BUSINESS BUZZ | TRENDS
KEEPING UP WITH GEN Y AND Z ANDREW BOURNE REGIONAL MANAGER: AFRICA AT ZOHO CORP
The term ‘customer engagement’ is arguably one of the biggest buzzwords in today’s business landscape. It’s so widely used that when many people hear the phrase, they interpret it as a checkbox item. It is, however, an ongoing crucial relationship between a company and its customers, determined by the customer’s preferences and behaviour.
C
ustomer engagement entails
actively engaging with an audience through messaging that interests, educates and helps them, as well as encouraging two-way communication with your business. In short, it’s about figuring out what the
you adapt to this new market reality and ensure your engagement techniques are actually engaging?
PREPARING FOR A MOBILE-LED SHIFT
Mobile use has surpassed laptop use. Today’s target audience is more likely to look something up on their phones or tablets than on a computer. According to GSMA’s report, The Mobile Economy Sub-
Saharan Africa, the mobile market in subSaharan Africa will reach several significant milestones over the next five years, including half a billion mobile subscribers in 2021, one billion mobile connections in 2024, and 50% subscriber penetration by 2025. Over the next five years, the number of smartphone connections in sub-Saharan Africa will nearly double to reach 678 million by the end of 2025, representing a 65% adoption rate. It is, therefore, no longer an option to provide a mobilefriendly website or customer support portals – it is a requirement.
Image: Gallo Images/Getty Images
customer wants and giving it to them at the right time. This may appear to be a simple and straightforward task. However, in today’s world where the majority of a business’ customer base is composed of digital-native millennials and zoomers, the consumer has little patience for
complicated processes in the name of customer engagement. So, what does this mean for you as a business and how can
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| THE AFROPOLITAN | ISSUE 2, 2021
