Page 38 - Issue 48_press_efile

INFORMATION AND TECHNOLOGY
Embrace technology to enhance
customer experience, SACCOs urged
Vinay Subbaramaiah speaking on customer centers for
SACCOs in an event organised by TechnoBrain.
By Ngumbo Njoroge
Enhancing customer experience
through technology will drive
customer growth in SACCOs, experts
have said.
The adoption of technology in corporate
communication has led to increased
competition, said Techno Brain’s Business Customer service will also involve
Processing Director Vinay Subbaramaiah,
urging SACCOs to monitor technology
trends.
He said adoption of technology in
customer experience will lead to
changing customer behaviour and better
relationship between SACCOs and their
members.
“Technology has created multiple touch
points for customers from call centres to SACCOs can still dominate by partnering,
more engaging experiences online,” he
said.
Mr. Vinay, who was speaking during a
stakeholder’s forum, emphasized the
need to establish revamped call centres
while also communicating through the
digital space.
He said in the past, customer service
was characterised by rigid forms of
communication but technology has
helped combat those challenges.
“The customer is now in control of
where the communication happens and
companies can know the information
36| SACCO Star Magazine
from every channel.”
The future of customer care is strategic
and operational. From a strategic
perspective, customer care will include
customer advocacy, proactive advice,
nurturing communities and a transaction
approach.
operational efficiency in information
consistency, social interactions, engaging
applications, connected experiences and
touch based/voice-based services.
He urged SACCOs to adopt multiple
channels to enhance customer
communication.
“With new entrants changing the face
of traditional financial institutions,
hiring, crowd-sourcing and piloting
new solutions that focus on customer
experience.”
He said SACCOs need to embrace the
concept of extended partnerships, with
increased reliance on a network of
partner and service providers leading
to benefits such as reduced Capital and
Operating costs (Capex/opex).
The SACCO sector, he added, should
strategically engage new players to
develop new solutions across the
banking spectrum.
“They should proactively work with
regulators in shaping of standards and
protocols around new technologies such
as agency banking and ATMs,” Vinay said.
According to Daniel Mureu, Head of
Channels at ABC bank, it is important to
define a strategy that will create value
for both the SACCO and its members
and still contribute towards competition
differentiation especially through
alternative channels.
Mureu also urged SACCOs to partner
with organisations providing IT solutions
through hiring, leasing or crowd-sourcing.
He said there is need to adopt smart
banking platforms that are flexible,
accurate, innovative, and secure to
provide the best possible customer
experience.
In the digital age, he said it is prudent
to transform physical channels for
customers who prefer face-to-face
communication into modern digitised
centres.
This could also be achieved through,
improving existing digital channels
such as upgrading and exploring mobile
banking service offering and leveraging
on social media platforms.
“SACCOs should explore multi-channel
integration to ensure customers on
different channels are presented with a
consistent user experience,” he said.
An omni-channel solution, he added,
is about a seamless and consistent
interaction between customers and their
financial institutions across multiple
channels.
He said, multichannel focuses on
transactions while omni-channel focuses
on interactions.
Pauline Warui, East Africa Customer Care,
said understanding customer needs is
critical, adding that customers today are
more discerning and understand their
priorities.
“With changing demographics and
increased membership among
millennials, product packaging must
consider demographics and user
experience,” she said.