The interview with Lilian provides a comprehensive overview of her remarkable journey and the diverse ventures under Real Time Group. From the inception inspired by a commitment to punctuality to the global expansion in Dubai, Lilian’s story embodies resilience and success. Real Time Pharmaceuticals, a part of the group, offers tailor-made healthcare solutions emphasizing customization, efficiency, and global reach. The Real Time Foundation, focused on supporting children, reflects Lilian’s commitment to societal well-being.

In the culinary sector, Real Time Restaurants and Catering showcase African dishes and organic foods, preserving culture and promoting healthier diets. Real Time Group Logistics employs innovative strategies, including data analytics and customer-centric solutions. Diversity and inclusion are core values within the workforce, and Lilian outlines initiatives such as training, equal access, and flexible work policies.

Looking ahead, Real Time Group plans to expand globally, invest in data security, enhance the customer experience, and adapt to market dynamics. Lilian emphasizes the importance of employee training and regular reviews to stay customer-centric. Accountability is a cornerstone of trust-building for Real Time Group. Transparent communication, acknowledging mistakes, offering solutions, and continuous improvement contribute to a culture of reliability and ethical conduct, fostering trust with clients and partners.

Lilian’s commitment to excellence, social impact, and ethical business practices positions Real Time Group as a distinguished leader with a bright future.

Company Overview by Lilian Atho

We started the interview by asking, “Explain your background and your Company in detail.”

Lilian replied, “My story began at the age of 25, with dreams, passion, and an unwavering commitment to succeed. There were no substantial financial resources or inherited businesses; it was just me and my ambition. The inception of Real Time Group-Global was inspired by a simple yet profound mantra – “If you gave me work, I will deliver it on time.” This commitment to punctuality laid the foundation for a global brand.

My journey took an unexpected turn as I transitioned from teaching to learning the culinary arts at Utalii College in Nairobi. With My love for cooking, I opened a small restaurant in my estate, but it came with its share of challenges. Times were tough, and meat became a staple in their diet to prevent wastage.

In 2018, Real Time Company was born when a CEO, impressed with my dedication and commitment, proposed the idea of venturing into ticketing, hotel reservations, and travel bookings. This was the genesis of Real Time Tours and Travel. The journey didn’t stop there; the company diversified into several other sectors, including restaurant and catering, pharmaceutical sales, consultancy services, and security provision.

One of the pivotal moments in this incredible journey was the establishment of Real Time Group Global FZCO in Dubai, signifying a significant step towards global expansion. The company also formed strategic partnerships in the tourism sector, aiming to make nature and South Africa’s beauty accessible to people in the UAE. Moreover, I recognized the challenges women face in accessing funding and started offering consultancy services to empower women-led businesses.”

Revolutionizing Healthcare: Company’s Tailor-Made Solutions

Then we asked, “Real Time Company Limited offers tailor-made healthcare solutions. Can you explain how these solutions help institutions plan, provide, purchase, and coordinate core health services, and what sets your services apart in this field?”

Lilian replied, “At Real Time Pharmaceuticals, we take immense pride in offering tailor-made healthcare solutions that empower institutions to efficiently plan, provide, purchase, and coordinate core health services. Our commitment to customization, efficiency optimization, global reach, and expertise ensures that institutions receive high-quality pharmaceuticals and equipment while adhering to compliance and sustainability standards. As part of our comprehensive approach, we also provide Hospital Management Systems (IHMS) and our specialized mobile application, M-Afya, tailored specifically for the health sector, further enhancing our ability to streamline and modernize healthcare operations for institutions. This holistic approach is what sets us apart as a distinguished leader in the field of healthcare solutions.”

Fostering Hope: Real Time Group’s Programs

We further asked, “The Company places emphasis on giving hope and a chance to children in society, particularly focusing on the boy child. Could you explain the specific initiatives or programs that Real Time Group is involved in to achieve this mission?”

Lilian replied, “Under Real Time Group, we have Real Time Foundation which is in charge of bringing together the financial resources of individuals, organizations, and other stakeholders to support those that need our help the most. We make home visits to several children’s homes in all parts of the country so as to engage with the children donate items and have talk sessions to encourage them. The foundation also offers food program which is designed to provide regular meals to children who are living on the streets or in other situations where they may not have access to consistent, nutritious food. Gender inequality affects both boys and girls and supporting a nonprofit organization focused on empowering boys can help address the gender imbalance. Through education and support programs, boys can learn to value gender equality and become advocates for it, promoting positive change in their communities.”

Culinary Heritage

We were curious about the Health Benefits of Organic Cuisine so we asked, “Real Time Group is known for its pride in African dishes and organic food. How do you promote and preserve African culture through your culinary offerings, and how do organic foods contribute to healthier diets?”

Lilian replied, “At Real Time Group, our renowned Real Time Restaurants and Outside Catering services are distinguished by our unwavering commitment to embracing African cuisine and organic food, all while taking immense pride in the richness of our local soils and produce. We are dedicated to promoting and preserving African culture through our culinary offerings by meticulously crafting authentic dishes that pay homage to the diverse flavors of the continent. Our chefs draw inspiration from traditional recipes and utilize locally sourced ingredients, creating a vibrant and genuine dining experience that reflects the essence of African heritage. Moreover, our embrace of organic foods further reinforces our commitment to healthier diets, as these foods are free from harmful pesticides and chemicals, allowing our customers to relish the natural goodness of our locally-sourced, fresh ingredients.”

Redefining Shipping & Last-Mile Services

We want to know Innovative Logistics of Real Time Group so we asked, “Real Time Group Logistics is dedicated to redefining how businesses approach shipping and last-mile services. What innovations or strategies do you employ?”

Lilian replied, “1. By utilizing advanced data analytics and machine learning to optimize route planning, delivery schedules, and resource allocation. This can help reduce operational costs and improve efficiency.

  1. Route Optimization: Implement optimization algorithms to minimize fuel consumption, reduce travel time, and enhance delivery accuracy.
  2. By adopting cloud-based logistics management software to centralize data, streamline communication, and enable real-time tracking and reporting for all stakeholders.
  3. Collaboration and Sharing Economy: Partner with other logistics companies or leverage the sharing economy to share resources, such as warehouses, vehicles, and personnel, to reduce overhead and increase efficiency.
  4. Customer-Centric Solutions: Focus on enhancing the customer experience by offering features like real-time tracking, delivery windows, and multiple delivery options. Personalization and customization can also add value.
  5. Quality Assurance: Implement quality control measures and real-time monitoring to ensure that products are handled and transported with care, reducing damage and returns.
  6. Agility and Flexibility: Maintain an agile supply chain that can quickly adapt to unexpected changes in demand or market conditions, ensuring efficient operations even in turbulent times.

These strategies and innovations can help Real Time Group Logistics provide more efficient, cost-effective, and value-for-money logistics solutions while staying competitive in the rapidly evolving logistics industry.”

Championing Diversity

We want to know Real Time Group’s Strategies for Inclusive Workforce and the Benefits of a Diverse Expert Team so we asked, “Diversity and inclusion are valued within your workforce. How does Real Time Group actively promote diversity, and what benefits do you see in having a diverse team of experts in various fields?”

Lilian replied, “At Real Time Group, diversification is highly promoted in various ways including, providing diversity and inclusion training to all employees to create awareness and promote understanding, ensuring equal access to resources, promotions, and leadership roles for all team members, also implementation of flexible work policies to accommodate different needs and situations.”

Future Horizons: Real Time Group’s Vision

We further asked, “Looking to the future, how does Real Time Group plan to continue providing the best convenience and efficiency to its customers around the globe, and what new initiatives or areas of expansion can we expect to see from the group?”

Lilian replied, “To continue providing the best convenience and efficiency to customers around the globe, a company can adopt various strategies and initiatives. While the specific approach will depend on the company’s industry goals and resources, here are some general strategies and areas of expansion that we consider for the future.

  1. Expanding our customer base globally can be a significant growth opportunity, but it also requires understanding and adapting to different cultures, regulations and market dynamics.
  2. Investing in robust data security and privacy measures to protect customer data and comply with evolving data protection regulations.
  3. Customer centric solutions: Focus on enhancing the customer experience by offering personalized services and Real-Time support.
  4. Market Research and customer feedback: Continuously gather market insights and feedback from customers to understand their evolving needs and preferences.
  5. Employee training and development: Providing training and development opportunities. Well trained and motivated employees are more likely to deliver excellent service to your customers.

It’s important for a company to adapt and evolve with changing customer preferences and market dynamics. Regularly reviewing and adjusting your strategies and initiatives will help ensure you continue to provide the best convenience and efficiency to your customers around the globe in the future.”

Building Trust through Accountability

At last we asked, “Accountability is an important aspect of trust-building for the company. Can you provide examples of how Real Time Group takes responsibility for its actions and decisions, and how this has contributed to building trust with clients and partners?

“Accountability is indeed a critical aspect of trust-building for any company. Demonstrating responsibility for actions and decisions can enhance your reputation, foster trust with clients, and strengthen relationships with partners. Here are some examples of how Real Time Group Company takes responsibility for its actions and decisions:

  1. Transparent Communication: Openly communicating with clients and partners about any issues, mistakes, or setbacks. Transparency about challenges and the steps being taken to address them has enabled us build trust.
  2. Acknowledging Mistakes: When the company makes a mistake, we promptly acknowledge it and take ownership and instead of making excuses we always focus on finding solutions and preventing a recurrence.
  3. Offering Solutions: When issues arise, we usually provide clear and effective solutions to rectify the situation. Our clients and partners appreciate proactive problem-solving and a commitment to making things right.
  4. Timely Responses: Our clients and partners always feel that we value their needs through our quick and attentive communication.
  5. Feedback Mechanisms: We have established mechanisms for clients and partners to provide feedback, whether it’s through surveys, direct communication channels, or regular reviews.
  6. Quality Assurance: We have implemented rigorous quality control and quality assurance processes to ensure that the products and services we provide consistently meet or exceed expectations.
  7. Continuous Improvement: We continually evaluate and enhance our products, services, and processes based on customer and partner feedback.
  8. Accountability Culture: We Foster a culture of accountability within the company, where employees at all levels take ownership of their responsibilities and are encouraged to admit mistakes and seek solutions.
  9. Ethical Practices: By upholding strong ethical and moral principles in all business decisions and actions. This builds trust with clients and partners who value integrity.
  10. We have developed contingency plans and risk mitigation strategies to address unforeseen challenges or disruptions. This proactive approach shows a commitment to client and partner interests.

By consistently demonstrating accountability and taking these actions, our company has fostered trust with clients and partners. This trust has not only enabled us to maintain existing relationships but we have also attracted new clients and formed new partnerships based on a reputation for reliability and ethical conduct.” Lilian Concluded


Connect Lilian Atho on LinkedIn