South African Sharp distributor, Seartec, has relaunched with a new vision, an updated look and feel, and new management – with business leader Mark McChlery and entrepreneur Bob Skinstad named as executive directors.
McChlery and Skinstad have a history of working together, having met and worked together at Itec Innovate. It was during this time that they came into contact with the Seardel Investment Corporation, owners of the Seartec brand, who were looking for new leadership to reinvigorate the brand in the South African market. They have been appointed as CEO and chief marketing officer respectively.
“I think we are inherently restless souls,” comments McChlery. “To be allowed to take an entrepreneurial and small business mind-set and apply that to an established business and global brands, was too great an opportunity to turn down.”
Since the duo started in November last year, they have fast-tracked a number of developments and changes throughout the business.
“We try to think 10 steps ahead all the time. By this we mean we have identified what we need to do in every part of the business, in order to quickly make the business a formidable player in the market. This means looking at and streamlining every single element of the business, right down to how products are packed,” explains McChlery.
In the few months since they took over the reins, they have already overhauled the product range; added new dimensions to it; taken products online and investigated e-commerce capability; and are currently investing in a data centre and cloud office portal.
With the Sharp brand being a core element of the Seartec business, it will not be the only focus. Since their appointment, the team has acquired two further businesses to operate under Seartec, which will offer further integrated solutions to clients.
Limtech, a leading supplier of CCTV, access control and security solutions; and Officebox, an online supplier of stationery and office products, allows Seartec to offer a wider range of integrated services, consumable, software and hardware solutions to clients.
“Our understanding of solving solutions is simple. There is no ‘one size fits all ‘solution – everyone has different problems they need to solve. We have the hardware, the software and the capacity to find bespoke solutions for clients and I believe that’s what sets us apart,” says McChlery.”
The team is looking to build a business based on credibility and “doing things properly.” There’s a tangible sense of drive and energy that surrounds McChlery and Skinstad and their dynamic relationship clearly makes for a formidable team.
“We want to build a sustainable business, not necessarily the one that sells the most or the cheapest. We want to appeal to a market that values value over cost, so customer retention and relationships are key. Quick wins don’t mean anything,” explains Skinstad.
“We’re continuing with this mind-set throughout the business,” adds McChlery. “With technological advances in Sharp products, the acquisition of further businesses when they can add value to ours, and innovation within our own, our vision is to change the technological landscape and redefine the meaning of innovation on the African continent.”