Call for excellency in customer care
THE Chartered Institute of Customer Relationship Management (CICRM) has implored local businesses to strive for characteristics desired by global players to form solid strategic partnerships for the Zimbabwean market.
A number of global business investors have shown keen interest in investing locally on the back of President Mnangagwa’s “Zimbabwe is open for business” call, throwing a lifeline for struggling local companies through partnerships and increased economic activity.
As green shoots of economic revival begin to emerge, Finance and Economic Development Minister Mthuli Ncube announced that Zimbabwe — for the very first time in several years — in October achieved a budget surplus of $29 million as the country moves to meet a narrower budget deficit of five percent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in 2019.
In an interview with The Herald Business, ahead of CICRM’s Most Trusted Brand Awards set for today, institute executive director Dr Mthokozisi Nkosi said international businesses prefer dealing with companies of repute with a professional approach to business.
“Local companies should take advantage of the President’s open for business mantra, but it is not enough to only say the President has said we are open for business while on the other hand we continue with a business as usual approach,” said Dr Nkosi.
“Our local organisations must possess the right characteristics desired by global players to form solid strategic partnerships as they exploit investment potential in the country. The Zimbabwean business landscape is in need of a complete transformation in terms of customer service and call centre management as the economy opens up,” he said.
CICRM prides itself as a global customer service and call centre training organisation.
Its annual awards dinner is meant to honour brands that are trustworthy, dependable, respect consumer rights, adhere to service excellence and ethical at all times despite apparent temptations to act otherwise.
The awards are open to all organisations across sectors and also recognise the important social and environmental contributions made by organisations through excellence of service, commitment to their customers through dedicated customer service centres staffed with appropriately qualified personnel, generous ideals, ethical behaviour and sustainability.