‘It’s all about devising the best business solution’

Developing programmes just for the South African market is no longer economical, says system’s expert Compu- Clearing’s Arnold Garber. “We are finding that locally developed programmes no longer satisfy the appetite of users who now have global experience,” he told FTW. “To develop programmes for South Africa, with all the sophistication and needs of the South African market, is just not economical, because the volumes are not there. This is the reason why the company adopted the representation of a product called ediEnterprise, developed by CargoWise in Australia, who spent millions of dollars in the development of the product but could economically justify it because their market is the US and Europe. “South Africa is big enough to have the needs and the sophistication, but not big enough to have the volumes to justify the enormous development spend, and so it is necessary to align oneself with international organisations,” said Garber. But electronic solutions, in his view, should never be used just for their own sake. “Of course, being a technology-based company, it is all about electronic solutions for us, but we don’t punt the solutions because the technology is there. We rather look at how the problems of the industry can be resolved and where technology is the solution,” he said. “I always say if the solution to the problem is an elastic band or a rubber stamp then that is what should be used.” According to Garber, too many service providers devise technology and then look for situations where that technology can be used. “We work the other way round. We look at the business problem and devise a business solution that may or may not involve technology.” Electronics, without doubt, said Garber, means progress and new challenges – as has been the case in South Africa with the Customs modernisation programme. “The process is faster, smoother and all in all more efficient. It has however meant that we have been able to grow our business as it has resulted in many more people now needing our services when they previously did not.”