Select Page

Embrace technology for improved customer service – Business Partners

Embrace technology for improved customer service – Business Partners

”Due to economic conditions remaining under pressure, businesses must compete for a continually shrinking slice of the pie, making customer service more important than ever for attracting and retaining new customers,” stated Business Partners International’s Namibia Country Manager, Gerschwyne van Wyk at the same time advising local businesses that technology has become a key element of attracting and retaining more customers.

“Business owners should use the latest digital and social media tools at their disposal to stay abreast of current trends in customer experience and service. The fast internet penetration growth rates in Africa saw a more than 20% increase in the number of internet users in 2018 compared to 2017 according to an annual report by We Are Social and Hootsuite. With this in mind, businesses should be maximising their online presence to engage their customer base and build meaningful relationships,” said Van Wyk.

Quoting a customer service report by Forrester Research, Van Wyk said 72% of people believe that the most pivotal thing a company can do in terms of customer service is to value their time. “Businesses need to acknowledge the importance of responding efficiently, and use online platforms to create a competitive advantage. Customer service is also evolving from merely providing solutions to delving further into customer engagement territory, where consumers expect their issues to be dealt with in a personal and timeous manner.”

He advised that customer service is the essential element of marketing. “A positive customer service experience has the potential to influence decisions around a purchase. The more business owners embrace technology and use it to innovative and improve their customer service, the more their business will grow and thrive.”


 

About The Author

Donald Matthys

Donald Matthys has been part of the media fraternity since 2015. He has been working at the Namibia Economist for the past three years mainly covering business, tourism and agriculture. Donald occasionally refers to himself as a theatre maker and has staged two theatre plays so far. Follow him on twitter at @zuleitmatthys