It never ceases to amaze me how many successful organisations have emanated from the ashes of the disaster once known as JSE-listed MGX. iLayo Software Solutions (ISS), established in 2002, is one such company, and one that has managed to successfully exploit 'being thrown in at the deep-end'.
"ISS was created from the team that was already working with many major corporates in providing services orientated around the provision of asset management solutions utilising the Peregrine range of software products," commented Inana Nkanza, the MD of ISS. "This team already had a good understanding of the issues organisations faced in this specific area of infrastructure management and were acknowledged to be credible by both our users and partners in the provision of appropriate services and solutions. In addition, apart from ensuring a measurable return on investment, we endeavour to facilitate that a transfer of skills takes place by training and equipping the IT professionals of our customers with the necessary software know-how and expertise to allow them to continue maintaining the solutions without our assistance."
"It was from this that we evolved into a company that offered further services and solutions in the areas of ITIL-based infrastructure management," continued Nkanza. "Unlike many organisations in this part of the IT market, we have managed to attract and retain staff through our focus on ensuring that new employees would fit culturally, would have available to them appropriate and attractive incentives including a share option scheme and would be part of an on-going development program that progressively enhanced the skills base of both the individual and the company."
ISS earlier this year acquired a 31% stake in Puleng Technology in a deal that was intended to strengthen the ITIL-based infrastructure management capabilities of both companies. ISS is a black-owned South African company focuses on infrastructure management solutions that assist organisations in managing the availability, cost, location and level of service each IT asset provides and Puleng Technologies, a South African company, also offers systems management and infrastructure automation solutions to clients in central and southern Africa.
"It was a natural fit in terms of management structure and their overall approach to the market," concluded Nkanza. "In practice, so much so, that we now operate from the same premises in Midrand. In addition, the deal has also provided Puleng with a black empowerment partner that delivers value to the business in terms of skills and experience."
According to Nkanza this investment is but the start of a journey that will see ISS focus more heavily than ever before on the SME sector, which is viewed as crucial to the future of both organisations as this market has been identified as the new growth area for the coming years. Thus, ISS is looking customers who are looking for long term infrastructure solutions and a partner who can complement their own capabilities with a strong services approach.
iLayo has already established an impressive customer list in both the public and private sectors and includes, for example, such household names as Media 24, Mittal Steel, Sanlam, Siemens, University of Pretoria and Wesbank.
It speaks volumes that a small company and its management team can attract and retain staff in today's 'skills shortage' scenario. ISS fits this bill extremely well and deserves to succeed. It also understands its strengths and its focus areas and is not falling into the diversity trap that befalls so many organisations.
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