‘Teamwork is key to success’ | Kenneth Spiteri

What services does the firm offer?

"Philip Toledo Ltd is a company that has been delivering business solutions to the local market for the past 60 years. It was a true pioneer of the IT sector on the island and today we offer customers real bespoke solutions that incorporate hardware, software and connectivity in a way that really meets their particular business needs.

"Our main asset is our highly skilled workforce of over 100 specialists, many of whom are second to none in their respective field. This coupled with our relationship with key global partners like IBM, Cisco, Retail Pro, Access, Microsoft and NCR amongst others, allowing us to service a vast client portfolio that includes public sector entities, banks, large corporates and numerous SMEs."

With a strong track record in sales, how do you intend driving the company forward?

"I've been lucky enough to work in a number of different sectors and experience has thought me that sales is just the end result of an intricate number of actions. I truly believe that at the heart of success lies teamwork.

"This combined with the right knowledge base and a good dose of passion for what one does makes the rest relatively easy. Obviously, the challenges are great and finding the right chemistry for the equation to work is not always simple. I'm however confident that the foundations at Philip Toledo are the right ones and I really feel I can inject that little bit of what is needed to propel the company to expanding its success."

You have an extensive background in the corporate industry. What are some of those insights and experiences from your time at GO that you will be bringing to PTL?

"Leading the business segment with a large corporate like GO really does broaden one's horizons. I have been exposed to a broad spectrum of industries and really was able to build a clear idea of the opportunities and threats that various industries face.

"Both private enterprises and the public sector are today putting more and more pressure on the people at the lead of organisations to do more with less.

"Technology is a key tool in this respect and I think that Philip Toledo can really help organisations leverage technology in a smart way that delivers real efficiency. This enables organisations to focus their energies on adding value and driving forward."

PTL is already one of the largest information technology outfits in Malta and recently extended its footprint with the launch of a set-up in Dubai that caters for Middle East business. Can you tell us more about this set-up and its benefits?

"Truth be said, the local market is limited and the opportunities for real growth are harder and harder to come by. Furthermore, in our particular field the market is relatively over-serviced - and although we firmly believe that our quality remains a key differentiator, the over-crowded nature of the industry is leading to more and more margin erosion.

"This reality obviously makes off-shore opportunities very attractive and when the possibility of Middle East expansion presented itself we grabbed the chance! We did this with the confidence of knowing that our product is of the highest possible standard and can really measure up to that on offer in other markets."

Can you brief us about your brands such as IBM, CISCO and Access Accounting?

"In the world of today, dealing with the right partners is a must. At Phillip Toledo we really do deal with some of the best global brands - and we are lucky enough to say that our relationships go far beyond those of a simple supplier/customer relationship.

"Over and above the brands mentioned, we collaborate on a daily basis with companies like NCR, RetailPro, and Microsoft as well and our people are trained and certified to deliver comprehensive service and support for all our partner brand products.

"Over this and maybe more importantly, we are recognised by all our partners for our ability in creating great business solutions that incorporate their products - solutions that go far beyond basic out of the box capabilities."

With such stiff competition in the IT sector, how does the PTL differ from other companies?

"Today competition is everywhere and this is nowhere more evident than in the information technology sector. Technology is developing at a faster pace than ever before in the history of man and organisations need to stay on the alert and consistently on top of their game - delivering the latest and best in class solutions.

"Finding real tech differentiators is becoming harder than ever before and a product lead is generally short-lived as within some months the competition developed a slimmer, leaner and more economical alternative.

"Ironically enough that's good news for a company like Philip Toledo! As already mentioned we work with some of the best global brands and they have unrivaled R&D ensuring they are always in a position to deliver the latest solutions. But the key differentiator is customer experience and by that I mean an intimate knowledge of your client which spells trust.

"A mentor I had in my past in the private banking world used to tell me that until your client invites you to his daughter's wedding you are still light years away from excellent customer experience, obviously if you are not marrying his daughter that is. Might sound far-fetched but it gives the gist of where we aim to be different."

Any major projects your company has been assigned to undergo? Can you brief our readers about them?

"All information about the projects we are involved in is commercially sensitive and I obviously cannot divulge any details. However, what I can say is that Philip Toledo is a supplier of choice for numerous government and corporate entities when crucial and highly sensitive projects are required to be undertaken.

"Many of these organisations strategically choose us because of the extent of knowledge, our experience and the high degree of flexibility which we bring to the table. Truth is that when you manage to really look through the smoke you quickly realise that there are only a few companies who have the right expertise and ability to be able to deliver at the same level as Phillip Toledo."

How do you assure quality with cost-effectiveness?

"We are a client-focused organisation that always goes above and beyond to optimise the solutions we deliver to our customers adding value to their business. However, experience has thought us that in cases where the client budget will not allow us to deliver to the high standards we set ourselves - then the wiser choice is to opt out of doing the job.

"This is a tough reality as it's not easy to simply let go of projects and lose the short term gain. However, we know that in the long term this strategy always pays dividend and it's not the first time we see clients who would have opted for a cheaper partner coming back."  

IT has radically changed the world. What are the kinds of developments you see ahead?

"Not coming from a technical background I see things from a different perspective and must say that I do not agree with the statement that IT has radically changed the world. Human beings have radically changed it by an ever-increasing pace of creativity and geniality. IT just makes it easier to fulfill those dreams at a much faster pace. Whether this power is being used for the right or wrong purpose would require a different discussion altogether.

"As for developments, I think the pace is so fast that people are still catching up with what has been developed, but as I see it the future is all about instant information on anything at the tip of your fingers, literally."

What type of people will succeed in this environment?

"Success is all about attitude. In this environment that attitude has to be complimented with knowledge and an incessant need to know more, a passion about client needs and a strong ability to work in a team."

Where does PTL really see its core market?

"We are an outfit which dedicates its energy and resources to IT and security solutions for the business and public sector. That remains our focus, that's our core market."