SEPT 2016 EDITION

Inside Scoop

STRATITUDE opens doors

DIAL-A-TEACHER assists matriculants

THE REWARDS FACTORY innovating kindness

TELEWHEELS carsafety tips

LEAP

PLP SOUTH AFRICA

PLP AFRICA

LEAP

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Page 13

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Word from Lloyd

I’ve been talking to you about the on-demand economy for a while now, and although we can be proud of the progress the PLP Group has made in this arena, there is still a long way to go. The crux of the matter is that if we don’t stay ahead of the game and adapt how we do business, we will give competitors the opportunity to close the gap between our service offerings. So how do we keep our own backyard from being disrupted? It’s simple – we disrupt it ourselves.

Firstly, we describe what we are, who we want to be and how we want to get there. But most importantly, we strive to understand how receptive our clients are to our tasks. We need to ask ourselves: are clients interested in our service offerings, what’s our market opposition, and what hurdles we will encounter?

Secondly, we build an amazing team. We have to share our vision, and give our people the tools and skills for the task ahead.

Thirdly, we enact the tasks, and then we measure our progress against these tasks. The key to all of this is innovation. It’s thinking globally while being relevant locally. Innovation is not something one can merely buy off the shelf. To be truly innovative is almost like predicting the future and being able to develop products and services that will fit into this future.

Imagine an Apple or Android phone without, text capability, applications or a camera. It would just be a phone. The reason these cell phones are at their current level of sophistication is innovation. Someone came up with better ideas on how to do things or what might be cool to do on your handset. It was that “Just Imagine” moment, and the ideas became reality.

Everyone can innovate, all you need is an environment that allows ideas to grow. We invite anyone and everyone to come up with a “Just Imagine” idea for the PLP Group. We didn’t get to where we are today because someone gave us the roadmap we got here because we never stopped imagining what we could become. Today our dreams and aspirations are a 100 times greater than where we saw ourselves five years ago. The norm is being challenged, and we see ourselves in a whole other world moving forward.

Digital is a major platform for PLP and all of our subsidiaries, while social is a whole new world again. Our products and services have to reach global audiences in user-friendly ways while being lightning fast in response. Otherwise, the UX becomes secondary and we will not be an innovation market player. I am often amazed that we seem to be ahead of, even our clients, in terms of what we’re developing as a group, particularly concerning technology. That being said, this does not mean that we can monetise our services; it just tells me we might be on the right path for now.

There are big challenges ahead for us all. We are addressing change at a great rate and the one thing that will remain constant in our business is the need to change our game. I call on everyone to share any ideas that might assist our journey and ask that you too apply some “Just Imagine” thinking to your role and on how we can improve our business.

To an exciting future, Llyod

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HR Corner

Long Service Awards

We will soon be facing the start of 2016’s fourth quarter, and you can feel the energy as everyone is focused on increasing revenue, driving performance, and wrapping up outstanding projects. In the HR space, it’s no different. There’s much for staff to look forward to during the month of October. Make sure you diarise the dates below and plan your month accordingly.

On Friday, the 7th of October, we will be launching Payroll Giving. We are partnering with a specialist agency where staff will be exposed to four different NGOs, what they do and their vision. Staff will be invited to get involved and may decide to contribute financially to a cause of their choice. The NGOs that the agency represents are Hospice, Mapetla Day Care Centre, Siayangoba Empowerment Centre, and SOS Children Village.

The 13th and 14th of October will be dedicated to our Pension Fund members. Over the two days, Alexander Forbes will be hosting a few sessions for our members to educate them about our pension fund. Be sure to attend a session and learn about your retirement plan.

Your health is important to you, your family and the PLP Group! Join in the fun and excitement, and learn something about health and wellness during the week of the 17th to the 22nd of October 2016, when we celebrate wellness at PLP.

A message from Estelle Carstens, Group Head HR

Congratulations to our two staff members for this great achievement

POLLMy co-workers are committed to doing quality work. YES

82% 18%NO

Melanie Basson Tebogo Mashigo

15years

5years

4

Organisational Announcements

Hey Jude is very excited to announce the appointment of Samantha MC Master, who joined their team in the role of Customer Experience Specialist, effective from the 1st of September 2016.

She will be reporting to Lloyd Ramsamy, Customer Experience Manager. She comes to us with extensive and valuable experience. Samantha has completed a Certificate in Wholesale and Retail with the Cape Peninsula University of Technology, and she is currently busy with her Certificate in Project Management.

As a Customer Experience Specialist, Samantha will be responsible to provide service and information to clients using an application or web based platform.

Hey Jude welcomes Suvarna Singh to their team in the role of Customer Experience Specialist, effective from the 1st of August 2016. She will be reporting to Lloyd Ramsamy, Customer Experience Manager.

Suvarna joined PLP Group in January 2008 as a Call Centre Agent. She is extremely focused on customer service and over the years enjoyed success in various positions with increased opportunity to develop within the organisation. As a Customer Experience Specialist, Suvarna will be responsible to provide service and information to clients using an application or web based platform.

It’s a diverse role, and we are confident that Suvarna’s passion for the PLP Group and sensitivity to deliver outstanding customer service, she will add tremendous value to the team.

Join us in welcoming our new PLP recruits!

We would like to welcome Ronalle Mooroogasen to the PLP Group as a Call Centre Shift Supervisor, effective from the 17th of August 2016.

Ronalle gained solid experience over the years in various contact centre environments. Before joining PLP, Ronalle was employed at MTN for over ten years where she enjoyed success and positions of increasing responsibility. Her final role at MTN was Customer Service Supervisor where she was instrumental in staff management, customer perception, QA, service levels; training, IR and reporting. Ronalle has a Certificate in Project Management, Call Centre Mathematics and many in-house courses from MTN.

In her new position, she will be responsible for the Night Shift operations and management of the Inbound Lifestyle Call Centre. The role also assumes responsibility to enhance the delivery of service and ensuring exceptional client experience. In her new role, Ronalle will report to Omitha Perumal, Call Centre Manager.

PLP SA Concierge would like to welcome Adrian Brown to the team, effective from the 5th of September 2016, as a Scooter Rider.

Adrian will be based at the Santam offices in Bellville Cape Town, and will report to Sashen Naidoo, Operations Supervisor.

5

Hey Jude welcomes Vincent Naidoo to their team in the role of Customer Experience Specialist, effective from the 1st

of August 2016.

He will be reporting to Lloyd Ramsamy, Customer Experience Manager. Vincent first joined the Group in November 2010 as a Call Centre Agent and left in June 2014 due to relocation.

He re-joined the Group in February 2016.

We are very excited to announce that Renesh Ranjeeth has been promoted to Shift Supervisor, effective from the 1st of August 2016. He will be reporting to Omitha Perumal, Call Centre Manager.

Renesh joined PLP Group on the 4th of October 2011 as a Shift Agent, where he further upskilled and advanced himself.

He will be responsible for the Night Shift operations and management of the Inbound Lifestyle Call Centre.

Tristan Stanley joined the Sourcing Team as a Service Consultant, effective from the 17th of August 2016.

Tristan will report to Narushka Dial, Call Centre Team Manager. In his new position, Tristan will be responsible for sourcing products, information and services to clients phoning the call centre requesting assistance.

Ramith Tulsiram joined the Sourcing Team as a Service Consultant, effective from the 17th August 2016. Ramith previously worked for the PLP Group between 2006 and 2009, as a Shift Agent.

In this new role, Ramith will report to Narushka Dial, Call Centre Team Manager. Ramith will be responsible for sourcing products, information and services to clients phoning the call centre requesting assistance.

Nandipha Ngcayichibi joined the Onboarding Team as a Service Consultant, effective from the 1st of September 2016. In this new role, Nandipha will report to Sayuri Pillay, Call Centre Team Manager.

Nandipha will be responsible for onboarding clients and enlightening them on the diverse services we offer, in order for them to utilise the service efficiently.

Be water wise in the workplace!• Close the tap while washing your hands.• If you hear a toilet running or see a leak, report it to maintenance.• Use a broom, not a hose, to clean sidewalks and patios.• Be mindful of water usage when cleaning facilities.• Share a water-saving idea with the building’s facility manager.

6

For two weeks the LEAP ESD team has been bustling with activity as they prepared for an industry flagship event. The team was not only preparing the LEAP stand and presence at the expo but has been hard at work ensuring that our SMME clients are able to showcase their companies, product and service offerings. The 10th Annual Smart Procurement World conference and exhibition, held at Gallagher Estate, is the ultimate procurement and inbound supply chain conference in South Africa and provides an opportunity for meeting the buyers from South Africa’s top corporates.

This exhibition is also a sourcing opportunity as sourcing, procurement, purchasing and buying professionals from both government and the private sector roam the floor to ensure that they, too, are able to make smart procurement choices. It is critical for our SMME clients to gain easy access to procurement professionals, ensuring that they can learn more about their requirements and meet their needs. It is another access to market channel that LEAP affords them as part of our Enterprise and Supplier Development Channels. This year LEAP won the coveted Best Stand Award, and this was not because we had the best-looking stand, but because we had the most traffic.

Our free coffee initiative and friendly staff made it a prime spot to meet and network.

Smart Procurement World Conference and Exhibition, 13 to 15 September 2016

The Baristas that made it so special

Women’s month was made even more special this year, as it also marked the 60th anniversary of the South African women’s march led by Lillian Nogoyi, Sophia Williams de Bruyn, Rahima Moosa, Albertina Silulu and Helen Joseph.

These women contributed to empowerment in our society and helped break into male-dominated sectors by challenging the status quo. The Annual Standard Bank Top Women Awards honour women who have taken the baton and continued to strive for an equal society. This year, LEAP’s MD, Petra Rees was nominated for this award and achieve a finalist status. LEAP is very proud of to have such a great captain steering our ship.

Congratulations Petra!

Petra Rees at the Annual Standard Bank Top Women Awards

The busy LEAP stand

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We have exciting news to share! There’s always a ripple effect with work, especially great work, which was the case with AFI and Fashion Week. AFI was so impressed with our work that they gave us the Miss Mamelodi Sundowns PR contract. This is an amazing beauty pageant that empowers women, between the ages of 18 and 25, all over South Africa, regardless of their background. We are extremely proud to be part of this project.

The Beyers factory shop is open!

Now you can spoil your taste buds to your heart’s content by quickly popping in at their sweet shop in the Kyalami on Main Shopping Centre.

We have some great news for our friends in the East Rand; the Tastefully Yours factory outlet is opening on the 1st of October in the Sunview Centre. The store will be filled with all the best products from Beyers Chocolates, Sweetie Pie, Coach House, Callebaut and Garden Morris Food and Packaging.

We’re currently having some work done nothing serious, just a nip here and a tuck there.

So keep an ear to the ground for when we reveal our new look.

We promise you, you’ll be blown away.

Speaking of new PR contacts, we are now the proud PR company of the brand Citro-Soda®, assisting them in breaking into the heartburn market. We are very excited and have big plans in the pipeline for this project.

8

BMW DAY

As an Account Manager, it is vital that you get to know your clients well. By getting to know them, you will understand their needs and wants for their business, as well as which areas need to be addressed. By building these strong relationships with your clients, you become proactive to their requirements instead of being reactive to their demands. One way of getting your client to open up to you is by being in an environment outside of the office.

On the BMW Day, the Commercial Team took the opportunity to meet their clients out of the ordinary office environment by test driving the latest BMW’s to De Hoek, where they were spoilt with a delicious brunch and some pampering. The Commercial Team got to know the MultiChoice, 3M and SAB clients on a more intimate note and the event has definitely been a topic of conversation since the day! Opportunities such as the BMW Day, allow one to not only build closer relationships with clients but also to assist Account Managers on how to approach clients in future dealings or awkward situations.

New Microsoft Website

We are proud to announce the launch of the new Microsoft site went live on Tuesday morning the 6th of September. The website spots an

impressive web chat feature, which allows members to chat with the Life@Home agents, who can assist them instantly on any request

they may have.

The website complements Microsoft’s corporate culture perfectly. We are very excited about chatting to all our members and

assisting them with their requests – big and small.

Congratulations to the team on a job well done!

9

Dial-A-TeacherAs an enterprise development initiative for the 2016/2017 financial year, PLP is sponsoring grade 12 pupils with free Dial-A-Teacher services.

The Dial-A-Teacher Programme was launched for employees’ children working for the following environments:

L’Ormarins Wine Estate in Franschoek (Owned by Mr Rupert)Altima Wine Farm in Villiersdorp (Owned by Mr Rupert)Rupert and Rothschild, also called Fredericksburg (Owned – 25 % by Mr Rupert and 25 % by Mrs Hanlie Rupert-Koegelenberg and the other 50 % by the Rothschild Family from France)ERCA Investments – Staff employed by Mrs Gaynor Rupert (Mostly in Somerset West, Hermanus and City of Cape Town)Dennegeur Empowerment Partnership - La Motte Wine Farm (Owned by Mrs Hanlie Rupert-Koegelenberg), in cooperation with other Rupert family farms, they developed a modern village, Dennegeur, for the workers only a short distance from La Motte in Franschhoek.

All the environments belong to Mr Johann Rupert, his wife, Gaynor Rupert, and his sister, Mrs Hanlie Rupert-Koegelenberg. The children attend schools accross in the Cape Town where they reside. The Rupert Foundation in conjunction with the Dennegeur Empowerment Partnership deliver services to these Learners; however, the Dennegeur Empowerment Partnership only provide services to learners from Dennegeur (these learners attend Groendal Secondary School in Franschoek). The Rupert Foundation provide services to all the other areas mentioned above.

The programme has only been launched for grade 12 learners in preparation for preliminary exams, but in early 2017, we will be rolling it out to all other grades.

TOP ACHIEVERS

Well done to Dakalo Nephalama 235 Sales/11.19 Avg

Well done to Knowledge Ngwenya 155 Sales/7.4 Avg

ABSA Rewards GetMore GetMore Direct

Well done to Mothibi Maponya 91 Sales

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Hey Jude is an on-demand, lifestyle app that helps you get more done.

It’s like having your own personal assistant living

conveniently in your pocket 24/7. You can ask for

anything, anywhere, anytime, and Jude will do it

quickly and easily.

Download the Hey Jude app onto your smartphone

and you’ll have all the help you need at your fingertips.

It’s the future of how a lifestyle-on-demand-service

should be.

Find Experts

Product Tracking

Payments Made Simple

Reservations

For more information please email

jude@heyjudeapp.com or phone

086 11 11 580.

Simplify your life by asking Jude to take care of the things you don’t have time for.

From plumbing to party planners, Hey Jude will find you experts to help with just about anything

Hey Jude will be able to handle payments for a variety of things it’s already tracked down for you.

Whatever you’re looking for, Hey Jude will find it and make buying it easy.

Whether it’s booking cars, flights, restaurants or shows, Hey Jude helps with suggestions and then arranges everything for you.

11

Innovating Kindness at City Lodge Hotel Group

Sometimes the smallest act of kindness can make the biggest difference in someone’s life. That’s why City Lodge Hotel Group commissioned us to develop a programme to recognise and reward the kindness their employees show each other, the guests, the community, the environment, or the shareholders’ bottom-line.

Cashbuild employees across South Africa can now benefit from our employee of the month and long-service incentive system. Once an employee’s rewarded, they will receive a voucher SMS which can be redeemed directly at the point of sale. The best part? It works on all mobile phones.

Building Real Employee of the Month Rewards

Theft out of motor vehicles remains a problem at many parking lots, shopping areas, schools, churches, etc. Jamming devices are the cause of many of these incidents, and people must ensure that their vehicles are locked by physically checking their doors, before walking away. Criminals loiter in parking lots or sit in vehicles and over-ride your ‘remote’ signal as you ‘click’ and casually walk away. You may think that you’ve locked your car, but it’s still open. When you’re away, items of value are swiftly removed. No broken glass, no forced entry, and no insurance payout.

“Car- jamming”

and car safety

tips

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Crime hints: Be aware and take special care.

• Store all items in your boot, but don’t pack it away in full view of the criminals lurking in the parking lots.

• Lock your car with your key, or if you must use electronic means, physically check the doors before leaving.

• Prevent “smash and grabs” by keeping your seats and floor clear of valuables when driving. Also, keep all doors locked.

• Keep your windows closed at intersections and don’t stop too close to the car in front of you, allow yourself some room in which to manoeuvre.

Counter car-jamming

No change is the use of a remote control unit that overrides the locking function of your remote control. As a result, you unknowingly walk away leaving your car unlocked and your alarm off. When you come back, all your valuable possessions or the car itself has been stolen. On the upside, car-jamming is easy to thwart, you simply have to be attentive. When you press your remote control button, make sure that you hear the beep of your alarm activating and see or hear the locks clicking into place. The police even advise that you check your door handle before leaving the car. The extra seconds of inconvenience could save you hours of admin, thousands of rands, and loads of heartache.

General safety tips

Car-jamming isn’t the only risk to your parked car. Here are some other tips to keep your car and your family safe when you’re out:

• Put valuable possessions like laptops or gym bags in the boot of your car, before you drive somewhere else. Stowing them away after you have parked at your destination, is simply advertising what valuables you have.

• Don’t leave any valuables visible in your car when you park it. Put them in your handbag, the cubby hole or under the seats.

• Don’t leave bills with your home address in your car.

• Don’t leave the remote control that opens your home’s electric gate in your car.

• Always park in a well-lit, well-populated area. Don’t grab a convenient space that’s out of sight from the rest of the parking garage or street.

• If you have any concerns at all about going back to your car after you have been to the shops or a meeting, ask a security guard to accompany you.

• Always get your keys ready before you approach your car so that there are no extra delays making you an easy target.

• If you have young children who need to be strapped in, be extra vigilant about all of these points, because you’re particularly vulnerable while you stand beside an unlocked vehicle. Many malls now provide parent-and-child parking spaces near an entrance. Use these.

• And, of course, don’t forget about car-jamming!

Final word

There’s no denying that car owners are frequent victims of crime in South Africa. But, in many cases, by simply being vigilant and cautious, you can protect your possessions and ensure your safety.

13

PLP Namibia Hosts a Business BreakfastOn the 24th of August, PLP Namibia hosted a well-attended Business Breakfast and Workshop at the Nampower Convention Centre in Windhoek. This event, which we hope will become a must-see gathering on the local business calendar was introduced by Mathews Hamutenya the Chairman of IJG, a leading Namibian Investment company, PLP Namibia’s local shareholder, and a director of PLP Namibia.

The subject for the morning was “Igniting Your Customer Engagement Strategies”, which was illustrated with both practical and more academic research. PLP conducted a survey of contact centre performance in Namibia, which gave the audience much to think about, and Prof. Adré Schreuder from Consulta shared his wealth of experience around the business value of a sound customer experience strategy.

The event saw attendance and participation from a number of leading Namibian and International companies including Old Mutual, Bank Windhoek, Nedbank, Capricorn Asset Management and Standard Bank Insurance.

PLP Namibia celebrated Spring Day in style.

We decorated the office and made sure it was a springly affair. We even crowned Christo and Viola our Spring King and Queen.

THE THREADED MAN September is like January in the fashion industry; it represents the start of a new fashion season. Here in the southern hemisphere, we’re welcoming in the new spring/summer season, while our northerly neighbours officially start with fall fashion.

It’s the busiest time in the fashion world, and that includes The Threaded Man office. Fashionistas will know that Joburg has just hosted the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week, and at the event, we launched the #TTMexperience in collaboration with AFI for MBFWJ16. We brought in the top SA bloggers who are doing their bit to showcase local fashion to a worldwide audience.

The Threaded Man has also partnered with New York-based agency Ndosi Strategies, to help us in our ambition to take the brand global. TTM was represented at New York Fashion Week, so have a look at all the coverage on our social media platforms.

We’ve also been busy outside of the fashion industry, working with Revlon on a new TV commercial, and with Vaseline on their men’s skincare range. Spring is here, and The Threaded Man is in full colour!

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Getting to Know the TeamMeet Sikhululwe Khashane

When did you start working at PLP?01 June 2016

What is your position?IT Security Officer

Tell us a bit about your background and how you came to join the PLP Team?I am a family man blessed with three boys and my beloved wife. I have been in the IT industry for almost 8 years – my previous role was Lead Cyber Security Specialist at HealthInSite. Part of my main responsibilities has also been to improve IT security maturing of the organisation. I needed new challenges and applied for the ISO role.

Before working at PLP, what was the most unusual or interesting job you’ve ever had?My previous job was Database Admin at Datacentrix, I then moved to Software Development and my passion in cyber security started when I was at the university. My strength has always been in Information Security.

What would you be doing if you weren’t at your current job?I would probably be lecturing at the university.

How do you recharge?Through books and my family – playing with my kids, running around the house.

What super power would you like to have?I believe that everyone has been wired with extraordinary powers in them, not over the people but over the creation. Yet, the realisation will come through the encounter with the Creator, which defines your reason for existence.

Meet Fadil Cassim

When did you start working at PLP?April 2010

What is your position?Senior Sales Manager

Tell us a bit about your background and how you came to join the PLP Team?I’m a 29-year-old Scorpio, with 2 beautiful kids and a loving wife. I developed a passion for sales at the age of 12 while working at a family business during school holidays. Since then I’ve always wanted to pursue it. When I matriculated, I opened up my own business but later closed it due to financial difficulties. A friend introduced me to the call-centre industry, which led me to PLP. In my first month of being an employee, I hit top sales consultant and got promoted to mentor. Six months later, I became a sales manager and life just became more exciting from there. I also received Sales Manager of the Year and Employee of the Year in 2012 and Sales Manager of Year in 2015.

Before working at PLP, what was the most unusual or interesting job you’ve ever had?I’d say interesting – hanging curtains and blinds.

What would you be doing if you weren’t at your current job?Probably the owner of 17 casinos.

How do you recharge?Spending time with my family.

What super power would you like to have?Teleport and move things with my mind... Lol.