A month ago we celebrated the nomination for Malta’s Best In Business Awards and now, it is with great pleasure and pride that we announce that the jury chose Dakar as the best Maltese ICT company of the year. Our innovation, vision and hard work were not only noticed but awarded. We feel privileged to have dined with The President of Malta (Mary Louise Coleiro Preca), The Minister for the Economy, Investments and Small Business and the best Maltese companies. We not only brought home the award, but also an invigorated motivation and inspiration for other maltese companies.

MBR: What motivated you to enter Malta’s Best-in-Business Awards?

DS Various factors motivated me to enter Malta’s BIB awards due to the fact that competing and hopefully winning an award can have numerous business benefits. From a human resources point of view, I felt that this would be a way to acknowledge the hard work and achievements of Dakar’s employees as the success of any company is a team effort. I felt it would give the entire team an added reason to be proud of working with Dakar. I also felt that winning such a prestigious award would also validate Dakar’s status as a professional employer thus attracting the right talent to help push our business forward. Being part of the Malta BIB awards, gives Dakar’s image, credibility as a third party’s endorsement which in turn acts as a seal approval. It also provides the opportunity for additional company marketing due to the fact that the process itself helps improve brand awareness and promotes Dakar to new potential customers.

I felt that participation would open doors to new networking opportunities and penetrate into new markets. Finally, entering a business award is an opportunity to carry out internal analyses, to view Dakar form different perspectives as it enables you to compare yourself with competitors. I believe this helps you look at new ways to stand out and improve the company’s overall strategy.

MBR: How does it feel after being called to receive the Malta’s Best-In-Business ICT Company Award?

DS My initial reaction was one of elation. I felt my heart soaring as I walked towards the stage. These feelings, I know stem from the sense of pride in being acknowledged for Dakar’s success. Obviously over the years, I have felt this kind of pride for Dakar’s achievements and growth, however, for this to be officially validated by external parties in such a way, filled me with the greatest sense of satisfaction and validation, both for myself and for all the hard working team at Dakar. I felt that Dakar has been recognised as a leader in the IT field in Malta and this is a fulfillment of the dream and goal I had when I first started out over 25 years ago.

MBR: What impact does winning this high-status award will haves on you and your organisation?

DS I believe the impact of winning this award is multifaceted. On one hand I know that it has immediately boosted the morale and motivation of every single Dakar employee. It is evident that people enjoy working for successful companies and being short listed and ultimately winning this award gives Dakar the opportunity to recognise its staff and their contribution to the business. Another long term impact will be on the recruitment process, as working for an award winning company is definitely an attraction. From a business point of view, I feel the impact on Dakar’s value to its profile, reputation and market positioning is immense particularly for existing customers. I believe this has given our customers the reassurance that they have made a good choice in working with Dakar. With regards to prospective customers, this award will set us apart from our competitors, providing them with a sense of security that Dakar is a wise business choice.

MBR: What are your impressions of this prestigious event and why is it significant to have such an event recognising best businesses?

DS All at Dakar have been positively impressed and enjoyed very much the experience of working with the Malta BIB team throughout the judging process; culminating on the night the gala event was held. I feel that events like these give companies the opportunity to reflect, improve and grow from these reflections and insights. It also provides nominated, short listed and winning companies the opportunity to shine in the spotlight – to show the community their strengths, achievement and business advantage. I thoroughly enjoyed discovering companies that I was not aware of in the different industries and sectors and have since researched them on the internet. I hope that they too have done the same with Dakar Software.

MBR: What would your employees say are the top three reasons they love working for Dakar Software Systems Ltd?

DS I believe these to be job satisfaction achieved through the Dakar’s culture of autonomy, freedom and flexibility for our staff. They can explore, take risks and fail confidently in the fact that they will still be supported. Another reason our employees love working with Dakar Software System is the physical environment we have created for our staff. Our offices have recently been refurbished. We focused on turning our offices into a state of the art space where employees look forward to coming each day. A space that is relaxing, motivating and also professional aimed at employee enjoyment during both their work and break time. A home away from home. We also provide a full continental breakfast for our staff and I know that this has really increased our staff’s commitment to Dakar. Finally, but not least, I believe our staff love working with Dakar because we are a visionary company.

We aim to always look to the future and grow with the industry’s every changing technologies. This provides our staff with the excitement of innovation and the sense that they are working with a company where they will continue their own personal growth and self-development.

MBR: Do you believe that this award recognises Dakar Software as a best-in-business ICT Company that has not only invested in the skills of its existing workforce to meet a particular business need, but have shown a commitment to developing the Dakar Software brand and its workforce of the future?

DS Dakar firmly believes in the development of its work force and aims to furnish them with the necessary skills and knowledge to grow with the ever changing needs and technologies of the IT industry. This award has truly recognised this in Dakar Software, due to the fact that, only a company which is truly dedicated to its workforce would satisfy all the requirements of the rigorous judging criteria. Since the IT industry is never static, developments and new technologies are outdated within a day, recognising Dakar Software as the Malta’s Best-In-Business in the ICT field highlights the dedication of the team to be a company that takes care of the present but also has a keen eye focusing on the future and its emerging trend and technologies.

We would like to thank you and all our clients for being a part of this experience and, at the same time we would like to thank: Marthese, Miriam, Amanda, Cheryl, Ariana, Julie, James, William, Sean, Jason, Gabriel, Robert, Andre, Keith, Michael, Fabien, Isaac, Kevin, Tomasz and, above all, David. Well done!