If the back office had been a thoroughbred in the recent Guineas, the owner Supreme Ventures would have been in the winners’ enclosure. The race commentary could have read, “Winning with a work-from-anywhere attitude, Supreme Ventures’ back office turned in a countrywide performance for its owners, handlers and fans.”

Aden Whittaker, vice president of operations and IT services, recounted how the transformation was triggered. “While most people see challenges when there are problems, not so for the members of Supreme Ventures’ Shared Services, in particular the IT Department,” he said.

When faced with potential lockdown of the company due to the pandemic, the IT department was mandated by management to quickly transform the business to ensure operations could continue seamlessly. This led to the conceptualisation and execution of SVL’s digital back office solution.

Whittaker pointed out that the solution saw full automation of its manual processes, which included documents being signed electronically and processed in real time thus increasing operational efficiency. Other aspects of the roll-out saw SVL’s workforce being empowered to work from anywhere. They were quickly equipped with the tools which allowed them to securely connect and access all relevant corporate applications remotely, in a very secure manner.

This transformation hasn’t gone unnoticed and has subsequently led to the recent launch of the SVS Business Hub, which offers a suite of services to small and medium-size enterprises (SMEs). This innovation is being powered by technology, and the idea is to foster efficiency while facilitating the flexibility required to adapt to different businesses and scenarios.

While the effects of COVID-19 have undoubtedly been significant and the effects continue to be impactful, the company believes that with the right skills and a push towards embracing technology, companies and the country will be stronger, just as SVL has become by digitising its back office.

As Whittaker reminded, “We seized the opportunity where others may have seen a crisis.”