A St. Lucian technology company is opening new frontiers in security and asset management designed to help Caribbean companies enhance their operational processes and reduce the cost of doing business.
Established in 2016, Simply Innovative Solutions was founded by Kevin Williams. The company has partnered with 1st Choice Security Solutions, Inc., and Virtual Doxx, two leading U.S. RFID technology companies.
Virtual Doxx provides patented RFID tracking and management solutions to local, state and federal governments in the U.S., the U.S Air Force and numerous global corporations and intergovernmental agencies, including the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the Canadian court system, Coca-Cola, Apple Computer, Lockheed Martin, Bank United and Johns Hopkins.
By partnering with the two companies, Simply Innovative Solutions is able to offer businesses in St. Lucia and the wider region affordable access to state-of-the-art RFID-enabled asset tracking systems and automated database management solutions suitable for a broad range of industries.
Williams’ company was thrust into the limelight after he became a finalist in ‘Get in the Ring’, a global competition that showcases the innovation and economic viability of business start-ups by talented young, up- and-coming entrepreneurs from around the world. The St. Lucia leg of the competition
was hosted earlier this year by Chamber of Commerce affiliates, Saint Lucia Junior Achievement and the Saint Lucia Youth Business Trust.
Radio-frequency identification (RFID) tracking systems help to substantially reduce the time employees spend managing thousands of files that accumulate in a workplace over time. Each file is scanned into the system and given an RFID label tag encoded with a unique ID number associated with contents of the file. The software enables the user to locate that file by inputting its unique ID number into an RFID handheld reader. The technology is used for automated management and tracking of documents, consumer products, vehicles and a host of other items. Additionally, a number of disaster relief organizations around the world use the systems for the deployment of search and rescue operations, emergency logistics and the transfer of injured and trapped victims.
“Through our partnership with Virtual Doxx and 1st Choice Security Solutions Inc. Simply innovative Solutions has become their official representative in the region,” says Williams. “They provide the RFID technologies that we offer and when they come over to install the systems, we help them with the installation and the training, as well as the software design for the client.”
Williams’ company recently signed a major deal with the Grenada Ports Authority for the installation of a bus terminal RFID tracking system for the Port of St. George’s.
“Since implementing that system at the bus terminal in St. George’s, they have come back to us so that we can install the same system at another one of Grenada’s ports,” says Williams.
His company is currently in negotiations with two local state-owned entities for the installation of a vehicle tracking system for their fleets.
Their RFID system not only allows companies to track their vehicles in real time, it can also help them improve employee accountability and monitor products through the entire supply chain.
“We install the devices on the vehicles. They can be tracked in real time by simply logging into the system and clicking on the registration number of that vehicle to see exactly where it is. If the driver has an unauthorised person driving the vehicle, for example a friend or a spouse, you can detect this by
simply checking the system. There are other options, for example if you just need the application to ping at certain points to periodically check on your vehicles,” Williams explained. The system can also help to curb vehicle theft, he added.
“Presently the rate of vehicle theft in St. Lucia is at an all-time high. The thieves have no hesitation stripping your vehicle right in front of your home or business place and you wouldn’t know it until you woke up the next morning and see just the shell. That’s where our system comes into play because anybody who tries to tamper with a vehicle on the system, you would immediately get a notification alerting you. We can provide the customer with an app that you can download to your phone to receive these notifications,” says Williams.
Simply Innovative Solutions also offers companies the added benefits of storing their data in cloud- based servers to ensure maximum security and confidentiality.
“In addition, every system that we install, we ensure that we sign a confidentiality agreement with the client so that they know their information will not be accessed or compromised by any outside party.
“We offer free consultations and work with our customers to determine exactly what they need. We give them the sort of system we believe will work for them. It doesn’t make any sense to us whatsoever to offer one generic system when that system isn’t for everyone. We just don’t believe this is the right way to go. And we’re flexible with our pricing. We work with a client to bring the costs down and in doing so we don’t diminish the quality of the system we offer. Our job is to ensure that our clients get the best system for the price that they can afford. That is our primary goal.”
St. Lucian chartered accountant, Ivan Augustin and his wife Jennifer Leid Augustin, a sales management executive, are Williams’ business advisors. He is full of praise for them and credits them with helping to set the business on a firm footing and making it a company that is one hundred percent customer- focussed.
“They’ve been very supportive and assist with various aspects of the business. They’ve truly been a great help,” he added.
