Petra Rees As per the Revised Codes of Good Practice, the Enterprise and Supplier Development (ESD) element forms 40% of the revised B-BBEE scorecard. According to Petra Rees, Managing Director of Lean Enterprise Accelerated Programmes (LEAP), “The mind-set at many companies is shifting from historical arm-length relationships between Enterprise Development and procurement initiatives to ensuring that supply chain becomes optimally transformed through comprehensive ESD programmes.” When it comes to designing an effective Enterprise and Supplier Development strategy, Rees recommends the following:  1. Analyse your existing procurement initiatives The purpose of a Procurement Analysis is to give you a clear picture of where and with whom you are currently spending money and where you are scoring B-BBEE points. You need to get a clear report on key indicators – amongst which are your procurement score against target score, a strategic view of your dependence on key suppliers ...

Yolandi Ferreira Point of Sale (POS) equipment is the computer-based order-entry technology many franchise restaurants use to capture orders, record data and display or print receipts. Having faulty POS systems, network connection errors or even a POS that does not allow for credit card purchases, can drive feet away from your store. Yolandi Ferreira, Marketing Manager at Maxi’s, urges franchise groups to have suitable payment facilities as well as contingency plans in place for these eventualities as this will ensure that franchisees can maintain feet in stores. The POS system acts as a payment processing register as well as a computer. In fact, the POS can consist of multiple stations, including back office, credit card terminals, receipt printers, display screens, hostess stations and server stations. Having a POS system in place can add convenience, accuracy and save time in busy situations. Not having one, or using an unproductive one, can see you lose customers. With PO...

Etiene Louw In a recent announcement , TomTom (TOM2) revealed that its complete TomTom connected navigation solution will be available in the new Fiat 500 range in Europe. The embedded system features the freshest TomTom maps, with a superior routing engine and includes five years of TomTom’s live connected suite of services, tapping into the consumer’s need for a car that offers smart navigation solutions, real-time updates and more detailed mapping. Etienne Louw, General Manager of TomTom Africa, explains the significance, “Up until now, cars have been quite isolated where navigation systems rely on dealing directly with dealerships, and involve DVD or SD card updates that the driver has to initiate. This is both time consuming and inconvenient for drivers. Consumers are craving a service similar to that of a smartphone, where information is instantly updated and easily accessible. This need has pushed the automotive industry to embrace the concept of the connected car mor...

New franchise strategies and growing earnings drive SA franchisors into Africa Philip Myburgh Times may be tough locally, but that has only encouraged South African franchisors to look beyond the country’s borders and take a long-term view on introducing integrated strategies for the growth of their brands across the continent. “The stage for expansion of franchise operations in Southern African Development Community (SADC) countries and beyond has shifted as franchisors have gained experience in African markets,” says Philip Myburgh , Head of Franchising Africa at Standard Bank . “Interestingly, we are seeing progressively more food retailers and quick-service restaurants eagerly trying to form business partnerships with the fuel service industry. While the concept has already taken off in South Africa, with limited maturity in neighbouring countries like Namibia, it is still at infancy stage in the rest of the continent, which presents an opportunity for more partnerships. ...

SA SMEs SEEK MUTUAL RELATIONSHIP WITH GOVERNMENT  Christo Botes Despite challenging economic conditions, South African entrepreneurs remain determined to make their respective businesses a success, but what if Government played a bigger role and consulted more widely in improving the chances of success by working more closely with small and medium enterprises (SMEs), in order to better understand the direct implications of policies on business owners. Imagine the potential of entrepreneurship in the country with a mutually beneficial relationship between the private and public sector? This was the general consensus from an alumni gathering of over 50 seasoned South African business owners who have won various categories in the Sanlam / Business Partners Entrepreneur of the Year® Competition over the last few decades. While entrepreneurs were vocal about the challenges within the country’s entrepreneurial environment – such as power cuts, labour unrest, insufficient infrast...