Systems for thriving – that is what the company Solid Systems helps other businesses build rather than just providing fixes as problems emerge. The name is a succinct justification for how it enables businesses for strategic and fiscal growth.
However, the biggest differentiator of Solid Systems in the Managed IT Services sector is ironically, the human factor. There is a saying within the company, “We’re human, not robots,” exemplifying the customer-centricity with which the company employees operate, also calling themselves ‘business enablers.’
Daniel Avinir is the CEO & Visionary and Head of Client Success at Solid Systems. He has an insatiable curiosity for everything tech, but he is really passionate about the impact of technology on businesses. He believes in empowering people to work in increasingly flexible and productive ways, unlocking collaboration potential, and leading cultural change in the present world.
Daniel, in an exclusive interview with CIOLook, shares his passion for enabling business growth with technology, empowering people in accelerating their learning and career, and his plans for global expansion for Solid Systems.
Below are the highlights of the interview:
Please give us a brief overview of Solid Systems, its mission, and the key aspects of its strong foothold in the industry.
Solid Systems was started in 2003 with the aim of being every company’s go-to IT team. There was no problem too big or too small for us to help with. And over the past 20 years in business, some things have changed, and some have stayed the same.
Our mission is to improve people’s lives through IT, helping businesses to grow and make more money, and helping their humans (and ours) to live their best lives. The best way we’ve found to do this is through exceptional human customer experiences, and through Managed IT services in particular.
What was the initial idea behind the inception of Solid Systems?
I’ll be honest – we wanted to make money. Isn’t that the goal behind starting any business? But we wanted to see other companies making money too, and we knew that the right technology could help them do just that.
My partner, Michael Claxton, and I had good minds for IT, and we found like-minded humans to help us on our journey of finding the right technologies for the companies that worked with us, that saw them embracing tech and growing their businesses.
Describe your top-notch offerings that address the needs of your customers.
As the head of Global Sales, I often speak to companies who are looking for more from their IT partner. So many IT companies out there offer troubleshooting and support, and that’s definitely part of what we do, but the crux of our solutions, the differentiating factor, is the strategic technology planning and IT project management that forms part and parcel of our
Managed IT services. It’s about so much more than just fixing problems when they arise. It’s about making sure that the right tech is in place to grow businesses and make sure that problems don’t come up at all because you’re always one step ahead of them.
What makes your company a preferred choice among your clientele over other competitors?
A large part of it is our strategic planning and the way that we work with businesses to help them grow and make more money. But I think what really sets us apart are our humans. We have this saying – “We’re human, not robots,” – and it’s all about providing the kind of exceptional customer service where you know the other person at the end of the line cares about what you need and wants to see you succeed. We want to find real solutions that will see your company thriving, not just quick fixes that will let us move on to the next customer.
What are the roadblocks that your company faces in the ever-changing landscape of the business world?
The working world is changing every day, and we’re trying to stay on top of that ourselves and help our clients do the same. It’s not enough anymore to have an office space and expect your teams to come in every single day.
But at the same time, working from home, with all its benefits in terms of productivity and efficiency, makes it difficult for humans to connect and for businesses to foster a great company culture.
We need to be taking a hybrid approach to working, and technologies like Microsoft’s Modern Workplace help us to do just that. But it’s a learning curve that we’re still adjusting to and that we’re trying to help the companies that work with us to embrace.
Describe the values that drive your organization.
We want to see people living their best lives, and we believe that our Managed IT Services do just that. What does living your best life mean? For our clients, it means having the time to focus on their business goals without having to stress about their tech. It means implementing solutions (like Microsoft 365) that see their teams being more productive and getting things done as efficiently as possible.
Because when you’re more focused, when you’re getting work done effectively without having to worry about your technology working, you find yourself with more time to do the things that you love with the people you love without having to stress about work.
And this applies to the humans in our business too. We want them to be proud of the work that they do and to have more time to switch off from work and connect with their families, friends, and colleagues.
In what ways have you or your company contributed to the community?
I think one of the biggest contributions that we make is through our Human Acceleration Program. We don’t believe that you need to have a Comp Sci degree to be an excellent IT Professional. Which is why we put a lot of effort into training up humans who have an inquisitive mind and an interest in technology.
We especially focus on those who may not have had experience or access to technologies in their past but who want to learn more, grow as humans, and help other businesses to grow.
What are your future aspirations? Where do you see your company in the next five years?
We see ourselves going global over the next few years, and we’re already taking steps to make that goal a reality. Solid Systems may have started in South Africa, and South Africa will always be part of who we are as a company. Still, over the past few months, we’ve been focusing our efforts internationally to the point where I’ve actually moved to the UK.
We’ve already been working with some UK companies over the last few years, and we’ve seen the huge impact that we’ve had for them, especially when compared to the other IT companies they’ve worked with in the past. Which has given us the confidence we need to shift our focus and take on the challenge of becoming a global name.
Provide a few customer/client testimonials that rightly exhibit your company’s expertise in the market.
“Using Solid Systems has been a game-changer for us. Since implementing their solutions, productivity and efficiency have been through the roof.”
- Skillcraft
“You’ve been delivering excellent service to our company for a while now, and your swift response to our tickets reflects your willingness to improve service delivery through these difficult times. Your excellent turnaround time has allowed us to continue with our work faster, thereby improving our service levels.”
- Cape Finance
“Working with Solid Systems improved my productivity because I can hand all that over, and I don’t really have to manage that on a day-to-day basis. So, it definitely has improved my life.”
- Portfolio Metrix
“Solid Systems are efficient and handle issues professionally. They made a special effort to accommodate fixing my issue based on my availability and ensured that there was as little disruption to my working day.”