Over the 20+ years that DotActiv has been a provider of category management software and services, we have built a culture that we are proud of. As part of this culture, we installed a set of values to help us further establish our business. Of course, we are aware that values do not equal culture. However, they do form part of our foundation.
In May 2021, we started a Values campaign to unpack the meaning and application of each of our values in greater detail. It’s so all our employees and stakeholders could gain greater insight into what each of these values means and what we stand for at DotActiv.
When we understand the meaning of the words, a sentence becomes more powerful.
What are DotActiv's values?
Our values are the foundation and guidelines of our company. They are the key to our success, define who we are as a collective and set us apart from the competition. They also underpin our vision and mission statements, business strategies, decisions, actions and behaviours as individuals.
When our directors sat down to define the values of DotActiv, they came up with 11. These company values form part of DotActiv’s core existence and are (always) top of mind while working towards our mission and vision.
- We are passionate about our business and promote a positive, energising, optimistic and fun environment.
- We do not tolerate poor performance.
- We strive to get it right the first time, every time and on time.
- We regard change as a constant and adapt accordingly.
- We value mutually beneficial relationships based on cooperative and collaborative teamwork.
- We treat each other with mutual trust and respect and celebrate our differences.
- We build long term relationships with our colleagues and customers.
- We openly demonstrate a commitment to fairness, integrity and ethics.
- We actively encourage, develop and share knowledge.
- We empower independent decision-making and encourage free thinking.
- We understand profitability and the concept of a business within a business.
What value is on the agenda?
In this article, we will be unpacking the definitions of our eleventh and final value which is:
“We understand profitability and the concept of a business within a business.”
Now, let’s break down the key words of our eleventh value.
Understand: To grasp the meaning of something. This is something that we need to truly have in our minds and hearts, almost like that penny drop moment when it all makes sense
Profitability: The degree to which a business or activity yields profit or financial gain.
This is ongoing. Profitability is critical to the long term survival of the business which directly affects every one of us.
If the business is not profitable, we are unable to re-invest that money by giving increases, creating new departments, researching and trying new concepts and so on.
Concept: A general notion; an aim or purpose.
Business: An organisation or enterprising entity engaged in commercial, industrial, or professional activities. It also refers to the organised efforts and activities of individuals to produce and sell goods and services for profit
BWB - Business within a Business: A business (entity - or group of individuals) operating profitably within a greater business or entity.
This means that areas of the business function as a business within the DotActiv business. This could be an individual or group of people (Support, Finance, Sales, Clustering and so on).
The BWB concept promotes some of the following:
- Customer focus: Treating colleagues as customers drives productivity;
- Results orientation: Taking ownership of your business within the business; and
- Quality, Efficiency, Customisation, Innovation, Teamwork and more.
Living this value
What do our employees say about how they live out this value daily?
One of our employees, Leané Mulder, explains:
“My understanding of the concept of a business within a business is that all the individuals that form part of DotActiv, functions and thinks like entrepreneurs, always seeking out new opportunities for business growth across all platforms in the company.”
“I have been privileged enough to form part of one of our innovation teams, apart from my full-time account. This innovation team is a perfect example of how a small ‘makeshift business’ or team was created to work together to grow DotActiv and create future opportunities with other clients,” adds Leané. “We are able to add value to existing accounts, apart from the daily tasks and responsibilities that the employees maintained throughout the innovation process.”
“The concept of a business within a business creates immense growth opportunities within the DotActiv company structure since employees are exposed - within boundaries - to new fields of expertise. This allows the individuals to grow and expand their skill set which then flows over to daily business tasks where the newly learnt skills can be applied, which then, in turn, adds value to the clients where the employees are permanently based.”
“The concept also creates a cycle of value for both the company and the employees since the employees are exposed to more opportunities where an enhanced skill - and mindset are cultivated, which then assists the employees in identifying growth opportunities within the business/accounts. That then creates long-term growth for the company,” continues Leané.
“The Business within a Business concept creates a culture where the company looks after the employee by providing growth and skill development and vice versa where the employee looks after the company by applying the learnt skills and creating new opportunities.”
Bringing it all together
This value is so important to a business of our nature as we have so many great examples of how this is applicable to each and every employee in DotActiv.
One example is our Account Managers. The accounts they oversee with their team is a business within a business, Our Developer team is DotActiv’s own personal Software Dev house. Similarly, Support, Operations, Finance, Innovation Teams, Clustering (and plenty more) are all businesses within the DotActiv business.
Understanding the importance of operating as a business within a business is greatly linked to profitability. Even though we are a part of one big team, the DotActiv team, we are composed of smaller teams that all act as businesses within a business. When each team and individual play their part, this contributes to the profitability of the company as a whole.
Conclusion
At DotActiv, we have a uniqueness about our company in the sense that we operate as businesses within a business. Each individual and team member plays an essential role in generating profitability for the entire company.
Interested in working at DotActiv? You can find out more about what positions are open here.
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