It is refreshing to find that in these days of business consolidation in the so-called interests of economy of scale, which usually means retrenchments and less individual assistance, that there are still small dynamic companies whose success is based on the provision of true personal and dedicated service. IBO-DATA is such a company, having arisen again like the phoenix after a short marriage affair with the larger PQ Africa group.
The credentials of IBO-DATA
IBO-DATA has an intriguing background and one that proves that real opportunities still do exist for the entrepreneurs who are willing to commit themselves totally to fulfillment of innovative ideas. IBO-DATA is owned and managed by Isabella Bouwer and her husband Eugene who are both graduates of the University of Potchefstroom. After graduation they moved to Cape Town for a year whereafter Isabella took up a lecturing position for three years at the Potchefstroom University. Thereafter Eugene joined Randburg as a town planner and Isabella was to take up a lecturing position at RAU, this being interrupted by the arrival of their first child. With her new family responsibilities she decided that she should look at something else for a career and identified a niche in the supply of personal ID cards for the smaller company. IBO-DATA was thus formed as a 'one-woman' show at the end of 1993, the name IBO-DATA itself coming directly from Isabella Bouwer.
The original concept was a suitable one for a home-type business as IBO-DATA offered a bureau service, initially outsourcing the actual card production on behalf of clients. While still employed in his planning position Eugene helped Isabella in the evenings and at weekends with his computer skills in card design and layout, while Isabella herself determinedly established a reputation for quality product, timeous delivery and doing the impossible by making 'weekend' hours add time to the normal five-day week. As the business developed in terms of volume the outsourced service and product became less reliable, and seizing the opportunity with the new PVC technology, IBO-DATA became the first company in South Africa to offer this new high-quality card product to the smaller companies who could not afford the luxury and cost of their own printers.
The business continued to thrive to the point where in 1996 Eugene abandoned his initial career and became involved full-time as a hands-on director, taking responsibility for card production while Isabella continued to act as the key relationship manager with customers. While the initial cards were simple picture ID, as other technologies developed, including magnetic strip and bar code, these were added to the offering.
Today the bureau service, located in the company's new premises in Randburg, has 14 PVC printers which when fully utilised can handle even the largest card production requirements. As an example the bureau provides a valuable service to many educational establishments who at the beginning of each academic year have to issue a large number of new ID cards. This once-off-type business does not justify in-house card preparation, and it makes little sense to have dedicated PVC printers sitting around for twelve months without utilisation. Besides the capital investment you still need someone who knows how to operate the system effectively. IBO-DATA provides a very cost-effective solution, with cards professionally tailored to the needs and budget of each institution, a quick turnaround and a prompt and efficient replacement card service.
In terms of personalisation IBO-DATA offers both black and white and full-colour imagery for the face of the card holder, the former still being a much cheaper option because of the time required for print out. While most businesses opt for full colour for permanent ID cards, the speed of the black and white process (the base card can still be full colour) makes it eminently more appropriate for another side of IBO-DATA's business, namely accreditation. Here attendees at company meetings or seminars can be issued with a personalised ID within seconds, making security at confidential events very straightforward. With its in-depth knowledge of the capabilities of PVC printers, IBO-DATA also uses some proprietary techniques to provide superior monochrome imagery.
As an example of the growing use of accreditation, IBO-DATA provided the total ID service for the recent Commonwealth Head of State's Summit held in Durban, last year. This was indubitably one of the company's more difficult tasks because of the complexities associated with the list of the delegates and the entourage and the logistics of having to operate remotely from its Randburg base. IBO-DATA has also used such accreditation techniques for residents of some of the 'transitory' housing schemes in the environs of Johannesburg.
From bureau to system supplier
Although the bureau concept continues to work well, it was probably to be expected that IBO-DATA would get into the business of supplying software and hardware to those companies that require in-house systems. A key to its success in this business was its own knowledge of the products and applications and unbeatable experience in dealing with service and repair aspects on the hardware. Matched to its own in-house installation, IBO-DATA now offers ID card software from both Photocard and Digibadge, with printing system solutions from the well-known stables of Fargo, Datacard and Eltron. Besides its own direct sales customers, the company's expertise has been recognised by other users of ID card equipment and a thriving part of the company's business today is support, service and software upgrades for all installations.
This is not quite as benevolent as it first sounds, as the IBO-DATA policy is to supply the customer with a back-up system during service and repair. These clients often find themselves sorely tempted by the newer-generation products that IBO-DATA uses for loan use and often this results in new equipment sales, to the benefit of both. This focus on service by IBO-DATA was also driven by real market need, as there is little local support on the systems from other suppliers.
While IBO-DATA still continues to service the needs of many small companies, many of whom have been customers for years, a large number of its clients are far from small. The company's customer list includes many of the parastatals, educational establishments, banks, insurance companies, sports clubs, medical aids and industry in general. Large or small, all receive the same personal attention and prompt service. One tale that Isabella related is where the company had to produce 23 000 cards for Western Province Rugby Union over a weekend. At the other end of the scale, on the day I was there, it was about to deliver three replacement cards to a local sports club!
Rubber-based, long-life cards
For IBO-DATA an interesting development in technology has been the introduction of rubber-based cards (as compared to paper). Here the card material is laminated under pressure to produce a low-cost, yet highly durable product, where believe it or not, the edge does not separate from the substrate material. The secret, which IBO-DATA has mastered, is the actual printing on this material, which is more difficult, and the use of a lower-cost laminating process where multiple cards are produced simultaneously. IBO-DATA believes that it is the only bureau service in the country that has truly mastered this technology. While a typical full-colour PVC card costs in the region of R6, the rubber-based laminated cards can be produced at less than a third of this cost.
One of the interesting projects undertaken by IBO-DATA outside of South Africa with this technology is its involvement in the UN-monitored demobilisation process in Angola. Here six ID systems were supplied and installed and are used to provide new identity to former guerrilla fighters, the principle being that handing in a weapon results in the issue of a valid ID which will allow these individuals to get access to aid in the form of food and clothing. This product is also locally used at some of the education institutions for student cards.
Entry into the systems integrator business
With its increasing and satisfied customer base, IBO-DATA over time has been asked to provide more total security solutions, including access control, time and attendance and CCTV system installation. What customers have been looking for is an extension of the same superior support and service into the rest of their security and control systems. The company has as a result extended its core 'personal' ID activities into complementary business areas, including proximity smartcard technology from the well-known Impro, ControlSoft and Softcon. To this IBO-DATA has added a full range of CCTV and time and attendance systems so that the company has become a fully-fledged systems integrator. For the customer the renowned support and service on which IBO-DATA established itself is still offered, although Isabella indicates the necessity for this has been minimised as the philosophy is to do the job right in the first place.
A new identity
Customers, new and old should be aware of the new logo and identity of IBO-DATA, which reflects its amicable separation from PQ Africa as of April 2000, and the return of 100% ownership to the Bouwer family. Isabella readily admits that the company's association with PQA probably was a mistake, as it did not form a neat fit with that company's existing portfolio and culture. The fact though that the much larger Q Data Consulting (previously known) approached IBO-DATA, is a good indication of the recognised strength of the company's business plan. The astute Isabella also only let Q Data access to a 50% stake in the business.
IBO-DATA now operates with a staff of 14 dedicated people. Both Isabella and Eugene are adamant that they do not want to grow too quickly as they could easily be forced to lose sight of their key objective of providing totally dedicated personal service. In these days when everyone else, including the banking industry, is enthralled with the novelties and power of the Internet and ATM machines, it is refreshing to find that companies like IBO-DATA still exist that understand the real fundamental, namely that real quality business is done between people - not intelligent machines!
For details contact IBO-DATA
tel: (011) 793 2784
fax: (011) 793 2793
e-mail: [email protected]
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