Ignite, the online ICT platform for small and medium businesses, powered by pan-African telecommunications provider Internet Solutions (IS), has enhanced its cloud offerings in line with its commitment to ensure small and medium sized businesses (SMEs) have access to cloud based services that offer the same benefits and advantages afforded to the enterprise market.
“There are about 650 000 active SMEs in South Africa that contribute between 52 and 57% to GDP and provide 61% of the county’s employment. Just like the enterprise market SMEs are transforming themselves in fundamental ways, specifically in terms of the adoption of technology to reduce costs, drive efficiencies, and to remain competitive,” says Herman Jansen van Rensburg, GM, Ignite.
“It is imperative that this critical sector of our economy has access to affordable and relevant technology solutions that enable them to be competitive. Payroll and back up services are essential for all businesses, irrespective of size, and being the first to offer these solutions to the SME market in South Africa demonstrates our commitment to this market,” says Van Rensburg
Ignite’s cloud backup and cloud payroll solutions can be purchased online, with no paperwork and no contracts. This model results in reduced bureaucracy and administration for the SME and puts them firmly in control of their technology without the headache of having to maintain it or worry about whether it is going to work.
These are cloud based solutions and therefore all capital outlay and hardware costs are eliminated, the worry of software updates is no longer a concern for the customer, and the solutions can be scaled up or down depending on the needs of the business.
The cloud backup solution for SMEs takes into account the constraints most organisations face in terms of increasingly large amounts of information being generated, and the cost model is therefore limited to monthly storage charges only, with no licensing fee charged. The solution includes daily back-ups, is scalable and the customer is able to retrieve their back-ups 24/7.
Moving payroll requirements to the cloud can save businesses significant visible and hidden costs (staff, hardware, software, consumables), release a company from the worry of getting things done right and on time, and free up companies time to do what you know best – running the business.
“SMEs need to be confident that the payroll service they subscribe to provides reliability and security. It also must provide for the least burden and cost on a business, whilst returning the maximum of cost benefit, and efficiency to the business. Our cloud payroll solution delivers all of this,” comments Van Rensburg.
The cloud payroll solution from Ignite is fully compliant with the South Africa Labour Relationship and Basic Conditions of Employment Act, and adheres to best practice payroll standards and regulations.
The solution is scalable and modular in nature enabling a business to choose all or part of the solution, which includes HR administration, payroll management and package structuring. All the critical elements of payslips, statutory payment calculations (Tax, UIF, etc) are catered for in the solution and any business of up to 50 employees can take advantage of the cloud payroll solution.
