BMK Group – Beating the odds

With the guidance of our Grow coach, we first began with the development and implementation of a strategy to survive the devastating effects of lockdown.

“In the face of uncertainty, BMK took decisive steps to find solid ground, reaching out to Grow to get the support they needed.”

Since its inception in 2005, the BMK Group has grown into a fully empowered organisation with a nationwide footprint and a remarkable track record of delivering sustainable infrastructure solutions.

Committed to retaining a wholly-owned South African corporation, BMK and its four divisions – BMK Consulting Engineers, BMK Technologies, BMK Property Investments, and BMK Logistics – had solid business strategies to grow its activities beyond its core geographies of KwaZulu-Natal, Gauteng, Western Cape, Eastern Cape, and the Free State.

Clients were happy, profit margins were good and staff were content. Then came a global pandemic. Unprepared for the worst, BMK found itself standing at the top of a slippery slope.

As the pandemic swept across the globe, BMK found themselves facing uncertainty and lacking the tools and strategies needed to deal with the disruption that came as a result of the pandemic. With weeks of lockdown, and the team unable to connect in the way they had in the past, creativity and collaboration were hindered, and the company began to trade in uncertain territory with limited visibility of the future

As critical initiatives stalled and construction stopped, it quickly became evident to the management team that the divisions needed a connected strategic focus and individualized support as they faced numerous external challenges.

Long-time CEO Brian Martin Kannigadu and the company’s Directors, Pradheep Dhanee, Teniel Ramjogi, Technologist of the year by the South African Institute of Civil Engineering, and Chanel Naidoo, knew that a re-evaluation of the business was needed if the businesses were to remain afloat. They were aware that they required a well- structured method for establishing and selecting strategic priorities. They were also aware that the leadership team had to reconnect, return to functioning as a productive and cohesive unit and be re-inspired.

“Lockdown restrictions heavily impacted all our projects, bringing many of them to a grinding halt and severely impacting the Group on a national and personal level,” says Pradheep.

“The pandemic heightened emotions, and staff switched from thriving mode to survival mode, forgetting the goals and action steps we had planned for the future – we were in a reactive, fight or flight mode.”

BMK and Grow began their journey in June 2020 after attending a Grow training event hosted by Consulting Engineers South Africa (CESA).

Grow collaborated with BMK with the initial objective of ensuring a safe and successful operation during COVID-19.

With his Coach’s support, Brian started out by reintroducing a strategic planning discipline into the organization. This discipline was divided into strategic thinking, and execution planning.

The strategic thinking mobilised the team’s collective intelligence to identify key obstacles hindering business health and accelerated problem-solving. Execution planning assisted in identifying critical priorities to focus on based on strategic thinking and executing them effectively.

The challenges the business had to overcome were numerous.

While talent within BMK was abundant, managers had become unclear on the key objectives for their divisions. Engagement levels had fallen and divisions had become detached. With some divisions losing money, the pressure was being put on BMK’s bottom line.

With business closure rates at an all-time high worldwide, it’s unsurprising that the management team at BMK was distracted by the day-to-day challenges. In business, day to day challenges can remove the focus from strategic thinking and execution planning which stifles growth.

Brian began tackling challenges systematically. Attention was directed to implementing enhanced debtor management systems, dramatically improving the Group’s cash flow position. Cost-cutting measures were also applied across all divisions and the Group began to operate on a well-defined and much tighter budget. Simultaneously, the Group unlocked new positions within its sales division.

On a personal level, the Group was continually coached on ways in which to improve confidence amongst the management team and Directors inside divisions to accomplish their objectives and trust one another.

A significant victory for Brian came in the form of three key team members blossoming in their roles as they applied the strategic thinking outcomes.

The Director of the KwaZulu-Natal division grew his people skills and ability to handle difficult team members in a professional and diplomatic manner. When faced with challenges, he used his new skills to handle the situation very effectively, showing a complete transformation in his approach to management and leadership.

The Head of Finance started leading effective initiatives to minimize costs and improve team engagement.

The regional manager inland was promoted to Director of inland and continued to grow and thrive in his industry and was recently named as the technologist of the year.

By the following financial year-end, the Group had assembled a strong and committed executive team. Brian felt secure enough to take a much-needed six-month sabbatical, confident that the wheels would keep turning without him.

Through its dramatic turnaround, BMK has since charted a remarkable journey.

What BMK have accomplished in the past two years is just the beginning. The group is now confident. better equipped and excited about taking the business to a new era of their entrepreneurial journey.

Reflecting on BMK’s coaching journey, Pradheep says the Group’s financial situation is improving steadily.

“The Group’s goals for specific divisions have been achieved through focused sessions with our coach. We’ve been able to think ‘outside the box’ and look at innovative and new strategies. We are adapting all the time, and that takes courage, especially when you’ve been doing things the same way for so long,” adds Pradheep.

“Initially, our Grow coach assisted us in developing and implementing a survival strategy. Our coach is currently helping us develop and implement a solid maintenance plan and a growth strategy. We are planning on opening more branches and are exploring international markets.”