<figure class="wp-block-image alignwide size-full"><a href="https://www.pps.co.za/reports/highlights-for-2021"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="740" height="416" src="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/740-x-416.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-416433" srcset="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/740-x-416.jpg 740w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/740-x-416-300x169.jpg 300w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/740-x-416-160x90.jpg 160w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 740px) 100vw, 740px" /></a></figure>



Johannesburg, 12 April 2022 – The Professional Provident Society (PPS Insurance Company), the financial services company focused solely on providing financial solutions for graduate professionals, has ended its 2021 financial year in a favourable position amid an increase in life insurance claims payments in the second year of the COVID-19 pandemic, exceeding anything witnessed in its 80-year history.



While claims reduced operating profit, PPS credits its performance to its ability to stay true to its purpose of assisting professionals in protecting their income and assets and enhancing their financial security. This is a testament to the strength of PPS’s unique mutuality model, which continued to provide a high level of stability in a very unpredictable environment. In 2021, PPS was able to return enormous value to members through meeting claims and making special benefit allocations to the members’ Profit-Share Accounts due to its solid business strategy, fiscal management and long-term investment approach.



“Given the extraordinary events of the past two years, our focus was on paying valid claims. We were able to go further than our competitors were able to. This allowed us to assist our members as much and as fairly as possible,” says Izak Smit, PPS Group CEO.



“In 2021, the Group paid R6.1 billion in total benefits to members, up 27% from the R4.8 billion in 2020. With PPS’s strong balance sheet and solvency ratio, we were able to absorb this increase (excluding investment returns) without dipping into negative territory” adds Smit.&nbsp;



Sickness and Life claims amounted to R4.3 billion in 2021, up 36% on the R3.1 billion in 2020. Of this, PPS paid almost 12 000 COVID-19-related claims – or one in 12 members – amounting to R1.4 billion. There were 11&nbsp;587 COVID-19 sickness claims at R424 million in total. COVID-19 death claims at 193 totalled R975 million in 2021.



Commenting on the performance, Smit says: “Although the claims increased, PPS was still able to allocate R5.5 billion as Profit-Share to our members with qualifying products this year (R2.2&nbsp;billion in 2020). Contributing to this was a great year in the investment markets where our assets performed brilliantly. At PPS, we follow a well-diversified and long-term approach in our investment strategy. This long-term view is a competitive investment edge for PPS. Like a good financial adviser would caution, it is important to remember that past performance is no guarantee of future results.”



Smit adds that new business is the lifeblood of a life assurance business, with the annual premium income of new business written in 2021 in South Africa and Namibia increasing by 23%.



The Group’s insurance gross earned premiums was up 4.7% on the R5.1 billion of 2020. The financial impact of the second and third waves of COVID-19 was felt in 2021. The effects of the third wave came through in the claims experience in the third and fourth quarters of 2021.



All the subsidiaries showed good growth. PPS Investments, which reached its 15-year milestone, has grown into a significant business, recording another excellent year. Gross new investment flows to PPS Investments were R7.1 billion. Surplus before interest and tax of R103 million was up 57% in 2021 This growth is due to fiscal discipline in expense management, good new business and individual fund performance.



We believe in innovating according to the evolving needs of graduate professionals to bolster their benefits and savings capabilities across product portfolios. We are passionate about investing in developing the next generation of professionals who will have a profound impact on South Africa’s future.



Through the University Support, Bursary, Graduate Development and the Learned, Engaged, Accelerated Professionals Work-Readiness (LEAP) &nbsp;programmes, the PPS Foundation makes career journeys a reality.



Looking ahead, Smit says:



“PPS remains in a strong financial position to honour future long-term commitments to our members. We continue to be grateful to our employees and members for their loyalty and our financial adviser network for their immense contribution. There can be no doubt that our shared resilience is what has guided our actions and decisions in supporting and returning value to our members”.



Ends



About PPS



PPS boasts in excess of 150 000 members who enjoy access to a comprehensive suite of financial and healthcare products that are specifically tailored to meet the needs of graduate professionals.



PPS is the largest South African company of its kind, exclusively for graduate professionals, that still embraces an ethos of mutuality, which means that it exists solely for the benefit of its members. Thus, PPS members with qualifying products from PPS Insurance, PPS Investments, PPS Short-Term Insurance and Profmed share in the profits of PPS Insurance, PPS Investments, PPS Short-Term Insurance and PPS Healthcare Administrators via annual allocations to the unique PPS Profit-Share Account. PPS membership provides access to the following tried, tested and trusted products and services: PPS Life Insurance, PPS Short-Term Insurance, PPS Financial Advisory, PPS Investments and Profmed Medical Scheme. Visit www.pps.co.za for more information.&nbsp;



PPS is a licensed insurer conducting life insurance business, a licensed controlling company and an authorised FSP.

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PPS ENDS YEAR POSITIVELY DESPITE INCREASED CLAIMS IN YEAR TWO OF PANDEMIC

<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="820" height="258" src="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/Insights-Resources-and-energy-1910x600-1-820x258.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-413451" srcset="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/Insights-Resources-and-energy-1910x600-1-820x258.jpg 820w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/Insights-Resources-and-energy-1910x600-1-300x94.jpg 300w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/Insights-Resources-and-energy-1910x600-1-160x50.jpg 160w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/Insights-Resources-and-energy-1910x600-1-768x241.jpg 768w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/Insights-Resources-and-energy-1910x600-1-1536x483.jpg 1536w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/Insights-Resources-and-energy-1910x600-1.jpg 1910w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 820px) 100vw, 820px" /></figure>



In 2019, the International Energy Agency (IEA) released a <a href="mailto:https://www.iea.org/reports/africa-energy-outlook-2019">report</a> highlighting that one in two people born between then and 2040 would be on the African continent which would overtake both China and India as the most populous region in the world. This growth presents both a challenge and opportunity as stakeholders review the role of the resources and energy sector in driving sustainable and responsible growth.



While Africa has many challenges and is regularly positioned as playing second-fiddle to the likes of China and India who have dominated the BRICs narrative for the last decade, we cannot ignore some of the themes playing out:&nbsp;



<ul class="wp-block-list"><li>Africa is emerging as a global force in oil and gas markets and its growth in oil and energy demand is forecast to outstrip China in the coming years. </li><li>As African populations become more mobile, car fleets are expected to double. The so-called “motorisation rate” estimates that the African continent only has 42 cars per 1000 individuals, compared to the global average of 182 in developed markets. Many of these have poor fuel efficiency designs and this increase in demand will drive adoption of cleaner technology. </li><li>Africa is expected to be the third largest natural gas market in the world and the emergence of the “Hydrogen Economy” and innovative players like JSE-listed Renergen are likely to drive this energy shift materially. </li><li>The Angolan Sovereign Wealth Fund is expected to benefit from its investment in a UK-based rare earths processing facility supplied by an Angolan deposit &#8211;&nbsp; one of only three major producers outside of China – and this is expected to be driven by electric vehicles and clean energy trends bringing much needed revenue into Angola. </li><li>More than 70% of the worlds Cobalt reserves are mined in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) which has been described as the “Saudi Arabia of the electric vehicle age”. </li><li>Zimbabwe and the DRC are home to two of the ten largest lithium deposits in the world and with the global lithium <a href="mailto:https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/lithium-ion-battery-market-49714593.html">battery market</a> expected to grow from $41bn in 2020 to $116bn in 2030, this represents an opportunity for these countries to attract foreign investment.</li></ul>



<ul class="wp-block-list"><li>Major commodity trading houses are ramping up their investments in Africa to incorporate niche commodities including lithium, biofuels and other renewable energy spin-offs and this theme is leading to improved price discovery and interest in the African energy market as it transitions from fossil fuels to clean energy over time.</li></ul>



These are just a handful of the exciting themes playing out now, but the natural question comes in: Will Africa simply be an extractive market where foreign investors reap the benefits, but the local communities lose out?



Based on our extensive analysis of the continent, we believe the answer to this question is a resounding “no”. Local content regulations and beneficiation should be the focus for many governments to ensure inclusive economic growth for the continent.



While the mining and resources sectors are significant in terms of opportunity size, it now accounts for the minority of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) coming into the continent. Long-term investors are bulking up investment in the likes of telecommunications and downstream support services as well as other critical infrastructure such as water, energy and transport. The number of LNG and planned LNG projects in Mozambique, Nigeria, Ghana, Egypt, Mauritania and Senegal are evidence that Africa is preparing for the energy transition. <a href="mailto:https://www.ey.com/en_gl/tax/why-africa-is-becoming-a-bigger-player-in-the-global-economy">Research</a> out of consulting firm EY captures this trend at a practical level where they showed that extractive activities accounted for more than half of FDI each year between 2005 and 2011. But between 2011 and 2018, this trend had fallen every year, leading Rod Wolfenden – EY Africa Markets Leader – commented as follows:



“The big building blocks are now in place. Africans are the beneficiaries, but so are the next wave of investors, who will have an easier time developing their projects.”



These building blocks are translating into big, exciting projects that will ultimately have a transformative impact on the African continent and its energy mix. The UN Sustainable Development Goals and the Paris Climate Accords are adding further impetus to these investments.&nbsp;



Morocco has built the world’s largest concentrated solar energy farm which is estimated to have a reduction of CO2 emissions in Morocco by as much as 800&nbsp;000t per year.



The second largest project is in Egypt where a $4bn investment is expected to prevent two million tonnes of CO2 emissions each year.



Nigeria has set itself an ambitious goal of transitioning its energy mix to 30% renewables by 2030, while South Africa is regarded as a trailblazer in the renewable and clean energy spaces.



Africa is taking its place in the global resource market and we as Africa’s leading Pan-African banking group believe that our combination of industry insights and financial solutions position us to be the banker of choice for entrepreneurs who want to add to the building blocks of the future.

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Where does Africa fit into the global resource mix?

Representing Africa’s premier energy event, African Energy Week 2021 comprises an interactive exhibition and networking conference with the sole focus to address the continent’s energy challenges, enhance multi-sector investment, and drive Africa into a new era of energy and economic growth.



African Energy Week (AEW) 2021, organized by the African Energy Chamber (AEC) and hosted in partnership with South Africa’s Department of Mineral Resources and Energy, represents the AEC’s annual conference and Africa’s premier energy event. With a strong mandate to make energy poverty history by 2030, AEW 2021 – taking place on the 9th-12th of November 2021 at the V&amp;A Waterfront in Cape Town – unites global and African energy stakeholders, providing a collaborative platform for discussions on Africa’s energy future.



AEW 2021 comprises a four-day high-level networking experience, which will host delegations and ministers from Africa’s top energy markets, as well as executives from both the private and public sector. The event will not only be transformative for the continent’s energy sector, but facilitate a much-needed economic recovery in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.



What makes AEW 2021 both a unique and innovative conference is the event structure. The AEC has created and utilized the revolutionary African Energy Village concept &#8211; comprising a hub of venues designed to host over 2,000 delegates &#8211; to ensure the safety of attendees, while enabling participants to maximize on the event’s comprehensive program. Taking place across multiple venues at the V&amp;A Waterfront, AEW 2021 is not only critical for collaborative energy sector dialogue – providing more session and function opportunities compared to traditional conference structures – but creates fundamental opportunities for both the tourism and business sectors, ensuring conference benefits extend into the wider economy. &nbsp;&nbsp;



The primary objective of AEW 2021 is to give and emphasize African stakeholders voices in global energy dialogue, whether it be on oil and gas, financing, or the energy transition. The conference is dedicated to the continent and its people, and not only places African narratives, ideas, and solutions at the center of conversation, but ensures they take a leading role in dialogue.



“The AEC is committed to Africa’s energy security, independence, and growth, and through AEW 2021, is focused on facilitating partnerships and deals, driving Africa-directed investments, and accelerating multi-sector energy developments across the continent. Africa is rich with resources and with a young, willing population, coupled with established enabling environments and demonstrated political will, the continent is well on its way to realize its full energy and economic potential,” stated NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman of the AEC.



Notwithstanding the role of renewables in the transition to a clean energy future, the African Energy Chamber firmly believes that oil and gas will continue to play a critical role in eradicating energy poverty and driving socio-economic growth across the continent. With valuable hydrocarbon resources awaiting exploitation and investment, Africa is well positioned to use oil and gas developments as a catalyst for sustainable economic growth, and AEW 2021 seeks to emphasize this.



“Oil and gas will continue to be needed and essential for promoting global socio-economic development, especially in energy poor countries, mostly in Africa and specifically in sub-Saharan Africa. Africa should not relent on vigorously pursuing the development of its oil and gas industry, and increasing production to meet our increasing needs in order to improve access to regular energy for our economic advancement. I have no doubt that the future of Africa’s oil and gas industry is still bright despite the global energy transition uptake,” stated H.E. Chief Timipre Sylva, Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, the Federal Republic of Nigeria.



The AEC has reiterated and continues to promote the African position on the future of the continent’s energy sector, and by advocating personal responsibility, free markets, individual liberty, and an enabling environment for investors, AEW 2021 promotes multi-sector investment and integration as an ideal way to enhance local capacity and reduce the reliance on foreign aid.



“Rather than abandon the continent in the face of a challenge, the AEC has reaffirmed their commitment to African people, African business, and African energy, and will use AEW 2021 to give African people a voice in global energy dialogue, expand their participation in the continent’s energy growth, and maximize socio-economic benefits associated with the sector’s transformation,” added Sergio Pugliese, President of the African Energy Chamber in Angola.



Emphasizing the African position in global energy dialogue, AEW 2021 is proud to host industry delegations, movers and shakers, and African energy leaders from across the continent. Ministerial confirmations from resource-rich nations including Ghana, South Africa, Senegal, Nigeria, Angola, Niger, South Sudan, Namibia, Kenya, Uganda, Somalia, Mozambique, Equatorial Guinea, the Republic of Congo, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, all confirm the value of AEW 2021 and the importance of ensuring the discussion on Africa remains in Africa.



Meanwhile, Africa’s premier energy event has seen commitments made by esteemed oil and gas organizations such as the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries, the Gas Exporting Countries Forum, the African Petroleum Producers Organization, the African Refiners and Distributors Association, the African Development Bank, and many more. Promoting collaboration, integration, and a cooperative approach to energy sector growth, AEW 2021 will promote the role of every industry in Africa’s energy sector, recognizing the value that each energy form has in driving socio-economic growth.



What’s more, AEW 2021 recognizes the value of Africa-international partnerships and collaboration, emphasizing the role that international financiers and stakeholders will play in investing in African opportunities, transferring critical skills, and accelerating oil and gas developments across the continent. By providing a suitable platform for networking, engagement, and dealmaking, AEW 2021 will facilitate the deals that will drive Africa’s energy growth, and by proxy, enhance partnerships and domestic capacity. In light of the lucrative opportunities in Africa, international delegations from Germany, Russia, the United States, the United Kingdom, Norway and Canada, have all committed to AEW 2021.



Finally, with the COVID-19 pandemic bringing new and profound challenges to large-scale events in 2021, AEW 2021 is committed to the health and safety of delegates and staff. AEW 2021 has not taken the pandemic lightly, and by implementing strict mitigation measures including testing facilities – provided in partnership with Health Passport Worldwide – sanitizing stations, limited function attendance, and a multi-venue approach, the event is prepared to welcome delegates, speakers, exhibitors and more to AEW 2021 in Cape Town.



AEW 2021, in partnership with South Africa’s Department of Mineral Resources and Energy DMRE, is the AEC’s annual conference, exhibition and networking event. AEW 2021 unites African energy stakeholders with investors and international partners to drive industry growth and development and promote Africa as the destination for energy investments.



For more information about Africa’s premier energy event, please visit www.aew2021.com or www.energychamber.org and/or reach out directly to Amina Williams at <a href="mailto:amina.williams@energychamber.org">amina.williams@energychamber.org</a>



For registration related enquiries, please contact <a href="mailto:registration@aew2021.com">registration@aew2021.com</a> &nbsp;&nbsp;



For sales-related enquiries, please contact <a href="mailto:sales@aew2021.com">sales@aew2021.com</a> &nbsp;



For media-related enquiries, please contact <a href="mailto:media@aew2021.com">media@aew2021.com</a> &nbsp;



For speaker opportunity-related enquiries, please contact <a href="mailto:speakers@aew2021.com">speakers@aew2021.com</a>

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Making Energy Poverty History by 2030: African Energy Week 2021 Unites African Oil, Gas and Renewable Energy Leaders to Discuss the Future of the Continent’s Energy Sector

We’ve all been there. You’ve got a big presentation coming up and need the data to back up your findings,&nbsp;but you don’t have time to convert vast tables of data into eye-catching visualisations. Or you want to drill down into your KPIs to delve into the details, but the data is already out of date.



While data is undoubtedly a goldmine of insights into the state of your business, unlocking those insights can be time-consuming, complex, and difficult to do at scale.



For clothing retailer PEP, issues like these are resolved more efficiently and cost effectively since using the visual analytics platform, Tableau.



Let’s take a closer look at how PEP empowered its team with fast, efficient access to the latest data around stock management.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-getting-a-handle-on-rejected-stock">Getting a handle on rejected stock.</h2>



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="820" height="547" src="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/warehouse-820x547.jpeg" alt="" class="wp-image-412541" srcset="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/warehouse-820x547.jpeg 820w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/warehouse-300x200.jpeg 300w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/warehouse-135x90.jpeg 135w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/warehouse-768x512.jpeg 768w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/warehouse-1536x1024.jpeg 1536w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/warehouse-scaled.jpeg 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 820px) 100vw, 820px" /><figcaption>Worker with scanner making review of goods in warehouse</figcaption></figure></div>



PEP is Africa’s biggest and most trusted single brand retailer. It employs 17,000 people, operates around 2,400 retail stores, and sells 760 million products a year. Behind the scenes, it has three distribution centres and 13 transport centres occupying more than 250,000m2 — to put that in perspective, that’s the size of 46 football fields.



Three groups of stakeholders at PEP require insights into rejected stock to handle dead stock management.



The first group affected by dead stock was the finance team. They had to write off rejected stock – which amounts to approximately millions of Rands. The stock takes up essential storage space in distribution centres or requires a third party to store it, resulting in a huge potential loss of revenue.



<a></a>For this team to get a handle on rejected stock means potentially recouping some of that money by issuing a claim to the supplier.



Next is the quality assurance team — they act as the liaison between the distribution centres and Head Office. They require a consolidated view on the data to manage the rejected stock and be aware of what happened between the two departments, keeping a centralised view of Head Office lodging claims and the distribution centres storing stock.



<blockquote class="wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow">Finally, the supply chain team needs accurate data to reflect the whereabouts of stock in the distribution centres, which is no joke when you’ve got 250,000m2 of inventory to track, plus storage space.</blockquote>







Step 1: automating time-consuming processes.



Data on rejected stock comes from two database systems — an on-premise Oracle database and a Google cloud environment — and 12 main tables. To get actionable insights that support decision making, it needs to be combined with data from six supplementary tables with information on the product, supplier, location, and retail calendar.



“As you can imagine, putting all that data together was tedious and complex, and it was becoming expensive because we had to involve our team of developers to extract data before we could clean it up and present it,” said Izak Visagie, Systems Analyst at PEP.



The company turned to Tableau to automate these time-consuming manual processes and help unlock actionable insights faster and more effectively, as well as to extract and prepare the data for visualisation and analysis.



“Tableau makes data visualisation painless from start to finish. We didn’t have to do any scripting, coding, or programming to get started. It was just drag and drop to connect to the databases and pull in the right tables,” Visagie explained.



Step 2: creating and sharing workbooks.



When the data was ready for visualisation, Visagie passed it to his colleague Sharon Pather, Information Analyst, who created a workbook on Tableau Server. “Tableau is fairly new to me, and I’m really enjoying the journey so far,” she commented. “You can clearly see the rejected stock and with the help of Tableau it’s much more visually appealing.”



She created a minimum viable product (MVP) solution for users to test and discover their data. She could adapt and change the MVP solution quickly and easily as requirements shifted. They could even test the data integrity of new flows without having to start over. Visagie was particularly impressed with the dashboard’s real-time preview of what the final data output would look like.



Sharing workbooks for wider collaboration and analysis helped the team to realise the value of a data-driven culture and see the potential for other use cases across the business. Users can choose who to share it with and adjust permissions so people only have access to the data they need. “The workbook is very clean and simple. We can give colleagues across departments everything they need to analyse data and find out everything they need to know about rejected stock,” added Visagie.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Empowering users to do more with less.</h2>



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="820" height="547" src="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/store-820x547.jpeg" alt="" class="wp-image-412540" srcset="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/store-820x547.jpeg 820w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/store-300x200.jpeg 300w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/store-135x90.jpeg 135w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/store-768x512.jpeg 768w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/store-1536x1024.jpeg 1536w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/store-scaled.jpeg 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 820px) 100vw, 820px" /></figure></div>



Using Tableau, PEP has empowered users with self-serve access to the latest data to get better visibility of rejected stock. They can share that data with a wider audience, and the whole process is much faster than ever before. But what impact does that have on the business?



Well, the team handled their own data requirements without having to bring in developers to extract and combine it. Which means the development team is free to focus on other, more exciting things — and our team is empowered to do more.







<blockquote class="wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow">They also automated the entire process, which means they can get the latest data in 15 minutes instead of three days — a massive time saving. And finally, with better visibility of the stock, the company was able to recoup costs amounting to 30 million Rands in the first eight months of using Tableau.</blockquote>



“The solution has empowered the stakeholders to make smarter decisions based on the latest data,” concluded Pather. “We’re really proud of the value we can add to the business – and this was just our first use case! We can’t wait to roll out Tableau to support more of our business needs.”



To learn how Tableau could empower your team with smarter visual analytics, read more <a href="https://www.tableau.com/en-gb/trial/tableau-software?utm_campaign_id=2017049&amp;utm_campaign=Prospecting-CORE-ALL-ALL-ALL-ALL&amp;utm_medium=Paid+Search&amp;utm_source=Google+Search&amp;utm_language=EN&amp;utm_country=UKI&amp;kw=tableau&amp;adgroup=CTX-Brand-Core-EN-E-control&amp;adused=324776970708&amp;matchtype=e&amp;placement=&amp;gclid=Cj0KCQiAnKeCBhDPARIsAFDTLTKukDGkcy2KSer8C01hikd3DYIEtwAUT5Z2WDg5MMCd_g9Z80P4OjoaAhD8EALw_wcB&amp;gclsrc=aw.ds">here</a>.

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How Retail giant PEP adopted a data culture — and saved millions of Rands in the process

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The Eastern Cape Province is yours to Explore

Africa’s energy stakes are at a tipping point. We are on the edge of walking knowingly into quicksand by repeating habitual modes of thinking. We must rise from our silo-induced sink holes with new and aligned conversations about generation and distribution of energy on our continent. Professor Lwazi Ngubevana, Director: African Energy Leadership Centre (AELC) at Wits Business School starts the conversation to put divergent agendas on the same page.



In order for leaders to take this forward, he says, all decisions need to be data driven.



The starting point is to ask, “How do we move Africa’s energy from a crisis mindset to a solutions-focused mindset? What we need is a consolidated African decision making basis and strategic plan to take us away from multi-agenda interests to more cohesive community and environmental considerations.”



New energy leaders will have to take stock of, but not be driven by, political considerations when it comes to decision making in the energy and power sectors, and instead leverage data to drive their strategies.



Ngubevana explains, “It is imperative that we don’t take decisions solely based on political implications. For example, if the data reflects that renewable is more cost effective and sustainable than fossil fuel, then that is where we should be going. If the data says that global warming is happening at an accelerated pace compared to what our previous models showed, then we need to make our decisions faster based on that intelligence.”



It is going to take boldness from leaders across all sectors, driven by a commitment to make the transformation, he adds.



Data, he points out, informs the integrity of a decision. Whilst there is an overload in terms of how much data is available, organisations need to be able to harness the facts. In other words, they need to have trusted data-savvy teams who can sift through the noise.



“I see this data source approach as an opportunity,” he says, while acknowledging that it is a complex situation as business leaders have to make decisions based on the needs of different stakeholders.



He notes, however, that there has been an enabling shift in that lobbyists are making more headway and shareholder value has begun to be defined slightly differently. “Corporate value is now being seen from a holistic, societal perspective and there is a moral responsibility for leaders to think of the bigger picture,” he explains.



Ngubevana notes that if organisations are to become energy leaders of integrity, they also need to be pragmatic in their approach.



It is a balancing act which is not always easy, but in pragmatism, you must avoid hypocrisy, he believes. For example, do not shout about going green and then underhandedly support a cause that is in clear violation of green principles.



“It really is an integrity issue,” he says. “If you are an organisation aiming to go green, you’ve got to walk your talk. Every organisation should have a sustainability chief, a champion who reports directly to the board and is integral to the company’s financial and people management strategies.”



Again, consistently keep an eye on the data, he emphasises, and ensure in-depth knowledge within your strategic and operational teams, particularly in terms of developing technologies. Know how these emerging innovators are progressing and from where the demand is going to come.



In addition, it is important to have a clear picture of supply and demand. Understand how the country is developing versus where you are operating, and what the political environment means for the business.



“As Africans, we must put smart cities back onto our agenda for active greenfield development. Energy must fit into the entire picture of our societies, and even the most pragmatic approaches in the harshest of realities must be based on the data,” concludes Ngubevana.



Become an African Energy Leader in Africa, for Africa



The objective of sustainability is for people, planet and profits (the so-called 3 P’s) to synergistically work together. Both the <a href="https://www.wbs.ac.za/academic-programmes/postgraduate-diploma-in-energy-leadership/">Postgraduate Diploma</a> and <a href="https://www.wbs.ac.za/academic-programmes/masters-of-management/mm-in-the-field-of-energy-leadership/">Master of Management in the field of Energy Leadership</a>, provided by the African Energy Leadership Centre (AELC) at WBS, are centred around this goal.



The AELC believes that there is no better time than now to power the economy by developing the next generation of energy leaders in South Africa and Africa. Under the leadership of Professor Ngubevana, these new curricula talk to sustainability as a whole, decarbonisation, and a mutual systems thinking and approach to the African energy sector.



These specialist programmes are tailored not only for engineers but provide leadership growth for professionals in every field.



Apply now for the Postgraduate Diploma or Master of Management in the field of Energy Leadership from Wits Business School, the first specialist postgraduate programmes of their kind on the African continent. <a href="https://www.wbs.ac.za/academic-programmes/">Learn more here</a>.

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Africa’s new energy future relies on data-based decision making

The ‘new normal’ we are living in has introduced new risks to the business world, with some risks intensifying to a level that no business owner can afford to ignore. Key risks such as cybercrime and climate disasters are &nbsp;some of the notable ones. We have seen a surge in cybercrime attempts, and the record year-on-year surge in natural disasters such as hurricanes and fires demands attention. This article will focus on risks that pose a direct threat to every organisation. The focus is more on risks that have a direct impact on an organisation’s people, property and equipment, with eventual material downside risk on earnings and profit.



It might seem mundane to talk about risks such as fires and explosions, but just consider the damage caused by the Beirut port explosion – it totalled US$15billion. And that’s excluding the US$1,5 billion in insured losses and the loss in productivity that followed. With fires and explosions being the top cause of losses for business worldwide five years in a row until the end of 2018 and resulting in 9 500 insurance claims totalling over US$15 billion, can any organisation afford not to revisit its insurance cover? When was the last time you did a due diligence on your organisation’s short-term cover?The test should not only be whether you have cover in place, but it should also focus on the scope of the cover. What are the conditions? It pays to have a subject matter expert scrutinise your insurance.



In a world riddled with uncertainty, every organisation needs to review just how comprehensive its insurance is. Just consider the uncertainty that climate change and subsequent natural disasters bring to the insurance world; for instance, in 2020 there was a 40% increase in natural catastrophes totalling US$80 billion in insurance losses. Throw in the impact and uncertainty that Covid-19 brings and uncertainty for many an actuary model skyrockets, needing insurers to review their position. This is why it’s important to stay abreast of the scope, relevance and affordability of your organisation’s cover. &nbsp;



The pandemic brought changes that will stay with us for a long time, if not into perpetuity. Just look at the paradigm shift about how and where we work. Many organisations are embracing the remote working revolution to the benefit of their employees – well, most of them (our hearts go out to the extroverts)! Families are connecting more often, no matter how many time zones the radio waves must cross, and there has been a notable increase in online shopping. And if you think about it, all this technology was available before the pandemic. But it took the pandemic to trigger the use of this technology at mass scale.



And as we continue in the digital era, we can’t ignore some of the bad it brings as well. With the exponential growth of digital adoption come more IT vulnerabilities. At the peak of the first lockdown in April 2020, the FBI reported a 300% increase in incidents. The latest estimate is that cybercrime is now costing the global economy more than US$1 trillion. This is up 50% from 2019 levels. Already high in frequency, ransomware incidents are becoming more damaging, increasingly targeting large companies with sophisticated attacks and hefty extortion demands.



Nedbank Business Banking provides a range of solutions that will enable your organisation to counter the onslaught of cyberattacks. For instance, if you receive a notification from a supplier or client stating that their bank account details have changed, you can verify the new account details before making payment, by using our account verification service. This solution allows you to verify that the bank account belongs to the correct recipient and is valid, thereby reducing fraudulent payments and collections. You can also activate notification services on your Nedbank Business bank accounts to receive instant alerts to changes in your bank account balance and status.



Of all the risks mentioned, not one can be perceived as being more of a threat to any organisation’s most important asset – its people – than Covid-19 and its dangerous and vaccine-resistant mutations. This risk trumped all other risks to take the number one spot for 2021. There are several important questions the management of any organisation should ask. And it starts at the top. For instance: is there a signed agreement in place determining what should happen to the organisation in the event of the death or permanent disability of one of the owners? When was the last time this agreement was reviewed? The relevance of these questions becomes even more prominent when there are sureties or loan accounts in place, or staff who play a key role in the success of the organisation. The questions, of course, need to expand to all the people in the organisation. Do you have a medical aid scheme for your employees, and a solution in place that adequately provides for retirement and for your employees’ families in the event of an employee’s disability or death?



We know that each organisation is unique with its own needs and risks, and we will design a suitable solution for your organisation that takes into account your unique risk appetites. We have access to multiple suppliers nationally, so you can rest assured that you will get the best possible solution for your organisation. Our risk advisors call on clients at their convenience. Not only will you have a dedicated broker, but also a team that is always there to help. Our range of solutions extends beyond commercial insurance; we cater for the business owners’ personal needs, as well as the needs of your employees, through our various distribution channels.



Talk to your business manager or contact us at <a href="mailto:business@nedbank.co.za">business@nedbank.co.za</a> for more information and assistance.

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Let Nedbank help you manage organisational risks in the new normal

Connected phones can save lives and secure food



In Africa, the internet of things (IoT) plays an increasingly important role in sectors like agriculture and healthcare.



Traditionally the provider of voice, data connectivity and mobile payments solutions, the telecommunication sector is now using technology to build an entire ecosystem around the individual consumer. Ultra-modern technologies and applications that leverage our hyper-connected lives are being piloted as commerce, the full range of financial services with social media and entertainment all conducted and consumed on one platform.



In the developed world, IoT enables Smart cities, homes, manufacturing and a range of other connected industries and services. In developing Africa, it’s enhancing livelihood security and access to basic healthcare services. &nbsp;&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Agriculture:</h2>



Agriculture in Africa is being affected by climate change and water shortages, yet there is a growing population in need of sustainable food security and greater financial inclusion.



According to GSMA, mobile subscriber penetration in Sub-Saharan Africa in 2020 was 46% and is expected to reach 50% by 2025. More importantly, smartphone adoption was at 48% in 2020 and is expected to reach 64% by 2025. It’s not uncommon in Africa to have access to a mobile phone but not to water or electricity.



These high levels of connectivity and cell phone penetration means that farmers can benefit from real-time data. This can materially enhance crop yields, soil quality analysis, resource management, tracking of livestock, farm security management, sustainable pest control and reduction of post-harvest wastage.



To leverage the power of the internet of things, MTN, present <a></a><a>in 19 African countries, has partnered with Aotoso Technology in a proof-of-concept process to provide connected collars for cattle in the Sudanese cattle market. Using sim cards on the collar and their cell phones, farmers can get vital information about the cattle, which they can use to inform feeding and breeding strategies as well as prevention of cattle theft.</a>



Orange, present in 16 countries in Africa, has co-developed Wazihub. Wazihub is an IoT innovation project that helps mainly informal sector farmers with monitoring their livestock and crops for better disease detection and irrigation strategies.



Vodacom, present in 7 countries in Africa, has MyFarmWeb which collects data from multiple IoT sensors across the farm, the data is then collated centrally on an App and can be used to make crucial decisions. There are 77 Farms in the eastern Free State province of South Africa that use MyFarmWeb and its precision farming technology to gather data in farming corn, soybeans and sugar beans.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="800" src="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/absa_insights_TMT_bbc-banner_1200x1200-800x800.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-411877" srcset="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/absa_insights_TMT_bbc-banner_1200x1200-800x800.jpg 800w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/absa_insights_TMT_bbc-banner_1200x1200-300x300.jpg 300w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/absa_insights_TMT_bbc-banner_1200x1200-90x90.jpg 90w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/absa_insights_TMT_bbc-banner_1200x1200-768x768.jpg 768w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/absa_insights_TMT_bbc-banner_1200x1200.jpg 1200w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-healthcare">Healthcare:</h2>



Another area where IoT can have profound impacts in Africa, is healthcare. Covid-19 accelerated digitalisation across all industries, none more so than healthcare. In South Africa, regulations were relaxed for virtual consultations and also now allow virtual medicine prescriptions.



Vodacom’s technology subsidiary IoT.nxt developed a thermal camera to help businesses track and manage the spread of COVID-19.



Another Vodacom company called Mezzanine, developed mVacciNation solution – an electronic health record solution that supports vaccination coverage. South Africa’s national Department of Health uses mVacciNation to support its COVID-19 vaccination programme. Mezzanine, through IoT, also helps actively track movements and stock levels of PPE and other vital healthcare materials.



Hospital Group Netcare, notes a trend of participatory health and care where patients are increasingly shifting towards wellbeing, wellness, convenience and integrated personalised health care. IoT serves as an important enabler of this trend. &nbsp;



IoT can literally save lives while democratising access to quality healthcare services and support. For example, MTN has a strategic partnership with Quro Medical who operate a tele-medicine service in South Africa. Connected by MTNs IoT suite of products, Quro has created a platform which enables the remote monitoring of patients’ vital signs. Patients wear various light, compact biosensors which collect vital signs and connect to a smartphone. This information can be tracked by a team of healthcare professionals. Healthcare services can be delivered without patients having to travel long distances to and from clinics and hospitals. This alleviates pressure on hospitals and creates greater convenience for patients.



In Côte d’Ivoire, Orange, along with various other partners are making strides in HIV patient monitoring and treatments as well as vaccine programmes for young children particularly in areas of historically low uptake. IoT is not without its challenges. Given the sheer volume of personal and business data being collected, analysed and stored, cyber security as well as protection of personal information becomes paramount. Scepticism and lack of full understanding on IoT could result in slower adoption. In Africa, high unemployment also plays into the decision on whether to fast track IoT adoption or not. Roll-out of 5G, which requires appropriate Spectrum, is also important for the rate of adoption of IoT.&nbsp; One thing for sure is that IoT will become part of the fabric of society, the pace of adoption remains to be seen. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

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How telecommunication companies are using technology in agriculture and healthcare in Africa

The ongoing impact of the pandemic is forcing business leaders to look for innovative ways to respond and adapt to rapidly changing environments to sustain their organisations. In the face of so much uncertainty, the need to invest in upskilling staff, encouraging new ways of thinking and equipping people with the tools that will keep them and their companies agile, engaged – and adapting – is critical. Not only will a motivated and skilled workforce be key in boosting performance now and post-pandemic, it can cost an average of <a href="https://www.enrich.org/blog/The-true-cost-of-employee-turnover-financial-wellness-enrich">six to nine months of an employee’s salary</a> to replace them, according to the Society for Human Resource Management. Now more than ever, it is essential for organisations to have an ambitious learning and development strategy in place, which is linked directly to the strategy of their business and what they want to achieve in the future.



One of the advantages of a well-designed training programme is that it can help translate the natural energy and ideas of an organisation’s people into solutions that work on the ground. Some South African companies are leading the way in this regard. The Sanlam Group, South Africa’s largest financial services group and the largest insurance firm in Africa, for example, credits its learning strategy with several key developments that have helped to keep the company at the leading edge over the past few years, and almost certainly gave it an edge during the pandemic.



Over the past four years, the company has invested in sending its senior managers on a customised leadership development learning journey — a innovative three-way collaboration between Sanlam, the <a href="https://bit.ly/3zK3Oec">University of Cape Town Graduate School of Business (UCT GSB)</a> and the <a href="https://bit.ly/2UNY6ZZ">Hasso Plattner School of Design Thinking (d-School)</a> — that combines leadership development with design thinking (a methodology using more creative and flexible approaches to solution finding). Feedback from the Leadership Development Initiative suggests that it has had a transformative impact as leaders learn to collaborate across traditional boundaries and lead solution finding processes with greater levels of courage and creative confidence.



Dr Nadine Mayers, course convenor of the Sanlam Advanced Leadership Certificate in Design Thinking at the UCT GSB explains that organisations across the world have great ideas and amazing solutions, but many are unable to land these as successful innovations in their organisations. “Landing multi-stakeholder innovations in a complex, uncertain world, requires a committed process of unlearning former pathways to success and embracing new ways of thinking and doing,” she says.



<a href="https://bit.ly/3xjXVTr">Customised programmes</a>, as their name suggests, are <a href="https://bit.ly/3xjXVmp">executive education programmes</a> that are custom designed&nbsp;to help organisations meet their own particular challenges. They can be aligned with a company’s business strategy and goals, as well as for the specific competency gaps within the organisation, to ensure relevance and clear outcomes and can be a great way to make sure that scarce resources are spent smartly. Organisations are able to choose exactly what they need so programmes can be adapted from existing short courses for continuing professional development or designed from the ground up.



Rayner Canning, Business Development Director at the UCT GSB, says the school, through its experienced team of Learning Design Partners, works closely with corporates to co-create effective training interventions, helping them to think through the problems they face and design the best solution. “Through our extensive local and international networks, we seek to ensure the best faculty and most relevant SME’s (subject matter experts) are available to our clients. In designing and developing programmes that work, we’re able to leverage current thinking and practice from across the ecosystem of the UCT GSB — notably from our world-class faculty, as well as from associated centres of excellence such as the <a href="https://bit.ly/2UNY6ZZ">d-School</a> and the <a href="https://bit.ly/2Wo5wTT">Centre for Coaching</a>. This depth of expertise, along with the UCT GSB’s agility and client-centric attitude is going to become ever more important as we transition into a post-COVID-19 world.”



One of the key attractions of <a href="https://bit.ly/3xjXVmp">executive education programmes</a> is the networking opportunities they provide. The advantages of meeting people from different organisations are obvious, but the benefits of getting to know colleagues better should not be overlooked. This is particularly relevant for multinational companies with staff operating in different geographies – while they may work for the same organisation, the cultures and market pressures in each geography varies significantly. <a href="https://bit.ly/3xjXVTr">Customised (in-company) programmes</a> allow not only for networking, but provide opportunities for greater understanding of cultures, people and market conditions that are present across such organisations. Authenticity, collaboration and trust are going to be essential for success in the future, so strengthening an internal network among colleagues, and across roles and divisions can improve employee engagement and impact an organisation’s bottom line.



Customised programme solutions by their very nature target specific learning outcomes that can be measured through increased workplace application of the new skills (both hard and soft) acquired. These targeted training solutions also allow corporates to better manage the work environment, which is often hostile to new ways of working and problem solving. They are thus able to prepare the work environment for the influx of new skills and behaviours by creating safe spaces for experimentation and application of what has been learnt.



“At the UCT GSB, we spend a lot of time working closely with clients before, during and after programmes to understand what’s working and what’s perhaps not working as well,” Canning explains. “This gives us insight very quickly into how to pivot, adapt and update materials and learning methodologies as clients’ business needs shift and as the programmes unfold.”



The <a href="https://bit.ly/3zK3Oec">UCT GSB</a> was ranked 56 in the world and number one in South Africa for its <a href="https://bit.ly/3xjXVTr">Customised Executive Education programmes</a> in the 2020 Financial Times Ranking – widely regarded as a leading benchmark of quality and relevance for business schools worldwide. It also became the first business school in Africa to win a Gold Excellence In Practice Award from the European Foundation for Management Development (EFMD) for a case study on its long-standing partnership with Standard Bank to deliver a Masterclass in Strategic Client Management Programme (MSCMP) for its corporate and investment banking (CIB) managers across Africa.

UCT GSB – Table Mountain

Customised training interventions are key for an agile and engaged workforce

Eiffel Corp, in Partnership with Instructure, is a key sponsor in the CNBC Africa virtual summit with the theme ‘Redefining the future of education’. Myles Thies, director of digital learning services, will be sharing thoughts on technology changing the face of education. To understand the future, we also have to assess the education sector’s current reality, especially within the context of the Covid-19 Pandemic, and its direct impact on technology and education.



Africa is no stranger to disruptions in face-to-face teaching and learning. From protests like #feesmustfall, to natural disasters, and pandemics. The severity of the Covid-19 Pandemic’s impact, however, has taken all by surprise. Forcing institutions and schools to think fast and adjust at record speeds, this pandemic has shifted the delivery of education from face-to-face to virtual. This reactive state was dubbed ‘Emergency Remote Teaching.’



The consequence of this global state of education has been a dramatic shift from instructors teaching in class or in blended learning scenarios, to a mostly distance or online education. The rapid shift was, unfortunately, not as seamless as many would have hoped and many, including digital education professionals were challenged by the prolonged experience. In many cases, educators did not adopt or applied technology for instruction in the form it was meant to be utilised. Instead ERT resulted in a faux-technology based learning environment rather than real, contextualised, connected and applicable learning through technology. Students have not adjusted easily either, facing obstacles such as lack of digital literacy, not benefitting from the online availability due to the lack of usable devices or data, as well as the critical personal and learning community connection that comes from the in contact experience. Many students are citing loneliness and the disappearance of close personal connections as a major challenges to their academic study



This begs the question, how far is the digital divide between students and lack of access? We need to acknowledge that there was a pre-existing divergence between those institutions and educators using technology in a pedagogically sound and learning theory-based manner and those that are simply replicating contact-based teaching though it. This certainly has been exacerbated through the pandemic. In practical terms, technology tools like Learning Management Systems are being used as a repository for content, and not the virtual learning environment it was meant for.&nbsp; This follows a lack of planning and course design and the fostering of vibrant and inclusive online student and course communities that support learning goals.



In response, we have seen numerous solutions pop up on the educational technology sphere. While many offer some immediate reprieve from the challenges of virtual learning environments, many of these solutions are not sustainable, appropriate for their environment or contextually relevant and therefore cannot keep up with the developing needs of both students and educators in the long term. Misaligned or under-supported solutions may also not take into account the future goals and objectives of an institution, do not encourage scalability and they don’t meet the needs of all stakeholders in the learning spectrum whether at school, university or in the workplace. This is evident in the need for many to supplement their Learning Management Platforms with tools such as Zoom, WhatsApp or Social Media channels.



<figure class="wp-block-image alignwide size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="820" height="547" src="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/EiffelCorpAndInstructure_Forbes-Africa-Article-820x547.png" alt="" class="wp-image-410605" srcset="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/EiffelCorpAndInstructure_Forbes-Africa-Article-820x547.png 820w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/EiffelCorpAndInstructure_Forbes-Africa-Article-300x200.png 300w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/EiffelCorpAndInstructure_Forbes-Africa-Article-120x80.png 120w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/EiffelCorpAndInstructure_Forbes-Africa-Article-768x512.png 768w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/EiffelCorpAndInstructure_Forbes-Africa-Article.png 1200w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 820px) 100vw, 820px" /></figure>



It is therefore evident that the shift to online platforms has been messy and not as seamless as many imagined it would be. While it certainly is an achievement, solutions implemented with the mindset of emergency remote teaching, or ‘physically distanced learning’ have resulted in a missed opportunity all is not lost. Many lessons have been learned in this trying period and they will no doubt inform the decision of the future and what institutions believe is right for their learners. With the correct support, training and full use of the LMS and all its functionalities Eiffel Corp believes that education in the hands of capable and experienced educators technology can be revolutionary.



“We have been helping institutions realise the potential of technology in education since our inception and it’s something we continue to invest in and perfect. Our best of breed technology and services span the entire student lifecycle. While we offer a range of class leading and custom edtech solutions, we enable organisations working with them to apply the technology and services that are optimal for their unique learning, administration, communication and wellness needs. Our remit covers everything from initial consulting and deployment to support as the institution adopts learning technology in everyday learning and administration activities, remote examinations and even cashless payments. We further support institutions as they then scale, adapt and evolve these technologies in the future,” explained Myles Thies, Director of digital learning services at Eiffel Corp.



“Our extensive local and international knowledge gives us the insight needed to ensure that the tools EdTech have to offer are used to their fullest potential within the African context. We partner with leading companies like Instructure, to bring world class solutions like Canvas LMS to Africa and we walk the journey with institutions to ensure the necessary skills, wellness needs and sustainability are also addressed rather than simply implementing a Learning Management System,” said Thies.



Join Thies has he unpacks the latest technologies transforming the face of education at the virtual summit. The summit kicks off at 10h00 (CAT) on 29 July 2021. Register in advance (free of charge) on Hopin<a href="https://hopin.com/events/future-of-education-summit-2021"> here</a>



Sponsors include Vodacom Business, UCT GSB, The University of Johannesburg, Vuma, Transnational Academic Group, Lancaster University: Ghana, as well as Curtin University: Dubai.

EiffelCorpAndInstructure_Forbes Africa Article

Technology-based learning during Covid-19: A revolution in education or missed opportunity?

Your Business can become sustainable &amp; prosperous with SAP Business ByDesign



Has your company grown so quickly that your departments and business processes are hardly integrated? Are these growing pains preventing your employees from collaborating effectively with external stakeholders? Perhaps you also have inadequate insights into data that can help you make decisions and identify potential problems before they crop up. Not to mention the tedious manual processes slowing your employees down!



<figure class="wp-block-image alignwide size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="820" height="513" src="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Advertorial-Banner_1200x750_Opt.2-820x513.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-410036" srcset="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Advertorial-Banner_1200x750_Opt.2-820x513.jpg 820w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Advertorial-Banner_1200x750_Opt.2-300x188.jpg 300w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Advertorial-Banner_1200x750_Opt.2-128x80.jpg 128w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Advertorial-Banner_1200x750_Opt.2-768x480.jpg 768w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Advertorial-Banner_1200x750_Opt.2.jpg 1200w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 820px) 100vw, 820px" /></figure>



You can now resolve these challenges, as your business grows, with SAP’s Cloud Solution for growing businesses. SAP Business ByDesign is an innovative solution developed specifically with rapid growing SMEs in mind – the solution promotes quick, efficient implementation and operation for SME users.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ready-when-you-are-let-s-see-how">READY, when you are! Let’s see how:</h2>



SAP Business ByDesign is an on-demand, integrated business software for small businesses and mid-sized enterprises looking for a comprehensive CLOUD solution providing the functions you want – at an affordable price. It provides end-to-end integration of all your key business areas – such as Finance, Customer Relationship Management, Project Management, Supply Chain Management, Procurement and Human resources – in a single comprehensive solution, thereby allowing you to manage your company’s key processes with a high degree of precision. It also provides you flexibility you need to adapt, grow, and extend your business processes across the entire value chain and ecosystem.



Since SAP Business ByDesign updates automatically and performs tests and maintenance routes on its own, your company can fully focus on its core business function. Respond to new business requirements by configuring your solution online – it’s fast, efficient, and accessible anytime!



Support your employees in key business areas today!



<ul class="wp-block-list"><li>Optimize financial processes, including financial accounting and cash flow management.</li><li>Focus on your customers in marketing, sales and distribution and service.</li><li>Promote and use employee potential through organizational management, HR activities and employee self-services.</li><li>Integrate production and logistics in supply chain structuring, planning, and management and manufacturing, warehousing, and logistics.</li><li>Fulfill compliance with applicable laws and standards.</li><li>Achieve your company’s goals through corporate performance management.</li></ul>



Get Business Software that has you covered, NOW and in the Future.



SAP Business ByDesign can help you turn challenges into opportunities. See how you can take advantage of the change, build networks, and develop the confidence to take on larger competitors, even as you reduce your expenses.



Gain extensive insights into your growing company with built-in analytics functions providing you a 360-degree view of your business. SAP Business ByDesign provides you with the tools to quickly make adjustments that can provide an edge over your competition.



The SAP Business ByDesign is a business solution ready-made for your company with standardized automation and integration based on your industries best practices. &nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-sap-business-bydesign">Why SAP Business ByDesign?</h2>



<ul class="wp-block-list"><li>Unbeatable Value</li><li>Unprecedented Speed</li><li>Unmatched Flexibility</li><li>Superior Customer Experience</li><li>Unrivaled Transparency and Control</li><li>Simple, Rapid Configuration and Adaptation</li><li>Predictable Cost and Low Risk</li></ul>



Sit back and learn how perfect this solution is for your business.



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To find out more about SAP Business ByDesign – and how it can help your organization operate beyond business boundaries, visit <a href="https://www.sap.com/africa/products/erp-financial-management/small-business-erp.html?tab=featured#business-bydesign">SAPAfrica.com/ByDesign</a>

Bright Ideas

INNOVATION born in the CLOUD – SAP Business ByDesign

Whilst listening to a recent presentation by Absa’s equity analyst Samantha Naicker entitled “Navigating the Maze” on South African Food Producers, I stumbled on a theory dubbed “The Lipstick Effect”.  Defined by Wikipedia, it is when facing an economic crisis, consumers will be more willing to buy less costly luxury goods but will continue to spend money on small indulgences.   Thus, when the consumer’s trust in the economy is dwindling, they will buy goods that have less impact on their available funds but still make them feel good about themselves and life in general.



However, despite lockdown levels easing, the COVID-19 crisis did not lead to the traditional “Lipstick Effect” witnessed in past eras. The theory of spending more on less costly luxury items that will make you feel better about yourself, seemingly failed – well, when it comes to lipstick at least.&nbsp;



Circumstances greater than the crisis resulted in a different behavior from consumers than anticipated.&nbsp; They opted for spending money on home improvements and home entertainment, rather than luxury feel better goods such as make-up and perfume. The home environment became the primary focus of spending and “necessary” for survival. Based on Absa Card Spending Data the trend continues, whilst return to “normal” pre-COVID world of work, travel and social interaction, remains elusively out of reach.



This got me thinking further about the drivers of consumer behavior and how the pandemic also accelerated online and omni-channel retail beyond expectations. If we look at our data, it is clear that while e-commerce was starting to gather some traction, the lockdown was the catalyst for a step-change in adoption. While foot traffic in malls is starting to pick up, there’s a clear increase in the number of people whose behaviors have shifted to online. It now has become a habit consumers have adopted.



Considering all of the aforementioned, it is noticeable that consumers are effectively the ultimate drivers of trends and change.&nbsp; Given the fact that the South African economy (and many economies globally) faces a number of big, structural challenges, for which we require such change, it is becoming clear that we will need to start thinking differently about how we influence behavioral changes to drive consumer adoption of necessary trends, technologies and industries for much-needed future growth.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-buy-local-initiative">“Buy Local” initiative</h2>



One of the long-standing criticisms of the South African government specifically is that it has failed to identify strategic sectors and industries to support and capacitate. We often tried to be all things to all people and failed to identify sectors that we can excel in or those that are important in the local economy in terms of job creation or export revenue potential.



Over the last few years, there has been a focus on establishing sectoral Master Plans with a combination of tax and financial incentives to attract foreign investors with some notable successes like the automotive sector. We have recognized the need to move from an Import economy back to self-producing and export driven economy in order to create jobs and thrive.&nbsp;



As an example, the increased focus on the textile sector and related Master Plan, has the potential to bring manufacturing back to South Africa, and furthermore also adds support to small scale farmers and fabric producers, artists and creatives.&nbsp; However, we keep coming back to the question: “How do we incentivise South African’s to support their local talent and buy local produce?”



A number of the retailers run initiatives – often in conjunction with the likes of Discovery – where you get rebates on buying healthy food and gear. Could the same principle be applied to buying locally manufactured products and how would the consumer respond to this?



From Absa’s consumer merchant spending analytics, it is clear that the clothing industry took extra strain during Covid, putting even more pressure on the already struggling textile industry. The below graph illustrate spending growth across various categories:



Could initiatives be considered that actively drives a “buying local” trend, by putting money back into the consumer’s pockets when it is so desperately needed? Perhaps, through reduced tax (VAT) or discounts passed via corporate tax, for buying locally made produce?&nbsp; This is the sort of thinking we need to adopt to create the positive change we so much require in this economy.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-reducing-physical-cash-as-a-payment-mechanism">Reducing physical cash as a payment mechanism</h2>



Cash comes with Risk and Risk comes with additional costs. Ideally we would like to significantly reduce cash in our payment systems, but in an economy like South Africa, cash is still a major part of the day-to-day payment system.&nbsp; COVID-19 has raised further concerns around the risks associated of handling cash and even the passing of card terminals between consumers and merchants.



James Scott, Head Digital and Platform services at Absa Corporate and Investment Banking agrees that cash is king and very relevant in Africa when he states: “It is no longer about a gap in the technology to displace cash, it is all about shifting consumer and merchant behaviour towards enabling digital payments. Regulatory shifts in South Africa will see the introduction of a low cost payment rail, this has the potential to really open up innovation, financially include more of the population and reduce the friction and risk inherit in cash. An exciting space to watch.”



So the question then is how do we influence a change in consumer behavior to demand payment from sources by means other than cash?&nbsp; Again, we have to consider incentivising consumers with discounts for paying digitally or other.&nbsp; There is no doubt a saving to be done away with between security and cash deposit fees, which potentially could be passed on to the consumers.



In theory at least, the idea is great and has the potential of running stores more efficiently by reducing security risks and probably lower other cash related costs such as insurance.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-netflix-the-stick-or-the-carrot">Netflix: The stick or the carrot</h2>



Before I end, I would be remiss not to discuss the stick versus carrot approach and what it brings out in consumers. For those who are old enough to remember, you used to have to pay a license to have a bicycle and own a dog as revenue categories for government. These were eventually canned and interestingly, both the leisure and pet care sectors have exploded as major retail categories.



Over the last decade the SABC has bemoaned the lack of compliance around TV licenses as consumers have shifted away from cable to online streaming options. The response from government and the regulators is to attempt to use the stick of applying “TV” licenses for the viewing of the likes of Netflix.&nbsp; In my humble opinion, sticks rarely work in driving a new trends being adopted or behavior we would like to see – quite the opposite.&nbsp;



I don’t have all the answers but I think that the events of 2020 have shown that if we can find ways to positively influence and drive change in consumer behaviors, we potentially have the ability to re-imagine our local economy.



By: Isana Cordier

ABSA_Insights_Consumer Goods and Services_CBNC_Thumbnail Image_1910x600 …

Drivers of Consumer Trends

<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="820" height="547" src="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Aida-5-820x547.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-408331" srcset="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Aida-5-820x547.jpg 820w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Aida-5-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Aida-5-120x80.jpg 120w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Aida-5-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Aida-5-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Aida-5-scaled.jpg 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 820px) 100vw, 820px" /><figcaption>Aida Diarra, Senior Vice President &amp; Head of Sub-Saharan Africa at Visa</figcaption></figure>



The last decade has seen enormous growth in digital technology, including payments. Innovation and technological advances are bringing exciting opportunities for financial inclusion to the fore. Technology is now a tool to leapfrog over old processes, systems, and protocols for the benefit of everyday consumers. This leap forward has been accelerated by the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has forced us to shift our behaviours and adopt more technology to assist with our day-to-day lives in all aspects, including our finances.



As a result, the payments segment has grown rapidly in Sub Saharan Africa, mainly due to the high demand for financial inclusion. Today Visa, the world leader in digital payments, has become the connective tissue to enable new payment and commerce experiences by co-creating with all players in the payments sector – including fintechs, neobanks and wallets – to enable new payment experiences across the region. We have always been an enabler of invention and have constantly innovated to meet market needs over the years — from credit, debit and prepaid to mobile and IoT – to enable new payment experiences across the region. Our business and technology strategies have enabled us to become a leader in electronic payments over the last six decades. Despite this great success, an estimated $17 trillion of cash and checks are still in use globally, and nearly 2 billion adults lack access to formal financial services, providing huge opportunities for Visa and the greater industry to rally around standards (e.g., QR, eCom/mCom) and capabilities that will broaden access to electronic payments.



According to the Global Innovation Index, regional divides still persist and when you look at Sub Saharan Africa we are characterized by high performers like South Africa and Mauritius who rank in the top 60, while most of our region ranks below 100.



Visa’s approach to innovation in the 21st century is anchored in a belief that paying with Visa in the digital world should be just as simple as when you pay with Visa in the physical world. It should also be just as secure, rewarding, and convenient.



With commerce becoming increasingly digital, there is greater impetus for Visa to innovate to keep our system secure for everyone. Every Visa payment, for example, is secured by our sophisticated anti-fraud detection systems that apply the latest in machine learning and artificial intelligence. We pioneered the use of sophisticated machine learning systems to reduce fraud on our network over a decade ago, and in the years since, we have evolved our predictive analytics to incorporate new data sources and new AI technologies. In a fraction of a second, Visa analyses up to 500 pieces of data to protect accountholders and merchants by catching fraud before it happens.



The restrictions on movement and increased wariness of handling physical cash caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, helped lift Sub-Saharan mobile money transaction volumes 23% to $490 billion last year, greater than the GDP of Nigeria, the region’s biggest economy. Leap frog markets like Kenya have one of the highest mobile-money penetration rates in the world (mobile money is 54x bigger than card payments).



What further compels our innovation strategy is a very large opportunity to accelerate the adoption of digital payments globally. Over the last several years, Visa has fundamentally evolved both our platforms and how we work with partners and clients to encourage a broadening of the commerce ecosystem. Our focus has remained the same: to provide our clients and partners with access to our network, products, tools and expertise to enable their growth and success. In addition, our collaborations with a broad range of partners to co-create market-ready payment solutions have been a key driver in the enhancement of financial inclusion across Sub-Saharan Africa.



Some of our latest partnerships are leveraging the power of mobile as an access point to financial inclusion, including a partnership to develop products that will expand access to digital payments at scale for over 30 million mobile money customers .We are also driving access for small businesses through the launches of tap to phone and an exciting pilot that will serve as a solution to help small business owners digitize their business, covering payments, point of sale and access to credit, via a mobile device.



To foster real inclusion we need tangible, customer-centric solutions that, with our innovation and design centre capabilities, our partners have a chance to engage with key trends and the latest Visa technologies through a number of design processes to identify where the gaps and opportunities are.



We are always looking to partner with companies at the leading edge of enhancing financial inclusion. As we continue to evolve as a company and a brand, technology will continue to be our great enabler, helping us achieve our vision of being the best way to pay and be paid, for everyone, everywhere.

Aida (5)

Innovation, partnership, and co-creation key to driving digital payment growth in Sub-Saharan Africa

In business, ground-breaking events that shake up every department and force leaders to take a long, hard look at their processes are incredibly rare – and we’re talking global pandemic levels of rare.



While companies scrambled to mobilise their workforce and ensure business continuity during the COVID-19 crisis, some aspects of the old normal simply don’t fit with customer expectations now the dust has settled. Face-to-face selling, for example, is out. But with customers inundated with virtual meetings, time is a valuable asset, so building trust with your customers and acting with empathy are more important than ever.



So, what foundations do you need to have in place to empower your people to sell with empathy at scale? According to our global <a href="https://www.salesforce.com/resources/research-reports/state-of-sales/">State of Sales</a> report, more than 3,150 sales professionals in South Africa think the top trends are greater flexibility, better and more accessible data, and simplified sales processes.



With South African sales teams at the forefront of innovation in response to the challenges of the pandemic, let’s find out how our respondents overcame these challenges and what they think the future of sales looks like for the region.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-agility-and-flexibility-are-key-to-meeting-customer-demands">Agility and flexibility are key to meeting customer demands</h2>



The rise of remote working has caused the boundaries of work and homelife to blur, which means customers expect your sales team to be more available – But having reps available 24/7 is not a realistic option for everybody, so building strong relationships with customers before a sale is vital – a point that 90% of sales professionals in South Africa agree on.



<figure class="wp-block-pullquote"><blockquote>With Salesforce enhancing our processes, we’re able to work at the pace and standard that we need to in order to continue to grow and transform as a business<cite>Marius Burger, CIO, SEACOM</cite></blockquote></figure>



The starting point for this might not be what you think. It requires taking a step back and looking at the bigger picture of your business operations – 89% of respondents in South Africa commented that reps are increasingly recognising their value to the company’s core strategy and supporting growth and continuity. This presents an opportunity to really drill down into the skills across the sales team and bridge the gap between the sales experience and business operations to streamline collaboration.



Flexibility is key, with 82% of South African sales teams reporting that they’ve taken on new responsibilities at work during the pandemic. Clearly, good things are happening, because 66% expect these changes to be permanent.



<figure class="wp-block-image alignwide size-full"><a href="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Country-Deck-South-Africa.png"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1279" height="719" src="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Country-Deck-South-Africa.png" alt="" class="wp-image-409330" srcset="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Country-Deck-South-Africa.png 1279w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Country-Deck-South-Africa-300x169.png 300w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Country-Deck-South-Africa-820x461.png 820w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Country-Deck-South-Africa-140x80.png 140w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Country-Deck-South-Africa-768x432.png 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1279px) 100vw, 1279px" /></a></figure>



Benchmarks have also shifted, with 84% citing that success metrics have changed, and this is where technology steps into the spotlight, because agile technology that adapts and changes with your business needs and provides real insights into KPIs is the best tool to safeguard business against uncertainty.



For the 80% of South African respondents who reported significant changes in how they use sales technology, not being able to accommodate the shift could have been disastrous. Dave Keefer, Business Development Manager at KBAC echoed a common sentiment in a recent <a href="https://www.salesforce.com/eu/blog/2020/08/KBAC-utilise-digital-transformation-crisis.html">blog</a>: “We were concerned that leading a traditional workplace into the digital age would not be an easy task, but it’s hard to be agile when your processes are paper-based, and the door to digital that we opened led to some pretty remarkable places, especially in the wake of COVID-19.”



Insight selling, video conferencing, and other tech-intensive sales tactics have become increasingly valuable, along with AI and integrated CRM platforms that can help sales team work effectively from anywhere and reveal compelling insights based on real-time customer data to supercharge those video conferencing calls, as demonstrated by KBAC.



“We turned to Salesforce to make our operations more efficient and connect better with our customers. We used <a href="https://www.salesforce.com/uk/products/sales-cloud/overview/">Sales Cloud</a> to monitor our KPIs and qualify leads, and then customised it to automate processes for jobs and orders,” says Keefer. “Collaborating on <a href="https://www.salesforce.com/uk/products/chatter/overview/">Chatter</a> has been revolutionary. We’re suddenly communicating a lot better, with teams chatting directly on the opportunity and account pages. When it was time to reach out to customers, access to real-time data helped them coordinate their efforts.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-making-richer-data-more-accessible">Making richer data more accessible</h2>



Users across organisations are increasingly mining data from as many sources as possible to get 360-degree visibility of their customers, with the average set to increase from four in 2019 to six in 2021 in South Africa. For the sales team, a better understanding of the customer powers insight selling. And this isn’t something that’s ‘nice to have’; while being data-driven is a differentiator right now, with the speed of innovation it will soon become the new normal, so companies need to act now.



Centralising data on one platform can help to unlock this visibility and build a more connected customer experience, combining first-party data, with insights from social listening, and even tracking micro trends in the industry through the media. While 87% of South African B2B buyers expect businesses to have a good understanding of their needs, 62% think companies are failing to deliver here, making it an excellent opportunity to get an edge on the competition.



Also consider that all this data is only as good as your visualisation capabilities, which is where tools that can easily turn data from multiple sources into customisable dashboards are so valuable to help your reps get a deeper understanding of customer needs. Again, with 74% of South African respondents feeling that interactions are transactional, not personal, this in another area to really help differentiate your team – especially as 95% of customers expect your sales people to act as a trusted advisor.



AI solutions can take this a step further by analysing lead history to work out which new leads are most likely to convert and helping reps prioritise where they should spend their time. And the more data you put in, the more accurate the solution will get at predicting.



The end result is that you can automate manual processes and empower your team with the time and insights to give customers an engaging, personalised experience, whether that’s remotely or in-person as lockdown restrictions ease.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-simplifying-complex-processes">Simplifying complex processes</h2>



Using multiple tools is complex, but centralising processes and data on one integrated platform can be transformative. An advanced CRM platform can help free your team from data-logging and can manage the entire sales pipeline from opportunity to close. Learn what your sales team’s pain points are, and look for a feature-rich solution with capabilities that will have a real impact on their working day.



One South African Trailblazer who transformed sales is <a href="https://www.salesforce.com/eu/customer-success-stories/seacom/">SEACOM</a>. Shereen Rimmell, Head of Business Operations reveals: “Now that everything gets handled in <a href="https://www.salesforce.com/eu/form/conf/testdrive/?leadcreated=true&amp;redirect=true&amp;DriverCampaignId=70130000000sUVq&amp;FormCampaignId=70130000000tHIg">Sales Cloud</a>, we’re able to do our jobs much more effectively. The general feedback has been: ‘Wow, the Business Ops team are really on the ball now!’ That’s been huge.”



The implementation has boosted speed and efficiency, streamlined customer onboarding, and reduced manual input with more automated processes. CIO, Marius Burger, comments, “With Salesforce enhancing our processes, we’re able to work at the pace and standard that we need to in order to continue to grow and transform as a business.”



SEACOM’s success mirrors a general trend among South African reps: they have more confidence in their organisation’s ability to succeed than other regions. For example in South Africa:



<ul class="wp-block-list"><li>74% have confidence in their ability to close deals</li><li>72% have confidence in the organisation’s agility</li><li>76% have confidence in the business’s long-term resiliency.</li></ul>



These figures are between 7-12% higher than global industry averages, and may be down to South Africa’s higher than average flexibility and adaptability. Service teams are considerably more likely to have taken on more responsibilities and changed their success metrics since the pandemic, and the region has a much bigger focus on building trust with customers before a sale, which are all key ingredients in resiliency.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-meeting-customer-demands-in-store-in-person-and-online">Meeting customer demands in-store, in person and online</h2>



The picture in South Africa is optimistic, but confidence alone doesn’t drive success. It needs to be combined with the right technology, processes, and data to give customers the personalised, compassionate selling experience they expect in-store, in person, and virtually.



Smart solutions can free your team from manual work and empower them with the insights to have conversations that close deals, but investing in next-generation technologies like AI now will help to maximise the potential of data and unlock greater predictability – something that will continue to mature and get more intelligent the more data you feed into it.



Giving your customers what they want now is amazing. Giving them what they want before they realise they want it will blow the competition out of the water, and help to build the trust that will help your company grow – global pandemic or no global pandemic.



Take Sales Cloud for a spin with our <a href="https://www.salesforce.com/eu/form/signup/testdrive/?d=7013y000002K0qnAAC&amp;nc=7013y000002K0raAAC&amp;utm_source=cnbc africa&amp;utm_medium=display&amp;utm_campaign=emea+za+slobcon_gtm&amp;utm_content=dcs+test_banner+7013y000002K0qnAAC&amp;ban=ZA">interactive </a><a href="https://www.salesforce.com/eu/form/conf/testdrive/?leadcreated=true&amp;redirect=true&amp;DriverCampaignId=70130000000sUVq&amp;FormCampaignId=70130000000tHIg">tour</a> and find out how to transform your business with 360-degree visibility and smarter workflows.

Business presentation

The face of sales in South Africa is changing. Find out how to thrive in the new normal

<blockquote class="wp-block-quote is-style-large is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow">We need to be extremely agile, we need to be customer-focused, and we need to make it happen in an extraordinarily fast way<cite>Steven Friedman, CIO of RAM Hand-to-Hand Couriers </cite></blockquote>



Customer service reps have had an extraordinary year. While no role was left untouched by the global Covid-19 and economic crises, the service team often acts as the face and voice of your business and the first point of contact for customers. And case volumes from anxious and confused customers skyrocketed.



With such a sharp and unexpected increase in demand, the focus has been on maximising existing resources through employee agility and investments in new technology. In South Africa, 91% of respondents surveyed for our State of Service report said that processes and workflows have shifted for the service team since the pandemic, and 74% of global respondents reported that they’re more reliant on data than ever before.



While workforces pivoted to home working, making data accessible was a top priority, and luckily 80% of service agents in South Africa agree that they’ve got access to all the data they need to work remotely. The appetite for field services is still high, so highly available data and good workplace apps are critical to be able to meet the needs of today’s customer.



On the flipside, this increases the need for good training programmes to help agents get to grips with new technology and new processes. Read on to find out more insights from the 275 South African services professionals who responded to our <a href="https://www.salesforce.com/resources/research-reports/state-of-service/">global report</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-service-agents-need-to-be-agile-to-adapt-to-new-ways-of-working">Service agents need to be agile to adapt to new ways of working</h2>



In the early days of the pandemic, confused customers needed extra support at the worst possible time for many companies, who were busy mobilising the workforce and adapting their processes to keep the business running.&nbsp;



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1279" height="719" src="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/image1.png" alt="Native" class="wp-image-407106" srcset="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/image1.png 1279w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/image1-300x169.png 300w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/image1-820x461.png 820w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/image1-140x80.png 140w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/image1-768x432.png 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1279px) 100vw, 1279px" /></figure>



One way of handling this was to temporarily bring in colleagues from other teams to support the service team – and that’s what 64% of companies in South Africa did. But 78% of decision makers still needed to invest in new service technology to empower the team to give customers the level of service that they were accustomed to.



The right technology can be crucial for adapting to uncertainty quickly, as Steven Friedman, CIO of RAM Hand-to-Hand Couriers comments, “We need to be extremely agile, we need to be customer-focused, and we need to make it happen in an extraordinarily fast way. Salesforce provides the backbone of what it’s going to take to overcome those challenges and really improve who we are and what we stand for.”



In addition to expecting round the clock services, customers are placing a bigger focus on finding companies who align with their personal values and have earned their trust. During the pandemic, 71% of global consumers reported that brands who showed empathy during the crisis have earned their loyalty, and while embedding a culture of compassion across the workforce is important, it’s the service team who have the most emotive relationship with your customers – listening to their concerns and finding a solution for them.



Insurance provider, Mont Blanc, offer fully digital services to give customers fast access to transparent and reliable information when selecting a policy. They can also self-serve to request a quote, and have access to a 24-hour claims line.&nbsp;



“Customers generally only contact us when they’re experiencing the stress of a loss, such as a car crash or damage to their home,” reveals CEO Nicola Iozzo. “To make life easier during this stressful time we’ve made it such that the claims process is as hassle free as possible, giving brokers access to everything they need to process the claim from a single dashboard so they can focus on being a reassuring and sympathetic voice to our customers.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-agents-expect-opportunities-for-growth-in-their-roles-and-a-career-path">Agents expect opportunities for growth in their roles and a career path</h2>



Service agents are playing an increasingly strategic role within the business and often act as brand ambassadors with a stake in the overall success of the company. In fact, Friedman comments, “One of the big main differentiators in the marketplace today is around customer service,” and the company has since set itself the goal of never losing a customer by offering truly outstanding service.



The skills that agents need to have are also becoming broader and more complex. Given the right tools and support, many have embraced this challenge and flourished, and 77% reported that they can now see a clear path for career development.



Around 80% of South African decision makers are making significant investments in employee training, but soft skills are still rated more highly among global respondents than hard skills:



<ul class="wp-block-list"><li>76% think communication is very important, making it the highest rated skill</li><li>71% said being able to listen is essential</li><li>62% rated adaptability as very important</li><li>57% reported that empathy is highly valued.</li></ul>



Time management, product knowledge, and digital skills were all highly rated too, and solutions such as Salesforce provide an excellent platform to support these skills. Darrell Sansom, Chief Customer and Innovation Officer at <a href="https://www.salesforce.com/customer-success-stories/axa/">AXA</a> understands the importance of soft skills and a good understanding of his customer’s challenges to improving customer satisfaction and personalising the experience: “To achieve a good rating, we need to deliver a personalized, omni-channel service. Small business owners are pushed for time; we need to make things as fast and easy for them as possible.”



Technologies such as artificial intelligence, automation, chat bots, and self-serve are all worthwhile investments to free up your service team to focus on giving customers more personal and valuable interactions, while helping to reduce resolution times.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-evolution-of-field-service-drives-revenue">The evolution of field service drives revenue</h2>



Over the past year, consumers have come to expect to be able to interact with companies digitally. But when it comes to field services, <a href="https://www.salesforce.com/resources/research-reports/state-of-the-connected-customer/">two-thirds</a> of global respondents actively look for companies who can come to them, and organisations with strong field services are repeating the benefits.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1279" height="719" src="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/image2.png" alt="Native" class="wp-image-407107" srcset="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/image2.png 1279w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/image2-300x169.png 300w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/image2-820x461.png 820w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/image2-140x80.png 140w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/image2-768x432.png 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1279px) 100vw, 1279px" /></figure>



Field service is a key part of service strategies in South Africa for 88% of decision makers, with 84% citing that it drives a significant portion of revenue. Mobile workers have been categorised as key workers during the pandemic, but the onus is on businesses to keep them safe by instilling social distancing measures, better cleaning, and providing PPE. Only 60% of global respondents reported that their employer regularly performed wellness checks, which is an area that needs to improve to ensure high levels of employee satisfaction and lower staff turnover.&nbsp;



Other areas identified for improvement include inventory and asset management, which only 30% of staff think their company excels at, access to information and knowledge articles, which again scores 30%, and communication and collaboration, which score 41% and 36% respectively.&nbsp;



Field workers are especially dependent on digital tools. Look for solutions with specially designed capabilities that simplify workflows and give users access to everything they need on the go, including customer records, scheduling tools, maps, and knowledge articles.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-investing-in-people-is-a-trend-that-s-here-to-stay">Investing in people is a trend that’s here to stay</h2>



The pandemic has undoubtedly been a catalyst for change for service teams, but it’s also been a great opportunity for companies to become more adaptable and learn how to maximise resources. By accelerating innovation, many organisations have established best practices that will help to improve customer satisfaction and empower their field service agents.



With the role of the agent becoming more strategic, reps are feeling more valued and optimistic about their career development, so it’s an excellent time to nurture your talent with training programmes to help them learn new skills – both soft skills and digital.&nbsp;



But the one thing that has proven unshakable despite the pandemic is the firm belief by service teams in South Africa that customer satisfaction is the single most important metric, and behind every great customer interaction is an empowered and happy employee.



If you want to become a customer service superstar, check out the <a href="https://www.salesforce.com/eu/form/signup/service-guided-tour?d=7013y000002K0qpAAC&amp;nc=7013y000002K0rcAAC&amp;utm_source=cnbc africa&amp;utm_medium=display&amp;utm_campaign=emea+za+svclobcon_gtm&amp;utm_content=dcs+test_banner+7013y000002K0qpAAC&amp;ban=ZA">Service Cloud guided tour</a>. Immerse yourself in this interactive tour of the latest agent tools, featuring self-serve capabilities and rich data insights.

Young creative business people meeting at office.

Customer service in South Africa: how businesses are embracing agility to deliver memorable experiences

14 June 2021 &#8211;&nbsp; Johannesburg, South Africa: Today marks the official launch of Access Bank South Africa Limited, and another step in engraving Access Bank Plc into the continent’s history.



Noting the enthusiasm of all parties leading up to this day, Access Bank CEO Herbert Wigwe says the SADC region represents the strongest economy on the African continent.



<figure class="wp-block-pullquote"><blockquote>“This means Access Bank SA is firmly seated in one of the principal geographical areas apart from Nigeria, in terms of the size of the economy, and unlocks the gateway to the entire Southern African region.”<cite>Access Bank CEO Herbert Wigwe</cite></blockquote></figure>



Wigwe highlighted Access Bank’s solid presence in Zambia too, saying the opening of the South African subsidiary cements the Bank’s commitment to sub Saharan Africa as a portal for exceptional banking opportunities across the continent.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="532" height="800" src="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Herbert-Wigwe-Group-CEO-Access-Bank-Plc-532x800.jpg" alt="native" class="wp-image-406869" srcset="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Herbert-Wigwe-Group-CEO-Access-Bank-Plc-532x800.jpg 532w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Herbert-Wigwe-Group-CEO-Access-Bank-Plc-200x300.jpg 200w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Herbert-Wigwe-Group-CEO-Access-Bank-Plc-53x80.jpg 53w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Herbert-Wigwe-Group-CEO-Access-Bank-Plc-768x1154.jpg 768w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Herbert-Wigwe-Group-CEO-Access-Bank-Plc-1022x1536.jpg 1022w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Herbert-Wigwe-Group-CEO-Access-Bank-Plc-scaled.jpg 1363w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 532px) 100vw, 532px" /><figcaption>Access Bank CEO Herbert Wigwe</figcaption></figure>



Building on the organisation’s vision of delivering a robust banking operation that connects key African markets, Bennie van Rooy, CEO of Access Bank SA, lauded today as “an exciting event for the South African banking industry”, and the provision of sustainable support to existing customers while appealing to new clients with a business presence across Africa.



“As part of the robust Access Bank family, the South African operations look forward to contributing meaningfully to the achievements and ambitions of the Group. In offering a full suite of financial service products to a market we understand in depth, Access Bank SA is delighted to grow the family footprint.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-opportunities-and-the-power-of-choice">Opportunities and the power of choice</h2>



Wigwe says the Group continues to focus on building relationships, as a partner in both businesses and in communities it serves. “It’s vital that our banking solutions give clients the advantage they need to grow sustainably, with access to smart solutions that help them reach greater goals.”



With its transactional account and online banking, commercial and asset finance, offshore investments and Forex requirements or deposit solutions, Access Bank puts the power of choice in clients’ hands.



“Partnerships with all our clients mean power for them to achieve their aspirations, while Access Bank’s growth brings greater advantages in the financial sector. Like Bennie, I am excited to be on this path with the knowledge and experience of the continent that we share,” said Wigwe.



“We look forward to the opportunities that present themselves with opening doors for individuals and businesses, and growing possibilities as we go.”



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="532" height="800" src="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Bennie-van-Rooy-CEO-Access-Bank-SA-3-532x800.jpg" alt="native" class="wp-image-406870" srcset="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Bennie-van-Rooy-CEO-Access-Bank-SA-3-532x800.jpg 532w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Bennie-van-Rooy-CEO-Access-Bank-SA-3-200x300.jpg 200w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Bennie-van-Rooy-CEO-Access-Bank-SA-3-53x80.jpg 53w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Bennie-van-Rooy-CEO-Access-Bank-SA-3-768x1154.jpg 768w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Bennie-van-Rooy-CEO-Access-Bank-SA-3-1022x1536.jpg 1022w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Bennie-van-Rooy-CEO-Access-Bank-SA-3-scaled.jpg 1363w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 532px) 100vw, 532px" /><figcaption>Bennie van Rooy, CEO of Access Bank SA</figcaption></figure>

Access-Bank-Grobank-deal

Signed, sealed, delivered: Access Bank’s South African division open for business

<blockquote class="wp-block-quote is-style-large is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow">“We want to have the right conversations with our customers at the right time on the right channel.”<cite>Sagren Pather, Executive Head of Digital, Direct Marketing, and Marketing Analytics, Standard Bank</cite></blockquote>



Whether it’s email content updating in real-time or the ever-increasing ways to personalise experiences – digital innovation has accelerated at a rapid pace. And so too have the challenges of the marketer.&nbsp;



Customers want empathetic and valuable interactions – and they want them at the right time, in the right place. Keeping up with the latest, up-to-the-minute needs of the customer has never been more relevant, or more important.&nbsp;



So, we surveyed 200 marketing leaders in South Africa as part of our <a href="https://www.salesforce.com/form/pdf/6th-state-of-marketing/?sfdc-redirect=227">global report</a> on the State of Marketing to find out what’s trending, and how they’re overcoming their biggest challenges.



Here’s what we found out.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-marketers-need-the-right-it-to-harness-customer-trends">Marketers need the right IT to harness customer trends.</h2>



One of the biggest difficulties faced by marketers today is the pressure to engage with customers on the right channel, at the right time, with personalised content. (And this isn’t limited to B2C interactions either: the increasing demand for consumerised experiences in the B2B sector was confirmed by 82% of global market leaders.)



The key to achieving this consumer-centric approach is through smarter use of data – but this is easier said than done. Respondents in South Africa listed their main challenges as unifying customer data sources, and balancing personalisation with customer comfort levels.



“We want to have the right conversations with our customers at the right time on the right channel,” said Sagren Pather, Executive Head of Digital, Direct Marketing, and Marketing Analytics at <a href="https://www.salesforce.com/eu/customer-success-stories/standard-bank/">Standard Bank</a>. “Customers who have a high-quality experience are more likely to keep doing business with a brand and buy additional products.”&nbsp;



This is a common vision among companies in South Africa. To get there, marketing leaders need to use modern tools and technology to unlock that single view of the customer – so they can innovate and scale and at speed.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-trust-and-transparency-are-vital">Trust and transparency are vital.</h2>



Unlocking a single view of the customer isn’t just beneficial to the marketing team: it’s central to providing an amazing customer experience across sales, service, and ecommerce. <a href="https://www.salesforce.com/news/stories/state-of-the-connected-customer-report-outlines-changing-standards-for-customer-engagement/">A whopping 89% of South African customers</a> say their experience with a company is just as important as its products and services.



It’s no surprise, then, that today’s marketers are more involved across the entire customer journey. In fact, 69% of global survey respondents think traditional marketing roles limit customer engagement. But marketers are breaking free from these constraints to make the customer experience more seamless, as demonstrated by the 64% who use 360-degree visibility to put marketing comms on hold if customers have an open service case.



And then consider this:



<ul class="wp-block-list"><li>More than 75% of marketers in South Africa share goals and metrics with sales, service, and ecommerce teams.</li><li>81% of respondents across the world collaborate with the sales team on account-based marketing programmes.</li></ul>



The trend for cross-team collaboration and a single view of the customer is here to stay.&nbsp;



In 2021, marketers predict they’ll pull customer data from at least six sources – up from four in 2019. “We need solutions that enable our teams to capture and analyse data from different sources to better understand our customers and prospects,” said Pather.



And with data firmly in the spotlight, respondents predicted that new data regulations are set to have the biggest impact on marketing in the next 10 years. As a result, building trust with customers by using their data wisely and sensitively will be vital: 58% of customers say they’re comfortable with their data being used transparently – but only 63% of global companies are perceived as being transparent.



The companies that do win their customers’ trust will have greater opportunities. They’ll be able to use insight-rich data the customer has consented to sharing, such as first-party data and tracked browsing behaviour, across multiple touchpoints.



For example, Standard Bank uses <a href="https://www.salesforce.com/uk/products/marketing-cloud/overview/">Marketing Cloud’s</a> Customer 360 Audiences feature, which you can learn about in our <a href="https://www.salesforce.com/marketing-cloud/guided-tour/">guided tour</a>, to analyse how customers interact with its content and to capture metrics such as bounce and drop-off rates.&nbsp;“We wanted to close the loop with regards to form abandonment and improve overall conversion rates,” explained Pather. And that’s just what the bank achieved. “By using Customer 360 Audiences for retargeting in the pilot test, we’re seeing a 104% performance increase of personal loan leads, when compared to the normal way of targeting, combined with early indications of overall sales conversion uplift.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-bringing-ai-into-the-mainstream">Bringing AI into the mainstream.</h2>



Innovation was cited as both a challenge and a priority for the months ahead – and the biggest opportunity in this space is AI. The top four uses of AI according to South African marketers are:&nbsp;



<ol class="wp-block-list"><li>Driving next best actions.</li><li>Personalisation.</li><li>Smarter segmentation and lookalike modelling.</li><li>Automating processes to give staff more time to focus on creativity.</li></ol>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/image3-820x429.png" alt="native" class="wp-image-407119" width="686" height="359" srcset="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/image3-820x429.png 820w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/image3-300x157.png 300w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/image3-140x73.png 140w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/image3-768x402.png 768w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/image3.png 1200w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 686px) 100vw, 686px" /></figure>



With good data integrity, the possibilities of AI are game-changing. But you need to move fast, as it’s quickly becoming the norm for marketers, rather than a differentiator. In 2018, only 29% of global firms were using AI across marketing operations, compared to 84% in 2020.



Turning AI into a differentiator relies on companies using it to build unique experiences. One brand leading the way in this field is <a href="https://www.salesforce.com/blog/ai-boosts-adidas-personalized-email-marketing/">adidas</a>. The company implemented Salesforce Customer 360 to create connected experiences for customers, and today it uses <a href="https://help.salesforce.com/articleView?id=sf.mc_pb_einstein_content_selection.htm&amp;type=5">Einstein Content Selection</a> (ECS) to personalise emails – even after the message is sent.



“Imagine if you received an email two days before a major holiday, and when you opened it on the actual day, the content reflected that moment in time? ECS allows us to be far more connected to our customers – adapting when we speak to them and what we’re speaking about to meet their needs,” commented Robert Lochrie, Vice President of Digital Products at adidas.



This level of innovation will give companies a significant competitive edge during challenging times.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-adapting-and-thriving-in-the-new-normal">Adapting and thriving in the new normal.</h2>



In this rapidly changing environment, adapting quickly is the only way to survive. And when it comes to digital, companies need to walk before they can run.&nbsp;



That means investing in robust, reliable, and flexible technology – and creating a central repository of high-quality data to prepare for getting creative with AI and exploring the opportunities of 5G.



Customers are looking for empathy and personalisation when they interact with a company, and the smartest way to make sure you’re meeting those needs is to build strong relationships and invest in social listening. The right tools give you the power to get predictive and proactive, which creates a better experience for your customers and better results for your business. Remember: when your customer feels like they’re winning, you’re winning too.



If you’d like to get up close and personal with Marketing Cloud take the guided tour <a href="https://www.salesforce.com/eu/form/marketingcloud/guided-tour/?d=7013y000002K0qoAAC&amp;nc=7013y000002K0rbAAC&amp;utm_source=cnbc africa&amp;utm_medium=display&amp;utm_campaign=emea+za+mktlobcon_gtm&amp;utm_content=dcs+test_banner+7013y000002K0qoAAC&amp;ban=ZA">here</a>; learn how to build smarter marketing campaigns in our immersive, hands-on experience.

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