Working together helps mitigate costs

More and more SMMEs are looking for synergies in their services in an effort to find ways they can complement each other to increase service offerings. According to Juliette Fourie, managing director of Metro Minds, an accredited skills development and training company, this is a logical step towards further diversification and growth for small businesses. “Since one of the challenges for SMMEs – and any other business – is keeping down operating expenses as they try to execute new projects or diversify markets by means of added head count and capital expenditure, it makes sense to work together.” With cash flow and cost control a major issue – especially in the light of the economic slowdown in recent years – it’s crucial that business owners work together, says Fourie. “We are sometimes required to provide the same outcomes/service offerings as blue chip competitors and find it difficult to outlay capital expenditure for bigger projects.” Complying with regulations is also time-consuming – particularly since this time could be better spent focusing on business growth. But, she says, the opportunities for this sector are significant – and education and skills development are a critical industry imperative. Fourie and the team at Metro Minds believe it is important to look at specifics when it comes to skills development and find ways of bridging the gap from secondary and tertiary levels into the workplace.