Business Profile

2009/2010
Seratoa Business Services Company Profile 2009/2010
SOME OF OUR CLIENTS, ASSOCIATES AND STAKEHOLDERS

Seratoa Business Services Company Profile 2009/2010

CONTENTS

CONTENTS ............................................................................................................... 1

Vision ....................................................................................................................... 2

Mission .................................................................................................................... 2

Introduction ............................................................................................................. 2

About Seratoa .......................................................................................................... 3

Products and Services .............................................................................................. 3

Previous Projects ..................................................................................................... 4

Ownership ............................................................................................................. 13

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Vision
It is our vision to provide owners, managers, business and government with the key
support and information they need to effectively and efficiently compete, whether
locally or globally

Mission
It is our goal to create tangible value, to improve the organization’s overall competitive
position, to assist with effective risk mitigation strategies, and to help managers,
owners, and executives achieve their business and personal objectives.

Introduction
We acknowledge that as a executive you probably have one of the toughest and
loneliest jobs in the world, wouldn’t you agree? – and that with little or no support! As
such we have taken it upon ourselves to source and developed a comprehensive set
of business support and development services that can maximize the benefit derived
from your business as well as reduce the stress related with the management of your
organization.

We can offer clients a unique view on their organizations that will maximize benefit
derived and reduce the stress related with to day-to-day operations.

Regards

Charles Szente

Executive Officer: Seratoa Business Services

Cell: 082 578 0581 Fax: 086-565-1235 Email: charles.szente@seratoa.co.za

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About Seratoa
As leader in your organization you no longer have to feel that you are ‘going it alone’ or
that you simply can’t afford help. You too can have the support and commitment of a
strong local and international network of accredited business experts to assist with
Investment promotion, Grants, Business development, Business sales, Local
Economic Development, Project management, Interim management, Cash flow
improvement, Empowerment, Quality management, Staff development and
performance management, Executive coaching, Behavioural profiling, Accounting
systems, Marketing, Business plans and Raising finance to name but a few.

But why don’t you name your specific issue and let us come up with a creative, cost
effective solution tailor-made for your organization?

Why? Because we aim to improve business for organizational leaders! Our purpose is
to make their organizations what they are meant to be; the beloved fruit of a
passionate and dedicated vision.

Products and Services

Out products and services that are “solution based” i.e. we take a business issue and
develop a comprehensive business solution for the issue. Some examples of solutions
developed are:

• Supply chain optimization projects

• Business improvement and staff capacity development
• Feasibility studies
• Strategic Business Review and preparation / implementation of a new business
plans,
• Local Economic Development
• Business Incubation
• Grant writing
• Business case development
• SMME Investment promotion
• Black Economic Empowerment
• Strategic materials and services sourcing,

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Products and Services (Continued)

• Sales or Marketing plan / campaign,

• Preparation for ISO 9000-2000 or ISO 14000 implementation,
• Staff and management development / training,
• Interim Management,
• Special project management,
• Company sale or planned exit strategy,
• Increasing profitability
• Organizational expansion,
• Information technology and e-commerce, or
• Administrative systems to be streamlined simplified or planned from the start

Previous Projects
In this section we will be reviewing our overall experience.

In house we have over 7 years supply chain management, 13 years project

management, 15 years operations, 7 years warehousing, 15 years quality
management, 15 years business process re-engineering, 5 years risk management, 8
years HIV, 5 years strategy, 5 years franchising, 7 years logistics, 5 years
assessment, lecturing and facilitation experience and 4 years Local Economic
Development experience.

Our experience includes a number of key projects at clients in the wood, import export,
radio, manufacturing and engineering (automotive), educational and services sectors.

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Previous Projects (continued)
Next we will review some examples of key projects managed and undertaken over the
past 5 years.

Protea Chemicals Supply Chain Optimization and staff capacity building programme (45
people +/- 30 million target)

In this programme (visually depicted below) a group of 45 supervisory, business unit

and divisional managers was project managed through a needs analysis process,
specification development, workshop facilitation and capacity building.

The programme includes 5 core projects aimed at inventory days minimization,

improved efficiency, new technology, new sales models and information flow
optimization as well as 45 mini (6 week in scope and duration projects)

The process was kicked started by facilitating a meeting with the leadership team
(MD), developing a proposal document and identifying key capacity constraints and
developing a implementation programme to suite.

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Previous Projects (continued)
NamITech supply chain optimization (55 people +/- 15 million)

In this programme a target was set to reduce inventory investment by 10% (10 million),
distribution budget by 20% (5 million), Supplier rationalization, and inventory accuracy
of 100%.

The programme spanned 3 sites with over 10 different warehouses and business units.

The process was complicated by the fact that a multi million rand ERP system had
been implemented and variances was swinging in the millions.

• The project ran over 3 years resulting in

• 10 Million distribution saving (through value analysis packaging re-design)

• Inventory investment flat at 100 million despite 20% plus sales growth per
annum

• Inventory variances to within budget at R5000 across 10+ warehouses

• Staff reduction (through natural attrition) from 55 to 35

• Stock take time reduction from 1.5 days to 0,5 day

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Previous Projects (continued)

Mpofona Economic Development Forum Establishment (60 ppl)

Mpofana local municipality did not have an economic development forum to take a
leading roll in unlocking the value in the local supply chains (particular agriculture,
dairy, tourism and manufacturing) The purpose of this project was the facilitate a
process where a common vision is developed, common objectives, supply chain
opportunities are identified and packaged for implementation. The project involved
over 60 key local, regional and provincial stakeholders (including service providers,
channel partner, intermediary organizations, consumers and users)

A number (+/- 50) key projects were identified of which 2 where prioritised in terms of
impact to the area and the optimization process (e.g. shared contact database)

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Previous Projects (continued)
NamITech Africard Merger (100+ people) & Namitech Strategic Intent
Actualization Process

At Namitech I was responsible, as part of the project office, for a number (19) of key
projects to deliver to the overall vision and objectives of our division. Key projects
included Supply chain optimization, ISO and new product development.

These projects required

• Liaising with the executive team (MD level) regarding goals, objectives,
resources

• Conducting presentation, workshops, issue identification and canvassing support

from all levels

• Developing process maps, information flow, budget flow and documentation

control points (including measurements metrics)

• My final project with Namitech was to manage the merger of Africard with
Namitech moving both divisions into a new warehouse, and manufacturing
facility, new manufacturing space and location (+/- 3 million cards) involving over
a 100 staff.

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Previous Projects (continued)
uMngeni Economic Development Board (60 people, 700+ stakeholders)

The development board project involved researching best international practices,

canvassing stakeholders to establish their needs and requirements and developing a
model that allows to integrate these best practices into a integrated model and
business plan.

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Previous Projects (continued)
uMngeni Investment Promotion (25+ people)

. The purpose of this project was to define

the business process of implementing an
investment support programme for
uMngeni Municipality,

The process include

• Stakeholder meetings

• Negotiating with prospective

investors (Vodacom, Dialogue etc)

• Business case development

including scenarios

• Supply chain verification

• Supplier management

• Project Management etc

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Radio Khwezi

The radio kwezi involving almost 200

volunteers and staff was to analyze the
current processes and to develop a new
business model for marketing and
administering short advert services.
Included being a sales development
programme for staff, POS defining, payment
mechanism and contractual requirements.

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Ownership
Seratoa Business Services is a CC company owned by Charles L. Szente. With direct
staffing is provided via contract staff with contract staff taking into account Employment
equity requirements.

Addition services are procured from a national and international base of contracted
specialists. Under the relevant section of the Codes of Good Practice gazetted on 9th
Feb 2007: the company qualifies for a BEE procurement recognition level of 100%
(Level 4)

The company has interests in a national business brokering firm, as well as SMME
investment promotion projects.

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