Located in Sidwashini, Mbabane, CopyCat Eswatini has found a way to distribute Canon’s high-quality products to its clients with the highest degree of standards, while providing the best working environment for its staff. Their work ethic is rooted in the Kyosei philosophy which champions diversity and cooperation in the workplace.
By Avite Mbabazi
Q: First and foremost, please tell us about the journey of CopyCat Eswatini, when was the company established, and by whom?
A: CopyCat Eswatini, formerly trading as Canon Swaziland, is the official Canon distributor for the Kingdom of Eswatini. Since its founding by Cassim Suleman in 2000, Copycat has since been restructured to include a distributor and five independent resellers to efficiently support the four regions of the country, namely; Hhohho, Manzini, Lubombo, and Shiselweni.
Q: What are the main services provided by CopyCat Eswatini?
A: CopyCat distributes a complete range of Canon inkjet and laser printer hardware; business photocopiers, A0 plan printers, plotters, and scanners; and photographic products including the complete range of digital cameras, camcorders, binoculars, and projectors. Furthermore, we offer a number of services which include printing, photocopy, scanning and faxing. We also provide all sales and marketing training to our resellers’ marketing teams to provide product information and application to clients.
Q: What does it mean to be the main Canon distributor in Eswatini?
A: It means we are officially approved by Canon South Africa as a distributor for Canon products and act as the warranty center for Canon products in Eswatini. We are also responsible for importing and warehousing all hardware, consumables, materials, and spare parts for all Conon products.
Q: Who are the primary clients for your Canon products?
A: Our resellers are our primary clients.
Q: How did the idea to incorporate a hot drink in a copy shop and Internet café come about?
A: After realizing that customers who frequent our copy shop often stay for a long period of time and are likely to feel peckish while waiting for their services to be rendered, we decided to say “you know, since the shops are far, let’s bring an easy meal and drink to them to keep them alert and awake!”
Q: We noticed that you provide staff training and development as well as Canon Camera Training, what do these courses entail, who can enroll, and at what cost?
A: At CopyCat Eswatini we strongly believe in uplifting our staff, therefore, we find it vital to encourage continued staff training and development in various sectors, be it technical services, administration, marketing, and sales of canon products. With the support of Canon SA, we also share product information and training on product usage with all clientele and resellers.
Q: You are very active on social media, particularly on Instagram, how has that helped your business so far?
A: Having a social media footprint is beneficial to the growth of CopyCat and as long as our channels are maintained, we will continue to use them to market and promote our business and the services we offer.
Q: What is the size of your team and how do you ensure that every team member remains motivated to work at CopyCat Eswatini?
A: CopyCat is proud of its six members who are motivated by the fact that they are constantly kept in the loop of all business operations. We ensure they’re fully aware of their tasks and responsibilities to deliver efficient services on time. Moreover, as a Canon family, we support our team members in areas that they’re passionate about.
Q: Is there anything else you would like to tell us about yourself and CopyCat Eswatini, that we may not have asked?
A: Copycat Eswatini is guided by the Kyosei philosophy defined as “all people, regardless of race, religion, or culture, harmoniously living and working together into the future.” We are therefore focused on living and working together for the common good, which blends in well with Canon’s vision of producing innovative products and technologies to improve efficiency at home and in the office.