIONS
Q
UESTIONS
1.
What is the name of the gentleman who visited the Altech Academy Master Students class from the USA?
2.
What does ethics mean to you?
3.
How many Altech Academy Bursary students attended the student breakfast?
4.
What are the names of the two major business deals that Altech has entered into?
5.
When were the Altech Annual Results announced?
Congratulations to Saanthini Naidoo from Altech Autopage Cellular, the
winner of the limited edition Altech Way book signed by
Altech Group CEO, Craig Venter.
38
39
www.altech.com