The Innovation Consultant

A.  Place

The place that we have chosen is The Workshop. The Workshop in central Durban.  The history of The Workshop goes back to the 1800s as The Workshop was once known as the main and original railway for the Durban Station. This was built in a Victorian style and there was known as the Victorian railway. The Durban Railway Station was built for steam trains that would transport people from point A to B.

The 26^th of June 1860 was when the first official steam train journey too place. One of the important buildings that were around the Durban Railway Station was Paul’s Anglican church, The St Paul’s Church was Holy Communion and a healing service throughout the week, there was a soup kitchen that ran from St Paul’s Church from Monday to Friday. The first service in the original church took place in 1855; this church burnt down in 1906. The present church, built in a Neo-Gothic style, was opened for service in 1909. There was a picture beautifully painted by Robert Tatham who showed the Durban Railways Station showing the trains, the British marshals and the people who were selling buying and exchanging goods.

Quickly people started seeing an opportunity, an opportunity to have a flea market by the railway station where by passengers who are going on trains or have reached their destination could purchase some goods, from food to homemade clothes, juices, beads spices, shoes, blankets etc. Some wouldn’t sell but would exchange goods for other goods and some would trade their goods, this became bigger and more popular as individuals would just go to the railways station to buy, sell , exchange and trade goods.

Today this historical landmark has become a place for tourist where there is beautiful historical buildings.

As the years went by The Durban Railway Station was no longer and slowly but surely the place started to change. The Railway Station was then transformed into a mall for the people of the area. The mall was to run like any other mall with all stores such as clothing stores as well as food stores, stores that would cater to the people’s basic needs.

The history of the flea market never went away in this area as people never stopped selling goods outside. As the years progressed more and more people from all different African countries came to run their small businesses outside The Workshop by selling all kinds of clothing. The more people started coming to join the flea market the more there was a variety of things to buy such as furniture, bags, traditional wear, beads, bead jewelry, beauty stalls where put up as well where you can get your hair and nails done. It became a place with a new culture where the flea market was turned into something new something exciting and different.

The Workshop today 

The Workshop now has a lot of activities that are going on around. It has accommodated people from different walks of life that have come together to create a market, to create a different space and a new vibe.

There are all the stalls that all kinds of goods, such as clothes shoes jewellery, food and many more as well as the beauty stalls that do hair and makeup. There is an entertainment area where by there is a pool and foosball table and people play all day some play for fun some pay for money.  There is an area outside that is there for entertainment and people who have a talent come there and perform all the time for free and donations are made by the people who are watching. People come to The Workshop to chill nowadays they buy things and hang with friends and family, a theatre has recently opened now in the mall so that means that family and friends spend more time around The Workshop.

Why we chose The Workshop is because The Workshop has completely changed and developed since the 1800s from being a Railway Station to a mall. Today The Workshop is no longer just a mall but It is now a place where friends, families and individuals get to come and spend their leisure time, it is a place for people to start their own small businesses outsides the streets selling clothes and food. It has this dynamic market all types of shoppers from different walks and places of life to bring their unique qualities into The Workshop. It is also surrounded by historical buildings and exquisite landmarks.

The Workshop needs innovation it needs to be create and come up with a new and different way of doing things as well as a new way of being creative and bring innovation to the area. The places around The Workshop that need innovation would be the flea market, it would have to be the different stalls that the vendors have set up to sell their products as these are one of the main attractions of this area, we could help improve the appearance by making the place cleaner and litter free. We could advertise their stuff all over the mall so that people know about them bring awareness to the different stalls as well as improve the system of buying and selling in this area making it easier safer for buyers to purchase products.

People feel that The Workshop is not safe and because of this they then go to other to other places, this has become one of the main issues of The Workshop. We then can offer a solution that could make this area safer by asking the municipality for a security company to watch out for that place, by roaming around and driving around, this well make people feel safer bringing more people to this place to support the businesses of the vendors helping them to growing their business and making more money, as well as more tourist could come to the area.

Executing a cleaner environment would also be very helpful to the area as the appearance of it would improve greatly making the place sustainable.

They could be seminars for vendors, educating them on financial management and how to run a sustainable business learning and knowing about the basics in order to improve our economy as well as for them to be sustainable and be able to run a sustainable business. Vendors don’t pay for the space that they use so they could pay a fee every month for the space used so that it forces them to keep their space clean and tidy at all times.

In order to create a culture of innovation in the workshop innovators needs to think outside the box for strong and creative ideas, the ideas need to be new, exciting and different and it needs to draw people in, making them interested and making them take park in the culture of what is going on around the area. The Workshop could have innovations such as clean ups, recycling, tours for tourist as well as workshops for vendors.

b.      Product:

In The Workshop we looked at a brand or a company that we could choose to work on and we choose Nando’s as it is a popular brand at The Workshop. Most people go out and eat there as well as get food for their families or get a meal as an individual there.

Nando’s is a Portuguese restaurant that is famously known for their chicken as well as their peri-peri sauce, Nandos was started years ago, it was when the Portugese explores set sail for the East in search for the adcenture and the so called legendary spice route. They were introduced to the fiery chilli by the African people and the Portuguese fell In love with it. Portuguese sailor Fernando Duarte decided that he wanted to them create a delicious sauce using Pili-Pili inside for that hot and fiery taste.

After some years it was that exact same peri-peri sauce that had inspired Fernando Duarte to invite his friend Robbie to a humble buffet to come and try out this new and amazing peri-peri marinated in basted chicken.  Robbie was inspired by this delicious chicken and sauce and they ended up buying a restaurant serving food with only the peri-peri sauce based and marinated to it.

The restaurant was name after Fernando and his son who was called Nando the name being Nando’s. Fernando didn’t want the resustrant to be just about chicken and the spices he wanted it to be about

embodying the five core values which are courage, integrity pride, passion and family.

According to http://www.rateyournandos.com/nandos-history  : “In 1995 the son Robby Enthoven (who is still the Managing Director of UK Nando's to this day - but under a different name), took on the struggling restaurants in Ealing Common and Earl's Court , and came up with the order at the till, sit down and wait for your food philosophy. Such a revolutionary idea this was! The public loved it (not to mention the chicken), and has never looked back” (Anon, 2016).

Today Nandos in South Africa and the Uk is a very big and successful as people love the different taste of their chicken and their spicy sauces.

According to Nando’s their vision is to “create a successful global brand that can rival the really big brands of the world.” (Anon, 2008).

 Nando’s continues to state that “Our vision is to be the first choice in grilled food restaurant business around the globe” (Anon ,2008).

Today Nandos offerings are chicken whether full chicken or half chicken or chicken wings, Nandos offers chips, Portuguese rolls, corn carb, salad, all types of cool drinks, as well as fruit juices, rice and chicken, chicken burgers, vegetarian burgers.

                                           

Nandos tries to accommodate vegetarians as well even though they are all about chicken they do have a lot of different types of salads as well as delicious rice with vegetables and Nando’s sauce

These sauces are out in your food of choice at Nandos depending on which sauce you choose. These sacues can be purchased outside of Nando’s at groceiry stores such as Spar, Pick’nPay, Checkers, ShopRite and Woolworths.

These sauces are out in your food of choice at Nandos depending on which sauce you choose. These sacues can be purchased outside of Nando’s at groceiry stores such as Spar, Pick’nPay, Checkers, ShopRite and Woolworths.

Nando’s innovation process

Step 1 – Identifying the goals or problems to be solved

 The first step in the innovation process is to clarify what a business’s innovation goals are and why the brand wants, or needs to engage in this kind of innovation (Corporate, 2013).

      

Nando’s believes strongly in “equal opportunity PERi-PERi chicken’’. They are committed to offering guests the PERi-fect experience, regardless of any challenges this may pose.   Nando’s aims to serve each hungry guest with a delicious meal and friendly service in a way that is truly representative of one of their Core Values – Embracing Differences.

Step 2 – Analysis

 The second step consists of analyzing current situations, customers and their needs and/or challenges. It is also very useful to look into competition, what they are doing and any new trends that could have an impact on the business (Corporate, 2013).

Nando’s has a lot of competition. Generally, these are other franchises that specialize in making chicken. These would include KFC, Chicken Licken, etc. Although Nando’s stands out from these competitors as their products are healthy in comparison and therefore, they reach a target audience that such franchises cannot reach- the health conscious customer. In that, the trend of eating healthy is why Nando’s remains somewhat above their competition.

        

Step 3 – Development and design

Based on information gained during analysis, the brand needs to develop an ideas portfolio that includes ways they could innovate to meet these goals and problems (Corporate, 2013).

        

Besides the original taste and culture of Nando’s, they have considered the overall design and feel of each restaurant very cleverly. They have managed to stand out from competitors because of the uniqueness of their brand. Nando’s puts a lot of thought into design: from the packaging and marketing of its tasty product.

Step 4 – Conversion

This step is to translate the ideas into practical innovation products that could be targeted  towards the identified marketplace (Corporate, 2013).  Nando’s innovations include a more comfortable and friendly takeout waiting area, no menu boards which have been replaced by their easy to read paper menus, snacks and beverages to enjoy while waiting, the order is double checked with the customer from a basket before final packaging, and a more open view of the kitchen where food is prepared and cooked specifically as requested.

Step 5 – Commercialisation

The final step is where the brand should take tested innovations and develop them to full- scale operations (Corporate, 2013).

        

The dine in experience at Nando’s has been enhanced considerably to encourage customers to linger longer with the brand, both at lunch time as well as for an evening entertainment experience.

Nando’s as a company that is born and bred in Africa, Nando’s believes strongly in supporting programs that make a real difference to the people of the continent that the brand considers home.

Since joining the United Against Malaria campaign in 2009, Nando’s has led a UAM bracelet campaign that has raised hundred of thousands of dollars for the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. It has also partnered with explorer Kingsley Holgate to deliver life-saving mosquito nets to vulnerable communities throughout sub-Saharan Africa. And it has educated employees and customers throughout the world. On World Malaria Day 2012, the company delivered insecticide-treated bed nets to farmers in Mozambique, where its peri peri chili peppers are grown (Saine, 2012).

C. People

The people around The Workshop utilize the area as residents and as vendors. The Workshop is filled with different stalls, tents and stands of people selling a lot of diverse products and services. There are some frenchises around the area and a lot of cabs and taxi’s situated all around The Workshop.

We have identified the main group of people around this area as the vendors. The secondary group of people are the people who reside in this area and the consumers who come to purchase good and services from the people offering them in this area.

The space is largely used as a market area. People trade all sorts of things from food to, clothes, hair extensions, muthi, cosmetics etc. As stated above, people also reside in this area. There are flats situated all around The Workshop that people not only live in, but a lot rent out the flats to businesses like salons, tattoo parlours and boutiques. The Workshop is again, a very diverse area with a very diverse mixture of people in and around it.

People around the Workshop seem to all be business minded. They sustain small and creative businesses like hair salons, boutiques, shoe cleaning stalls etc. A place like this helps Durban sustain it’s culture as the different stalls and shops all have the authentic Durban feel. As Africans in this area, the residents all seem to add to the rich culture Durban is made of.

The people in and around this area impact this area both negatively and positively. The place gets dirty and loud fast. Which doesn’t help with the sustainability of the area as a tourist destination.

Besides the litter, the people there add a culture that is so diverse and unique that people want to witness it.

D. Innovation Consultation

SWOT analysis is an analytical tool used for the identification and categorization of internal and external factors. Strengths and weaknesses in SWOT analysis are termed as internal factors while opportunities and threats are termed as external factors. SWOT analysis can be conducted for a situation, an organization, a project, a new venture, a country, a nation and even individuals. SWOT analysis definition can help organizations in their strategic planning process, and in matching their capabilities and resources to the competitive environment in which it carries out its operations (PestleAnalysis, 2014).

Strengths refer to the internal characteristics which may be deemed favourable for the organization.

The Workshop is a historical landmark. Which makes it a tourist destination in Durban. The diversity of shops in this area- that include African arts and curio shops, smaller trendy clothing boutiques, and a strong Indian influence in the form of the heady smells of spices and pretty Indian fabrics.

Weaknesses refer to the internal characteristics which may be deemed unfavourable for the organization. The most evident weakness within The Workshop is security.

The Workshop lost its footing as a major upmarket niche centre as most of Durban’s CBD moved to the nether regions of Umhlanga, and the perception of the Workshop as unsafe, due to its position in an area marked by crime, had its effect on the centre.

Opportunities are external characteristics which the organization may use to its advantage. As the overall business sector is expanding, there are many future opportunities for success and local government wants to encourage local businesses. Which is a great opportunity for the vendors in and around the workshop to expand their businesses and truly make a sustainable income from selling to the tourists that visit this area as well as the locals.

Threats are external characteristics which may be potential sources of failure to the organization. Substitution is the biggest threat to The Workshop as a tourist destination. As unique and rich in history as this area, people change their mind on what they deem important frequently. And other tourist destinations could interest them more than The Workshop. Developments in technology may also change the tourism market beyond this areas ability to adapt.

These factors stated above do not only impact the area but the people in and around it as a whole- the vendors, the visitors, the residents. Therefore, coming up with a solution that would innovatively solve problems in this area and sustain it and it’s people led us to coming up with the following campaign.

“Sustainability” is often defined as development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs (Foerster, 2010).

Asisebenze , which Is translated to Let’s Work in English.

This campaign is all about bringing an innovative culture to the workshop. This campaign believes deeply in sustainability as well as running eco-friendly businesses and educating people about being sustainable and good business ethics.

The aim for the campaign is to raise more awareness for The Workshop area and the businesses around that to help the vendors sustain themselves. It is also to create a culture of cleanliness in the area.

Asisebenze wants to touch everyone who is around the area of The Workshop from the vendors, to residents to consumers, building an innovative culture for everyone who is part of the area.

Projects in the campaign include:

1.         Clean ups

2.         Recycling

3.         Tours for tourists

4.         Workshops for the vendors on how to run a sustainable business.

Clean ups.

People who are part of the outside market, the venders who are selling all types of different goods need to have better management practice, as they litter most of the time and leave plastics lying around their work space, they need to be aware of this and make sure it is cleaned and picked up at all times as it is causing pollution.

Clean ups will be a project that is launched by the campaign, it will be the people of the area that will contribute to be a part of the clean ups, where by once a week they go around The Workshop as well as the rank cleaning up all the litter that is around the area as well as sweep the streets to keep their area clean and environment clean. As the litter around this area could chase away tourists and distract from the beauty of the area, encouraging the people of the area to keep the place clean would attract a lot more people to visit the area- which would ultimately lead to the vendors there making more money from the people buying them.

Recycling

Recycling will also be a part of the campaign where by, Asisebenze will partner with recycling companies and will encourage the vendors to recycle in order to keep their area clean at all times. DSW has become recognized for their recent achievements and innovations but more especially for their participation in community development. Durban Solid Waste has a clear bag for glass bottles and cans in its recycling project. The main benefits of this project is to protect the environment, re-use of resources, reduce waste at landfills and promoting the separation of waste at source. DSW distributes a three-month supply of orange recycling bags to each household. The pack contains 15 recycling bags which is permitted for the use of recycling plastic, paper and cardboard only. The clear bags for glass bottles and cans will be collected on the same day as the orange bags and the normal domestic collection by the same contractor (Ramkissoon-Pillay, 2014).

Partnering up with DSW to encourage people of the area to recycle would help keep the area cleaner.

Vendors will also get money monthly based on how much litter they have collected and this will make them want to be a part of recycling and collecting the plastics and papers and sweet wrappers.

Tours for the tourist

We will have The Workshop provide a free shuttle service to and from any destination within the CBD, which should add to the attraction which would lead to tourists coming in and out the area- ultimately creating more foot traffic. The aim is to also not get people outside of Durban to visit this area but to also make people from the North parts of Durban like Umhlanga, Durban North, La Lucia etc. comfortable enough to visit The Workshop area and support the businesses there.

Tours for the tourist will be a mover’s bus transporting tourist all around the workshop to show them the historical buildings, show them the railways that the rains use to use, show them the Anglican church and many more landmarks, this will also show them how the Durban Railways Station has transformed from being a train station to being a mall and a market.  Durban has a very efficient city bus service, People Mover is a safe, reliable and popular option with tourists and locals alike. The People Mover busses are wheelchair friendly, very reasonably priced and travel through the city and beachfront every 15 minutes. The city route includes stops at the City Hall, Durban mosque and cathedral, Tourism Information Centre, the Playhouse Theatre, the Victorian Street Market and Inkosi Albert Luthuli ICC Complex. The beachfront route starts at the Suncoast Casino and ends at uShaka Marine World. If Asisebenze successfully partners up with them, we would have more people come in the area who would feel safe. This will be on Tuesday Thursdays Saturdays and Sundays, and it will be from 8 am– 3pm each tour being an hour long.

With keeping tourists interested, we will encourage the locals who perform at The City’s Art and Living Cultures Unit at The Workshop to keep their system going but in a more supervised manner. Where the performers would sign up for their performances every morning and they would perform according to that roster. Making the tourists and general tourists pay a small fine of R5 each to watch each performer, we aim to provide a sort of income for the performers.

Workshops

We will implement seminars/workshops for vendors, educating them on sustainability and how to run a sustainable business- learning and knowing about the basics in order to instil sustainability in the area.

Vendors could partner together or join forces in order to create space. Vendors could share one big tent where by each vendor sells their own products. One vendor could sell their shoes, the other could sell watches, the other jackets and so on creating sort of one store that has everything. This could minimise the litter by the vendors who have joint tents could put a collect effort to make sure they work space is always clean, also by introducing recycling this could make them really want to shape up their working area.

The vendors could have a system whereby their stock is stacked in one big tent once again that is creating space and order. The vendor’s stock is all over the place and it is all wrapped in different types of plastics which ends up flying away causing more and more pollution and the vendors end up not caring and leaving the plastic flying around. If the vendors could come together to try and put their stock together and remove plastic maybe invest in shelves or other material that they could use to keep their stock safe and clean. Or they could still use their plastic but team up together to always clean it up in order to keep their place and space clean.

Asisebenze campaign will also launch workshops, in which it will strongly encourage the vendors to attend the workshops which it will be teaching them about how to run a sustainable business, showing them where to start and how to make this sustainable progress, it will teach them the basic ins and outs of running a business and how to keep it running and keep it eco-friendly and sustainable in the long run as well. These seminars will have guest speakers of local business men and women who started small and ended up being successful in whatever they were trading. The seminars will take place at the Gugu Dlamini Park which is right next to the shopping centre once a month on a Thursday morning to give the vendors motivation to strive during the weekend- which is when most people visit the area. These seminars aim to encourage the vendors to think more strategically and creatively to grow their businesses and sustain the area and the people around out.

We would not partner up with anyone for this part of the campaign. Simply to keep the project authentic. We would reach out to people we feel would be best suited to speak to the vendors of this area and we will educate them on how to better run their small businesses ourselves.

With all this activity to take place, we will also work with the Municipality to ensure they provide security on guard around this area to prevent crime or theft of any sorts. With people feeling safe, they will be able to enjoy their surroundings more- whether they are the vendors, the tourists or the locals.

The Workshop will be sustainable with educated vendors and it will be a clean environment and a happy environment, and this could even draw in the people that don’t go to The Workshop in to want to see the workshop and go and experience the culture and the different types of people that unite together.