The man tasked with building on PQ Africa`s e-commerce strategy, John Lagaay, says the biggest challenge facing e-commerce in South Africa today is to move from building on the solid foundation created in the excitement phase. He maintains that the next phase is developing business models which provide sustainable earnings using the electronic environment.
Lagaay replaces Willem van Rensburg as group executive of PQ Africa`s eCommerce Division. Willem van Rensburg has been promoted to the Comparex Group Solutions Team and has been tasked to look at the group`s global e-business strategy. Lagaay will be looking to boost the long-term profitability of subsidiaries SA Certification Agency (SACA), ECnet and QEDI using what he calls a "value-added model".
"We`ve been through the excitement stage of e-commerce, in which the emphasis has been on generating transactions and getting as many people as possible onto hubs," says Lagaay.
"Now it`s time to take e-commerce in the group to a more mature phase, in which we establish business models and formulate strategies which will generate reasonable returns on our various ventures."
Lagaay says that the imminent competition within the South African telecommunications sector "must be an opportunity for e-business type ventures", as competition will invariably drive down cost structures.
Lagaay first earned a reputation as a business development specialist by running a highly successful Open Systems model for Persetel. Having spent the past year developing strategies for Comparex Information systeme in Europe, he feels he is well placed to apply his experience in the booming e-business arena.
"E-commerce is business as usual - it`s just that you`re now sharing systems with your business partners and customers," says Lagaay. "The benefits of this speak for themselves. The cost-cutting opportunities and increased marketing abilities alone make e-commerce impossible to ignore."
Lagaay is upbeat about the prospects for e-commerce in South Africa, which has lagged behind Europe and the United States in its adoption rates.
"There`s no doubt that this is the way business will be done in the future. It`s just a question of implementing models in such a way that people are comfortable using them."
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The following provides more details on the companies within PQ Africa`s eCommerce Division. ECnet is a first tier ISP and provides commerce services, including transaction management and connectivity in both the business-to-business and business to consumer markets.
QEDI offers hubs services including claims management and switching and data warehousing.
SACA is a certification authority, providing trust services and digital certification products.
ECnet, QEDI and SACA fall under the Electronic Commerce Division of PQ Africa, which in turn forms part of Comparex Holdings Limited. With this direct link to Comparex, PQ Africa and the businesses within the division have access to a global network of diverse information and communications technology organisations with an ethos of providing unrivalled information technology solutions and services in a range of specialised areas.
PQ Africa was formed as a result of the merger of the business activities of Persetel Holdings Limited and Q Data Limited.
Comparex Holdings Limited has a 50% minus one share interest in PQ Africa who represents Comparex`s Southern African and other African interests. The black empowerment group NITAC (the National IT Acquisition Consortium), led by Real Africa Holdings Limited, holds a controlling interest of 50% plus one share in PQ Africa.
PQ Africa is the leading provider of competitive, innovative and flexible business solutions based on Information and Communications Technology (`ICT`).
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