DC Consulting delivers complete ICT solutions. Their field of focus includes the development, maintenance, design and implementation of scalable networks providing products to fit in with their customer’s needs. This week we met with their General Manager, Marius Kruger.
PERSONAL
Q: How would you be introduced by a close friend at a social event? i.e. Name, age, company, title, interesting fact etc.
A: Hi, this is Marius Kruger from DC Consulting. He has a very soft heart and is always willing to help.
Q: Tell us something that not many others know about you. This could be anything related to your family, children, their achievements, hobbies, interests etc.
A: I talk too much so people know almost everything about me. I hate to fail at something. Failure is not an option. I hide my disappointment very well from outsiders.
Q: What do you enjoy doing when you want to get away from it all?
A: I am a very social person, I enjoy interacting with other people and learning from them. So for me to really relax I enjoy having a drink with friends and family and possible new friends.
Q: Which book had the biggest impact on you and why?
A: I must honestly say the Bible. It’s straight to the point and there is a solution in there for ANY problem that you can ever have.
Q: Who is/has been the most important mentor in your life and why?
A: I do not have 1 or 2 mentors in my life. I believe that every person I interact with has something to offer. We are all so different with different backgrounds and different experiences. I am constantly trying to improve myself as a person and believe by listening to what other people have to say and asking questions will help me with that. My mother says I never outgrew the “Hoekom?” stage.
Q: If you could invite any three South Africans to a dinner party, who would you invite?
A: Raymond Ackerman, Julius Malema & Trevor Manual. Raymond Ackerman because I think he has so much knowledge and wisdom to share. I always say don’t just learn from your own mistakes, learn from the mistakes that people around you make as well and I think he has a wealth of knowledge from all the “mistakes” he made in his life. Julius Malema because I would really like to understand how his brain works and how he sees things when there is no one around him that he needs to impress. Trevor Manual because once again I believe he is a good leader and great business man and South Africa can really be proud of him.
Q: Which gadgets do you personally use on a day-to-day basis and if you had to pick a single gadget you could not live without, which would it be?
A: My Powerball for exercise – it is an ingenious little exercise tool. My IPOD in my car and then most important of all my BlackBerry. I would not be able to go without my Blackberry for a day. I am addicted to BBM (Wish I wasn’t, it’s a pain, but I am). Imagine sitting in a row boat in the middle of the ocean, that’s how it feels without my BB. I might as well not get out of bed, hahahaha.
ABOUT DC CONSULTING
Q: When was DC Consulting founded?
A: 2003
Q: What do you specialise in?
A: We have different divisions specialising in different areas of the ICT industry. In short we do IT Consulting, maintenance and support. Then we also have a whole range of ISP products, Web & Email hosting, ADSL, 3G, VoIP and we also have our own wireless network over which we have internet, voice and fax solutions.
Q: How do you find and retain a great team of employees?
A: I work on word of mouth. 90% of our employees are referrals and people I worked with before. I believe in good relationships with your fellow team members. We are one big family as I see it. I am merely the “father” of a great family. We treat each other with respect. We work hard together and we play hard together.
Q: What has been the single biggest reason for your success?
A: My DC “family”. We are 1 team and that is the only way we are going to move forward as 1 body. We understand your business drive and your need to continue doing business. We put ourselves in your shoes and think how we would feel in the customer’s current situation. If you cannot work you cannot earn an income and you cannot pay us. Customer relations and after sales service is the most important part of any service business and we as a team always strive to keep you happy.
Q: What relationship building tips do you have for other business owners?
A: Put yourself in the other party’s shoes. That is the quickest way to understand the situation and earn respect from the other party.
LIFE IN PRETORIA AND CAMBRIDGE OFFICE PARK
Q: What do you most enjoy about living in Pretoria?
A: The people – Pretoria people are down to earth compared to most of the other major cities. The weather – I think we have the best weather in the country. Not too much wind, not too cold and not too much rain.
Q: Favorite restaurant for a business lunch?
A: Rhapsodys – it’s a great place to meet and have a nice meal and the lunch can also become an extended lunch. The vibe is great and the food just as great.
Q: What do you enjoy most about having your offices in Cambridge Office Park?
A: WOW, there are so many reasons. The fact that we continue working when the rest of town has no electricity is great. The park is always clean. The buildings are well maintained. We are proud to invite people to our offices. The service from the TSA team is exceptional. I think their service is of the highest standard and we can learn from them!
