Gauteng-based roof cleaning company, Roof Rats, has quadrupled its business since it won the Talk Radio 702 Small Business Awards with Sage One in 2013. What’s more, the company has grown its headcount from 11 to 44 people in the past year– creating much-needed jobs in the process– and has expanded from a home business in a backyard Wendy House into a formal company with offices and a factory. Its achievements are testament both to this SME’s innovative and customer-focused approach and to the exposure companies can get from taking part in the Awards.

Roof Rats clears bats, rats, dust and all the other accumulated mess out of ceilings. This company turns ceiling clearance into a fine art, underpinned by a high level of professionalism and a serious commitment to customer satisfaction. Roof Rats did not know about the Small Business Awards before a client nominated them for excellent service. Since then, its business has taken off; partly thanks to the exposure it received from the competition. “Winning this competition took our business to the next level,” says Diederik van't Hof, owner of Roof Rats. “Since winning the award, I have worked harder than ever before in my life. It has just been crazy, unbelievable, and phenomenal.” The impact of winning the awards was immediate, he adds. “On the same day I had my finalist’s interview with John Robbie on Talk Radio 702, we had 17 orders,” says Van't Hof. “The day after that, we received 14 orders. So we received three weeks of work in two days. Before the awards, we were lucky if we got five orders per week. We have been working 16 hour days ever since.”

The 2014 Talk Radio 702/ 567 Cape Talk Small Business Awards with Sage One are currently seeking out small businesses of the same caliber as Roof Rats for the 2014 awards – companies that impress with their service, products, ambition and energy. The Awards are sponsored by Sage One – simple, secure and affordable online accounting and payroll for small, growing business. Sage One is powered by Sage Pastel and Sage VIP. Time is running out to nominate your favourite local company and help it to hit the big time. “Roof Rats is a great example of what we’re looking for — a small business that sets itself apart from the pack with clever thinking and excellent customer service,” says Ivan Epstein, CEO for Sage AAMEA.

“Since it was established in 2011, Roof Rats has carved out a new market by providing a unique service to its customers.  Diederik has achieved a lot since he started out from home with one employee, a few small ads and a Web page – and his customers love the work Roof Rats does,” he adds. “It’s also encouraging how Roof Rats is creating work and benefitting the wider economy. This year, we’ll once again showcase some great small companies that are contributing to driving the South African economy through job creation and hopefully we’ll be able to play a role in taking their businesses to the next level.”
 Sage One will award winners with a laptop with free access to Sage One Accounting and Sage One Payroll software, including one year’s worth of software support, and a training course or seminar of their choice, giving them the freedom they need to run their business anywhere, anytime. Sage One will also provide the winners with R25 000 worth of advertising exposure on the Google Display Network.

An airtime package to the value of R250 000 on Talk Radio 702/ 567 Cape Talk will also be awarded to the winners to further promote their businesses. The two runners-up will receive Sage One Accounting and Sage One Payroll software, including a year’s worth of software support. They will also receive a free training course or seminar of their choice as well as an airtime package to the value of R150 000 on Talk Radio 702/ 567 Cape Talk.

If you have received exceptional service from a small business, Talk Radio 702, 567 Cape Talk and Sage One want to recognise it, so be sure to submit your nomination before 22 August 2014. Visit www.sba.702.co.za