2003 Telstra and ACT Government Small Business Awards

Canberra Times Friday 18 July, 2003

Microbusiness makes the big time

" When you care about what you do, you do it well," said Mark Arundel, managing director of this year’s Telstra/Commonwealth Government ACT Micro-Business award winner, Multilocus Interactive. A company which, in just four-and-a-half years, has forged a formidable trail through a very competitive industry.

Since 1998, the Multilocus team has been providing innovative "visual communications solutions" to government and private sector organisations across Australia. Multilocus offers a complete range of media services such as graphic design, exhibition design, touch screen, CD-ROM, website and video production, just to name a few.

" We are competing for work against some very prominent names," said Mark. "Our reputation has been gained through the quality of our work which is not reflected by the size of our company."

Late last year, Multilocus faced a turning point when they were awarded a $500,000 job to create the GeoInsight Resource Kit which was designed to assist emergency managers become more aware of the benefits of using geospatial technologies whilst managing disasters.

The kit contained an overview booklet; cost benefit analyses; a facilitator’s handbook; six CD-ROMs and six video case studies of GIS best practice in Australian Emergency Management. The finished kit, which was commissioned by Technik and supported by AusIndustry, was a resounding success.

" Multilocus fulfilled the challenging brief admirably, producing what is truly a world class job. We are very proud of the product and I believe that Multilocus can be justifiably proud of what they have achieved," said Nik Fominas, managing director of Technik Pty Ltd, after the product was launched.

" That made us sit up and go ‘well, obviously we’re doing something right, what is it?’" said Mark. It made the company re-assess the perception of Multilocus’ position within the marketplace.

Mark believes that microbusiness’ main competitive edge is service. "We offer a personal, hands-on approach. There’s no middle-man – and that creates a really honest, trustworthy relationship with the client. We stay back late, working hard and we deliver on time."

This rare professional integrity and commitment to excellence have proved to be Multilocus’ pot of gold. Much of their work comes through word-of mouth and recommendation. "Since we started, we’ve never had a quiet period," said Mark, who is about to embark on the company’s next project – the production of five Indigenous language resources for remote Indigenous communities.

" We’re very proud to have picked that job up and successfully compete against the big end of town," said Mark. And in a move which demonstrates the company’s commitment to exceeding customer expectations, the work will be completed in an extraordinarily hands-on fashion: the team will spend six weeks driving across Australia, consulting with remote communities and language experts before beginning work on the project.

Winning the Telstra Commonwealth Government Microbusiness award was both "unexpected" and "a little overwhelming", said Mark.

" We do realise the significance of these awards. They are considered the most prestigious business awards in Australia, and it’s a real privilege to be recognised."