Red Sofa Interviews

Lionel Naidoo on The Red Sofa

Watch the full interview here

Interviewer: Today we have Lionel from Dragon Information Systems joining us on The Red Sofa.

Lionel, Hi. Are you able to give us a brief insight into Dragon IS?

Lionel: Morning Roger, thank you for having me.

Dragon Information Systems is an IT managed services business. Basically, we’re a bunch of individuals that are passionate about technology and about helping our customers navigate the world of technology.

Interviewer: The pandemic has changed the way we work. How has technology enabled this change?

Lionel: Everybody’s been affected by the pandemic and everybody’s seen the effects of technology. Whether that be through accelerated payments, contact lists, remote working, distance learning has been a big key feature. Telehealth – having to speak to your doctor over a mobile phone is now a big thing.

So I think technology has affected us in very many ways and has helped us navigate through the pandemic quite easily.

Interviewer: Are companies that embrace technology early on in the pandemic, seeing any benefits to their business?

Lionel: Absolutely. Businesses who have embraced technology earlier on, are businesses that have come out stronger now that we have come out the tail end of the pandemic. It means that these customers have adapted very quickly to the change in working practices, have embraced technology to keep the doors open and to keep them trading.

Interviewer: What are your thoughts on the working from home experience? Is nine to five dead and flexible working becoming the new norm?

Lionel: I don’t think nine to five is dead. I think in lots of cases, for instance, the retail sector, you can’t work from home. But for the rest of us who are in the services based businesses, yes, flexible working has now become a very, very big part of our lives. I also think that in terms of rigid working styles that’s now changed. People are looking for more flexible working arrangements, the ability to work from home more frequently. And, of course, as technology providers, it’s up to us to enable that change. 

Interviewer: Moving forward are there any technology tips or insights you can share with us? 

Lionel: Absolutely. Right now, business owners are really concerned about mental health. They’re concerned about productivity. I think technology has to be used in a way that is there to increase our productivity. So that’s business owners finding ways in order to drive outcomes, monitor, use KPIs. I think businesses can now take the opportunity to use technology to automate a lot of their processes. So processes such as creating tools when your onboarding employees, making them comfortable and also using technology to secure the digital landscape.

Interviewer: Lionel, thank you for your time today, Lionel, from Dragon Information Systems.

Lionel: Thank you, Roger.

Watch the full interview here