Nkgwete IT Solutions
What does your company do?
Nkgwete IT Solutions is a South African technology services company that helps organisations manage and optimise their End-User Computing (EUC) and broader digital workplace environments.
By delivering this core and essential service to enterprise public organisations, private companies, and first-line retailers, we enable our customers to grow, transform, and focus on their customers while keeping their workforce productive and online.
We have over 11 years of experience as a business, delivering value and exceeding our customers' expectations through our highly skilled and motivated team and rigorous processes.
We do this through our highly skilled and certified team of over 100 field service engineers (FSE's) across South Africa, where we can boast the highest number of A+ and N+ certifications across the continent. Our FSE's are also trained in soft skills including personal mastery and EQ, ensuring our continual focus on customer service and customer excellence.
As a business, we support over 32,000 computers nationally, successfully resolve more than 6,000 calls per month, and remarkably, we have consistently achieved 100% of our customer SLAS over the last 11 years.
We are Nkgwete - which translates as 'Champions' in Northern Sotho.
What is your biggest success?
My most significant success has been moving from a successful corporate career to entrepreneurship. While the world of entrepreneurship is highly rewarding, it is also not easy. The journey is filled with many highs and lows, and discipline, commitment, and tenacity are critical success factors.
Therefore, I consider successfully heading up Nkgwete for over 11 years as CEO, increasing company revenue fivefold, and more importantly, contributing to job creation and poverty alleviation by creating more than 140 jobs, as my greatest success. It is also notable for me to share that I have done this whilst raising four children, one of them being special needs, and it’s important for me to share this with younger women, because success does not need to come at the cost of sacrificing other aspects of your life.
What has been your biggest hurdle?
My biggest hurdle would be overcoming racial and gender-based barriers. I started my career in ICT thirty years ago, in a predominantly male-dominated environment, and I was the only female and woman of colour in the technical team. As I progressed in my career, there were times when I was the only female in an all-male management team. However, I learnt early on in my career that excellence is the best deterrent for any form of prejudice, and I always ensured I autographed all my work excellently. This has helped me to overcome these hurdles and earn the respect of my male colleagues. Therefore, my message to younger people is, it’s not what happens to you that matters, it’s how you choose to deal with what happens to you, that MATTERS.
