What an Ambush Interview.

Columbia Computer Center Davao, Inc.

Yesterday there are four of us who seek for a company to be interview as a basis for our Assignment. Fortunately, we headed to Columbia Computer Center Davao, Inc,. with our interviewee (name withheld for confidentiality), Manager of the Marketing Development Mindanao Area.

Provided by their website, this is their Company Profile.

Columbia Computer Center Davao, Inc., one of the pioneers in the computer industry of Davao City, started its operation in 1982 as a video center. It is located at City Triangle Building, CM Recto St. corner Roxas Avenue, Davao City. Due to a promising opportunity in the computer business, investments in this industry was also tried and later concentrated in this field. Currently, they have four (4) branches in the Mindanao area. At present, they carry most of the IT leaders\' brand name in the market such as ACER,COMPAQ, HEWLETT PACKARD, CANON, EPSON, MICROSOFT, INTEL, A-OPEN, 3M, LOGITECH, APC, MGE PULSAR, 3COM, SEAGATE, ASUS, MICROSTAR, JETWAY, CALIDAD, KRONE,AMP, LIKOM, EXPRESS and other peripherals & accessories.

Columbia Computer Center Davao, Inc. offers sales, repairs, rentals, networking installation and other services to our customers. They cater wholesale distribution of complete range of computer products, which covers PC System, peripherals, accessories and components. They are also engaged in direct sales providing computing solutions to manage large corporate accounts, government agencies and educational institutions as well as small medium sized companies. The company also provides services to our clientele to support all the products purchased under Columbia Computer Center Davao, Inc.

The following are the best practices they have introduced to us:

Mind Your Own Business (MYOB)- this is the software or program used by the Columbia Computer Center for the control of their inventory and sales. With this software, they manually check all of the things needed for the inventory and could automatically report on sales and debtors. Also, the sales ledger are centralized with this. As our interviewee expanded, all their inventory are already generated in the software. Once, a product have been sold, it’s just inputted in the Mind Your Own Business software, it will already generate a report on the sales of their company. It would also show all the expenses and the accounts left throughout the day. The profit and loss statement to be exact.

Biometrics - refers to methods for uniquely recognizing humans based upon one or more intrinsic physical or behavioral traits. It is used for the log in and log out of the employee. On their case, the thumb mark or the finger prints of their employee are the basis in order to have their daily time record (DTR). In short, biometrics is used by the Columbia Computer Center to record their attendance automatically. It is automated so they will no longer utilize the traditional way of getting the Daily Time record by using the Bundy clock. With this, the moment the employee subject his thumb mark to the machine and enter his distinct code, it will mechanically reflect on their DTR. Throughout the day, it will record their number of hours and days they had.

Closed-circuit television or the (CCTV) – is the use of video cameras to transmit a signal to a specific place, on a limited set of monitors. It differs from broadcast television in that the signal is not openly transmitted, though it may employ point to point wireless links. Columbia Computer Center Davao, Inc,. being the main office in the Mindanao area, are monitoring their other branches with the help of the Closed-circuit television or the CCTV. They could monitor all of their employees in their other branches such as in Butuan City, Cagayan de Oro City and General Santos City. With this, they could always see on what are happening in these branches and can accessed them anytime. Also, this could help them supervise these branches without any hassle on going on that far places. In just one click, all their worries about their other branches could be answered with the aid of the Closed-circuit television or the CCTV. This is via the internet, so Columbia Computer Center Davao, Inc., admits that for now they are all Internet dependent.

Networking Installations – they are proud to say that this is one of their best practices because it is not only their technician who knows this job, but almost eighty percent of their employees are capable of doing networking jobs. Meaning, any of them could be tap in the center whenever there are client or costumers need a help about networking installations. As they say, almost of them are skilled and trained regarding on networking.

Top Provider of Hardware / Software - At present, they carry most of the IT leaders' brand name in the market such as ACER,COMPAQ, HEWLETT PACKARD, CANON, EPSON, MICROSOFT, INTEL, A-OPEN, 3M, LOGITECH, APC, MGE PULSAR, 3COM, SEAGATE, ASUS, MICROSTAR, JETWAY, CALIDAD, KRONE,AMP, LIKOM, EXPRESS and other peripherals & accessories. With this many institutions and agencies are having a partnership with them regarding of any matters. Such as networking installation, repairs, rentals and cater wholesale distribution of complete range of computer products, which covers PC System, peripherals, accessories and components in the City. As one of the top provide in the City with these materials, Columbia Computer Center Davao, Inc., provides computing solutions to manage large corporate accounts, government agencies and educational institutions as well as small medium sized companies. Included on their list in the institution sector is the Ateneo de Davao University. While on the government side is the City Hall and 911 Center. Proudly saying also that they are the no. 1 partner of the PLDT in Davao City in terms of all their services. The Lapanday Foods, Davao Light Power Company, Davao City Water District and also San Miguel Beer are also among of their clients.

Management Information System Department (MIS Department) – when we asked them if they have this department on their organization, they answered no. For them, having a Management Information System Department (MIS Department)becomes redundant. Why? it is because almost eighty percent of their employee knows all the job within the company. It means that what the manager knows, also the utility boy knows too and vice versa. It doesn’t matter on what position they have when it comes to work distribution. As long as you have admitted in their company, within 2 months, you are already skilled and could almost do everything related to the company. As they call themselves, “DALTANS = dala tanan”, all of them are all around. Still they have the hierarchy of the organizational chart.

Reference:
Wikipedia.com
columbia.com.ph