“Customer is King” is an age-old mantra reflecting the importance of customers or consumers in every business. Regardless of what industry you’re in or what kinds of products and services you sell, the customer is the most important part of a business.
Without the customer, you don’t see any sales and without sales there is no revenue. With the negative effects of COVID-19 adversely affecting the economy, excellent customer service is increasingly becoming important to the success of businesses large and small.
In the past, people chose which companies they did business with based on price, or the product or service offered, but today the overall experience is often the driver, meaning customer service is critical to competing effectively.
Customers are influenced by even a single experience; one positive experience could be the deciding factor for them to stick to a brand, whereas one negative one could send them running to a competitor.
It is for this reason that the Uganda Marketers Society (UMS) has today launched the Pearl of Africa Customer Excellence Awards (POACEA) to recognize and reward companies that have constantly endeavoured to put the customer first through deliberate actions towards progressive customer care, excellent customer experience, and customer prioritization throughout their operations.
The initiative, the first-ever of its kind in Uganda, will see companies rewarded for showcasing excellence in customer care and customer excellence efforts across various industries ranging from Finance, FMCG, Tech, Health, and Media with a deliberate focus on MSMEs.
“For a long time, we have heard various perceptions of Ugandan businesses not being able to provide great experiences to customers and clients. With these awards, we want to reward those who are excelling at customer excellence meaning that they are the best at making their customers extremely happy” said Sharon Kiggundu. the President of Uganda Marketers Society (UMS).
Following the launch of the Pearl of Africa Customer Excellence Awards, nominations have begun that will see customers nominate their favourite brands in various categories. The link for registration is here: https://cebs.cc/POACE_
The categories of the Pearl of Africa Customer Excellence Awards (POACEA) are as follows:
· Best CX Cultural Adaptation Award
· Best CX Training and Organizational Learning Award
· Best Customer Retention Strategy and Execution
· Best Use of Digital
· Best Use of Customer Insights and Feedback
· Best Customer Support
· Customer Excellence Champion of the year
· Customer Experience Team of the year.
· UMS Honorary Award of The Year
Nominations open on Friday 8th October and close on 8th November 2021. The Pearl of Africa Customer Excellence Awards are sponsored by Nation Media Group (media partner), Owaraga Photography & Videography (content partner), Mestil Hotel (event venue partner), Ajua (data collection partner), Capital One Group (communications partner), Optimus Events (event partner) and JIM Roberts & Associates (official audit firm).
“The short and long term of these awards is to enhance the competitiveness and productivity of the MSME sector that is one of the driving forces of Uganda’s economy. The winners of these awards will also elevate MSMEs perception as professional enterprises” said Sharon Kiggundu. the President of Uganda Marketers Society (UMS).
The role of MSMEs in promoting economic growth and development is globally recognised and customers are increasingly looking for companies that understand their needs, make their lives easier and treat them with appreciation and respect while delivering a consistent experience throughout the customer journey.
