Johannesburg, 14 Nov 2003
Software Futures is preparing to launch its new branding, coupled with an aggressive growth model, says MD Arthur Brown.
Earlier this year MGX Holdings sold the company, originally part of the CCH acquisition, to empowerment group Kopano ke Matla.
Brown says the deal, along with Software Futures' new empowerment credentials, has already benefited the company immensely, opening doors that were previously inaccessible.
In the past two months the company has been focusing on defining its role and offerings, as well as restructuring to allow it to achieve its planned growth.
Brown says the definition of what the company does has now been established: "We manage risk associated with software and software development for our customers."
He says the Software Futures name will be retained as there is a lot of goodwill in it, but the brand will be changed after the February financial year-end to promote the product, best practice, empowerment status and other aspects. At the same time the company will launch an aggressive growth model.
He says the current branding gives the mistaken impression that Software Futures is a dot-com company, whereas it is a very mature business, something that needs to be communicated to the market.
Brown admits staff morale was low at the time of the takeover. "The work environment was very negative," he says. "Creativity was also low. The company went through its round of retrenchments a year-and-a-half ago and because the environment didn't improve, morale was still low."
He says there was also a good deal of uncertainty, since one of the terms of negotiations stipulated that Kopano not communicate with the Software Futures management until the deal was done.
Once the deal was signed, one of the first tasks was to communicate the vision and strategy to management and staff. Brown says they have since embraced the vision. "Staff morale is now 80% of where I would like to see it. We still have to put various incentives in place, but by the year-end I would hopefully be able to say it is 100%."
Clients had been holding orders back because of the uncertainty around MGX, but Brown says he has held two rounds of meetings with clients, who have also received the transition well. Orders are now returning.
"We want to be a beacon to the IT industry to show how empowerment can be done without compromising on quality and delivery," he says. "And that is something I believe in."
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