Virtual and Quality Networks Systems (VNQ Systems) has launched a unique, one-stop hub providing IT and services for small and medium businesses, solving the key SME challenge of finding dependable and affordable IT products and services.
The new hub, Great 4 Business (G4B), will be unveiled to SMEs at the upcoming National Small Business Chamber (NSBC) Business Show Africa at the Sandton Convention Centre on 6-7 September 2023.
Nonkululeko Baloyi, CEO of G4B, says the hard launch at The Business Show Africa is no coincidence since the NSBC sparked the inspiration for G4B in the first place.
Baloyi explains: “NSBC Founder and CEO Mike Anderson wrote a column on the National Small Business Survey in which he noted that SMEs were challenged by having to deal with so many technology vendors to meet their operational needs that they didn’t have time to attend to the nitty-gritty of the business. VNQ Systems CSO Claude Oosthuizen read the article and saw it as a challenge. He put it to his fellow VNQ Systems Directors – CEO Simon Ndukuya, CTO Peter Willemse and myself. Because the executive team at VNQ is passionate about empowerment and business development, the concept of G4B was developed to help SMEs overcome this key challenge.
“Running a small business often involves collaborating with multiple vendors, leading to complexities and inefficiencies. G4B is a one-stop shop, offering a comprehensive solution for SMEs, addressing their challenges and revolutionising their business experience. This enables them to focus on their core business. VNQ Systems offers world-class IT solutions to big corporates in the banking and telecommunications sectors, and we now bring the same services to SMEs,” she says.
Baloyi notes that the addressable market includes over 156 000 SMEs within the NSBC community, with the broader market including over 700 000 formal small businesses and around 1.7 million informal businesses. While G4B’s initial focus is the South African market, Baloyi says: “Our vision goes even further as we plan to expand into Africa, forging strategic alliances with the right vendors in each country. This expansion will enable us to deliver our exceptional products and services to a broader audience, positively impacting countless businesses.”
Danisa Boyman, Head of Operations at G4B, explains that with G4B, SMEs can now deal with one trusted vendor for business training, IT procurement, digital services, power and backup solutions, voice and data services, and financing.
“As a powerful aggregator, G4B brings together multiple vendors onto one platform, offering a comprehensive range of services tailored to the SME market. For example, a start-up, intermediate or seasoned business can shop for IT hardware and software packages with G4B. We will also offer backup/storage and security as a service. Setting up new IT hardware is often the last thing a busy entrepreneur wants to worry about, so G4B's expert team will offer remote support and assistance, taking care of the set-up process so SMEs can focus on what matters most – nurturing their business,” she says.
G4B’s pillars include Groom 4 Business – learning programmes and training; Green 4 Business – green energy and backup power solutions; Goodies 4 Business – hardware and software solutions; Growth 4 Business – digital services; GPS – Voice & Data; Go Finance – access to business funding for product and service purchases; Get a Business – G4B resellers; and Get On Board – e-commerce partners.
The products and services available range from communication and network solutions to IT security and data management, to training on how to manage business taxes.
G4B has aligned with several key partners; however, there are still opportunities for product and services partners to collaborate with G4B. Opportunities exist for e-commerce partners and G4B resellers, Boyman says. She notes that all partners are carefully chosen and vetted: “G4B is dedicated to providing accurate, relevant and helpful information, and ensuring our services meet the highest standards and contribute positively to the business community. We have a stringent vetting process that provides all services and products supplied on the platform aligned with our mission of uplifting SMEs and simplifying their business."
As a partner of the NSBC, G4B will be doing a hard launch at The Business Show on 6 and 7 September 2023 at the Sandton Convention Centre, together with vendor partners CBX Tech, Huawei Enterprise and DoxyDingo, at stand A14. G4B and its partners will give talks throughout the day, and visitors to the stand will have a chance to win great prizes.
G4B is also a sponsor of Tech Tuesday on Power FM from 15 August until the start of September 2023, with an interview on the weekend breakfast show in August. Baloyi says: “We have special offers and competitions to mark our launch, so we urge entrepreneurs to follow our social media pages and visit our stand at The Business Show to learn more!”
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