A plane flies overhead. As if on automatic pilot, Gidon Novick glances out his second floor office window. In reality, he doesn’t really notice the plane. His thoughts are elsewhere. He is planning: considering possibilities, ideas that could work for the either kulula.com or British Airways Comair. “We are always trying to improve our service and stay true to our brands,” he says.

Novick is a visionary, an ideas man. He and Eric Venter are joint Chief Executive Officers of Comair.

Comair is the umbrella company for the premium market airline, British Airways Comair and the low-cost airline, kulula.com. While they have two polar opposite brands in their stable, they have so far managed to stay true to both of them. “The average passenger is not even aware that Kulula is related to British Airways, never mind run by the same people,” says Jackie Walters, professor of transport and logistics management, University of Johannesburg.

No.of pages: 6

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In July 2006, Daleen van Schalkwyk, chief pharmacist at the Johannesburg Hospital, was preparing to move the pharmacy’s outpatients department (OPD), or dispensary, from the temporary accommodation, back into its refurbished premises. The pharmacy, tainted by a history of long queues of frustrated patients, was now presented with an opportunity to change negative perceptions. However, considering the severe resource constraints of public health, her concern was how existing processes could be improved to deliver an efficient, high-quality service.

No. Pages: 18

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It was October 2005. Commercial director of the successful low-cost South African airline, kulula.com, Gidon Novick, struggled to find a solution to the airline’s flight delays which impacted negatively on its customer relations. The turnaround time of its aircraft needed to be reduced dramatically for kulula.com to stay competitive, but how could this be achieved?

No. Pages: 13 

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