SMEs urged to focus on customers, adopt digital solutions to grow
From left: Africa 118 Managing Director Ezana Raswork, with colleagues Moses Luvonga, Christine Owino, Lizah Kinyua, Esther Ogara and John Nderitu.
What you need to know:
- Digital marketing agency Africa 118 provides small businesses with a way of reaching clients digitally.
- The firm also partners with like-minded institutions to provide digital skills training to the SMEs.
Focus on the needs and concerns of your customers, for if a customer is satisfied by what you offer, they will stay, enabling your business and by extension the economy to grow.
This was one of the messages relayed to small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) during the World Customer Service week in Nairobi.
While addressing the SMEs, Ezana Raswork, who runs digital marketing agency Africa 118, said it is important for SMEs to listen to what their customers want and patiently work to deliver, for this is a sure way to build solid, long-term working relationships.
Digital solutions
“The driver for SMEs should be to satisfy the customer, for if a customer is satisfied, they will stay with you, refer you and your business will grow,” Raswork said.
As the world moves towards a digital era, Raswork also called on SMEs to adopt digital solutions to scale up their products and reach more customers efficiently. This will also enable them to be more competitive.
“With the advent of digital, it does not take much for the SMEs to be on the internet. I can be a small business, but as long as I am online, I have presence, and I'm doing a bit of marketing, I can get new clients and even compete with larger companies,” Raswork said.
The firm, which currently has its footprint in six African countries, Kenya include, provides small businesses with a way of reaching clients digitally, at an affordable rate.
Digital starter pack
The firm also partners with like-minded institutions to provide digital skills training to the SMEs. Some of their products include a digital presence pack, which gives the client basic presence online.
They also have a digital starter pack, which includes a multi-page website, e-commerce, or mobile payment, depending on the kind of business, as well as a booster pack, used to drive more traffic.
“SMEs often do not have the big budgets or resources, but the good thing about digital is that you do not need big budgets, just somebody who knows how to get it done,” Raswork said.
