Having been finalists in the awards for Best Management Technology and Best Management Innovation for a medium-size enterprise at the Technology Top 100 (TT100) Business Awards 2015 late last year, Sandton-based logistics software developer Dovetail believes that this affirms its being in line with current logistics trends and ahead of industry challenges, thereby ensuring that clients benefit from efficiency and the latest technology.

Dovetail entered the competition in August as part of its yearly mission to find opportunities through which it can assess its capabilities and achievements against industry standards.

“We identified the TT100 awards as a perfect platform through which we can showcase our achievements and innovation, and receive valuable feedback on where and how we can improve,” says Dovetail business development director Shermandra Singh.

Entering the competition was an elaborate affair, he adds, explaining that Dovetail first had to complete an online profile, followed by answering a few short questions to get through the first round.

Dovetail was then required to complete a more detailed questionnaire, which focused on the various ‘verticals’ of the company, such as technology, staff management and innovation.

Singh says, after the questionnaire had been submitted, Dovetail was invited to appear before a panel of judges to present the company and answer questions based on its responses to the questionnaire and the presentation.

“The main criterion which the TT100 considers is how a company balances technology with people and innovation . . . We showcased this to the best of our ability,” he says, adding that Dovetail’s new technology developments, coupled with recent projects that are under way were “unique” and served the company well.

Further, Dovetail’s involvement with universities and the logistics industry, as well as the company’s incorporating interns, reflected its commitment to skills transfer in the industry, further ensuring that the critical skills gap in the supply chain industry is closed, he notes.

Singh says Dovetail’s innovation to provide up-to-date software solutions for the logistics and supply chain industry is driven by these niche industries’ constantly changing needs. As a result, solutions help companies streamline their supply chains; therefore, Dovetail cannot procrastinate and neglect innovation or continue to sell its solutions as they are.

“We constantly need to ensure we manage innovation in our company by motivating staff, nurturing skills and working closely with our clients to see where improvements are needed,” says Singh.

He adds that Dovetail continually examines its in-house processes regarding the development of new technologies or new versions of its existing technologies.

“We need to ensure that the systems we have in place are on a par with industry standards and that the skills we have are the best available.”

Singh tells Engineering News that Dovetail upskills its employees while ensuring knowledge transfer, which will lead to maintaining and sustaining in-house company knowledge, even if staff leave. However, he adds that it is essential to ensure that staff “do not want to leave in the first place”.

A loyal and motivated staff base will drive Dovetail’s growth, says Singh, noting that the company is required to provide staff with the most suitable technology to nurture growth and continually upskill their respective skills base.

This philosophy comes into practice with Dovetail’s solutions, as Singh explains that, whenever the company identifies a need in the industry, which is noted by staff when dealing with clients, Dovetail updates its solutions to cater to those specific needs.