McDonald’s, Vodacom, Nedbank, Spar, Dischem and Superbalist are just some of the successful consumer brands that will participate in the upcoming CEM* Africa Summit, taking place from 23–24 August in Cape Town. *CEM = Customer Experience Management “It is no secret that the African market is leading the digital transformation in customer experience (CX), which has grown into a very specialised segment of consumer marketing,” says Shannon Mackrill, co-founder of the long-running CEM Africa Summit. “Our 2022 programme is practical, pragmatic and pro-active,” Mackrill continues. “Bringing together the brightest minds and most capable CX operators, we boast a can-use-it-now agenda and specialist line-up spread out over two days. Attendees will walk away with a solid game plan to map out or refresh their companies’ customer experience strategies and activities.” Bullet-proof CX systems The CEM Africa Summit will host CX executives from top organisations on the continent to attend hyper-focused keynotes, educational workshops, panel discussions and live Q&As to assist them in creating bullet-proof customer experience systems for their enterprises. Speakers and moderators will represent leading businesses, best-in-class consultancies and dynamic brands that epitomise outstanding CX. An in-person event, the 10th edition of the CEM Africa Summit 2022 takes place at the Century City Conference Centre in Cape Town. This year’s format is as follows: - Day 1, 23 August: A full day of educational workshops delivered by industry specialists. - Day 2, 24 August: A conference featuring keynotes and panel discussions by leaders and experts in CX. Expert speaker line-up The following exciting line-up of confirmed expert speakers and solution providers so far include: • Qaalfa Dibeehi (Dean of Customer Experience Leadership, Majid Al Futtaim, UAE) • Julia Ahlfeldt (Customer experience professional, RSA) • Charlie Stewart (Co-founder and Chief Executive, …
Worldpay FIS partners with ECOM Africa as card payments expand rapidly on the continent
The global merchant payment processing and services giant Worldpay from FIS is a lead sponsor at the upcoming ECOM Africa, taking place as a hybrid event from 4–5 May in Cape Town. This will be the eighth edition of this flagship, specialist gathering in the e-commerce, etailing, and fintech sectors, with limited tickets still available for the in-person event and the online broadcast. “Having Worldpay from FIS on board as a leading sponsor for ECOM Africa confirms that the major players in the fintech and e-commerce sectors see the huge potential in the continent with a myriad of opportunities, from Nigeria to South Africa,” says Terry Southam, MD of ECOM Africa. Cash is king? Not much longer. A year ago, NYSE-listed FIS announced the expansion of its payment processing capabilities into the rapidly growing markets of Nigeria, South Africa and Malaysia. In South Africa and Nigeria, FIS is offering domestic payment processing services in partnership with payments technology company Flutterwave, a 2016 graduate of the FIS Accelerator programme. This has enabled FIS to leverage the available technology in Africa while offering its extensive global reach. This provides customers with domestic payment options, assists businesses to simplify their payments and enables a smooth transition for enterprises who want to expand to the continent. Cash will not be king for much longer in Africa as the use of notes and coins has seen a major decline in the last two years with card payments increasing. Nigeria’s ecommerce via mobile is projected to more than double by 2024, valued at $31-billion. In South Africa, this number is expected to reach $9-billion by 2024. The enormous growth in card payments offers exciting opportunities to businesses in terms of insights into their customers as well as a deeper understanding of their markets, resulting in more personalised and customized products, services and marketing. Taking ecommerce personally Personalisation, a …
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“It’s personal” says ECOM Africa, as personalisation in ecommerce takes centre stage
Successful etailers get personalisation right and differentiate themselves by pleasing an ever-demanding customer. This is according to Terry Southam, MD of ECOM Africa, which is returning as a hybrid event from 4–5 May in Cape Town. “The most successful businesses online currently know what their customers want before they themselves even know it. Personalisation is key; customers want it at every touchpoint. Having the right toolsets and services to make effective use of data, gives etailers the opportunities to deliver personalised offers on an individual level.” Some of the leading and exciting names and brands in the current, global ebusiness evolution, including Zappos, Meta, Nestlé, Massmart, OneDayOnly, Bidroom, PicknPay, Chepa, Mantality, Konga, AutoTrader, Loot, UberEats, Sanlam, OneCart and Rugged SA will be represented at the upcoming ECOM Africa. Claim your free Expo Pass to attend ECOM Africa 2022 or get R499 off your full conference ticket. Use coupon code: ECOMPRESS at checkout. Sponsors include Fareye, Wordpay FIS, Freshworks, AWA digital, ZOHO, Gupshup, Citixsys, The Courier Guy, Dataweave and Insider. Exhibitors who will share their technologies and services are UNISA, RAM Couriers, Pargo, Shopping Feeder (ProceCheck) and Vectra. Media partners include Insaka, CIO Africa, Bizcommunity, Hypertext, Retailwire, ecommerce(dot)co.za and eCommerce Association Ghana. This will be the eighth edition of this flagship, specialist gathering in the e-commerce, etailing, and fintech sectors and the first hybrid edition, with limited tickets available for the in-person event and the online broadcast. Fintech in Africa “Africa has a proud track record in terms of fintech entrepreneurship, particularly Nigeria,” says Southham, “and this has gone a long way to bridging the financial services gap in Africa’s various demographics. This sector played an important role during the last two years, and has successfully diversified its offering and …
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SA renovating and upgrading en masse as sector thrives despite current challenges—SA Décor & Design
Time to upgrade your living-room or office space? There is a good chance that your favourite décor contractor or coveted interior designer is more than a little busy right now as many South Africans are doing improvements at this time. This trend is also apparent on the digital platform of SA Décor & Design—a veteran in the industry but always a leader when it comes to the latest digital trends—and where more than 60 000 visitors a month are able to search and find the leading suppliers, products, professionals, projects and catalogues, as well as expertise on the latest trends and finds in design, technology and services. The sectors featured range from home improvement, furniture, décor, and home technology, to outdoor, bathrooms, kitchens and decorative coatings. “The SA Décor & Design online platform has taken off in a big way, which also reflects how busy the industry is right now,” says Marcia Margolius, well-known designer and decorator and author of the exclusive blog, “Marcia loves it”, on the website. Home office improvements “Our clients are also verifying this trend,” Marcia explains. “The pandemic has meant that people have been spending more time at home and many are working from home and therefore spending money on everything related to making their homes more comfortable and creating work from home environments. Furthermore, people are not travelling as much so they seem to be moving that spend into their homes.” According to this industry icon, the home office sector has therefore also shown remarkable growth in the last 20 months with a sharp increase in sales of new desks, chairs, rugs, computers and the affiliated industries, such as data, fibre and computer technology, for a comfortable office at home and for people to appear professional in digital meetings. “So many people are still working from home so it will be interesting to see when people start moving back to the office environment,” remarks Marcia. Like many …
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Why etailers are missing out on billions in sales: CEM Africa features latest SA Digital CX Report
From the ‘unboxing’ of a new purchase to the many abandoned transactions that are costing online retailers billions—the marketing gurus behind The 2021 South African Digital Customer Experience Report will unpack the compelling, and sometimes, surprising results from the survey during an exclusive panel at the upcoming CEM Africa, taking place from 10–11 November. CEM = Customer Experience Management CX = Customer Experience It is the third major annual study undertaken by marketing and advertising agency Rogerwilco, market research company ovatoyou and certified customer experience professional Julia Ahlfeldt. “Money left on the table” The report states that “ecommerce has finally come of age in South Africa, one of the few sectors to find a silver lining in the COVID-19 cloud”. The data shows that income and age are no longer barriers for participation in online shopping. For example, the 50+ category is just as likely to be conducting research and making online purchases as their counterparts in their 20s and 30s, while 73% of those with a monthly household income of less than R10 000 per month are shopping online. However, the report emphasises that basic flaws in the online experience for customers are costing etailers billions in potential turnover. Cart abandonment, where a consumer adds a product to their cart but does not go through with the transaction, is high among South African online shoppers according to the report (76% of those surveyed), and is estimated to cost online retailers more than R20.4bn. “Cart abandonment is money left on the table, plain and simple”, notes Julia Ahlfeldt. “A customer has invested the time to choose a retailer, investigate products, and then jumps ship because the experience falls short. This leaves a double whammy of lost revenue and an annoyed customer.” ‘Unboxing’ the purchase Amanda Reekie, from ovatoyou, believes that even though the fulfilment landscape has matured, challenges remain: “It is …
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CEM Africa gathers who’s who of ecommerce and CX gurus
Some of the leading global and local pioneers in ecommerce and customer experience (CX) are set to share their insights, case studies and success stories at the upcoming CEM Africa from 10–11 November 2021. This follows the unprecedented, accelerated adoption of ecommerce and online shopping by billions during the last 18 months, and etailing proving to be one of the few silver linings in a pandemic-depressed economy worldwide. *CEM = Customer Experience Management CEM Africa speaker and session highlights include: • Qaalfa Dibeehi is the Dean of the Customer Experience Leadership Institute (The School of Great Moments), at Majid Al Futtaim, a global conglomerate (retail, hotels, property, grocery, luxury, entertainment, cinemas, etc) based in Dubai. - “The technology we now refer to as CRM stems from the need to have real time customer dialogue”. On Day 1, on Wednesday, 10 November, Qaalfa Dibeehi is delivering the opening keynote presentation entitled: “DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION AND LOFI CX - LOW FIDELITY CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE”. • Robert Paddock is the founder and CEO of the Valenture Institute. He was the co-founder of GetSmarter, an online education company that has educated over 200,000 professionals from 154 countries, and was sold to Nasdaq-listed 2U in 2017. - Rob believes that the online experience has got to be designed from first-principles: “The closest analogy [for bricks and mortar schools operating remotely] would be if you’ve got a petrol or diesel engine car and you try to retrofit an electric engine into it, versus a purpose built electric car”. Robert Paddack is presenting a case study on “ONLINE EDUCATION SECTOR - THE NEW STUDENT EXPERIENCE”. • Steve Towers is a Process Management and Customer Experience enabler from the USA. The founder of the BP Group in 1992, Steve was named one of the 30 most influential Global Customer Service Experts in 2021. - “Without a clear, outside-in line of sight to what your customers true …
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Multichoice, Shoprite, Woolworths, Superbalist and others to share lessons in customer experience (CX) at CEM Africa in November
Customer experience (CX) experts from some of the most recognised and successful brands on the continent, including Multichoice, Woolworths, Shoprite, Superbalist, African Bank, DHL and Rand Merchant Bank, will share their successes, failures and lessons learnt during the next edition of CEM Africa Summit, taking place from 10–11 November 2021. * CEM = Customer Experience Management “CX is about managing the end-to-end journey that a customer experiences with a brand or solution that makes them feel heard and understood—from touchpoint through to advocacy—of a brand, a company, a solution and more,” says Shannon Mackrill, co-founder of the CEM Africa Summit. According to Mackrill, over the last three to four years the importance of the customer has grown in this very specialised segment of consumer marketing: “The movement towards the gig economy and on-demand solutions has helped shape customer expectations of companies. This puts brands to the test, increases competition and forces them to perform better.” He says the biggest lesson that the market has learnt during the COVID-19 pandemic is “that your customer can change in a heartbeat. It is not this thing or ideal that is constant. Your customers’ needs change as technology and expectations do, and so should a brand or a business. The consequence will be falling behind and losing customers.” ROI is key November’s CEM Africa Summit will gather heads of CX, marketing, MDs, owners of companies or business units. “Essentially anyone who has an interest in their customers,” says Mackrill. “They attend to expand their knowledge and more specifically to learn from others who have faced challenges or successes in managing their own customers experience, practical insights and real examples from those who are entrenched within the industry. ROI is key, as well as demonstrating the power that great CX has on customer retention and creation.” Honest retellings of CX experiences The CEM Africa Summit has …
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The annual Stellenberg Garden Tour has gone virtual for St Joseph’s Home
The annual open weekends of the Stellenberg Gardens in Cape Town have gone virtual and currently everyone can enjoy these spectacular grounds from the comfort and safety of their homes and contribute to a great cause at the same time. Since 2015, the Stellenberg Gardens, the home of Andrew and Sandy Ovenstone, have held Open Weekends in aid of St Joseph’s Home for Chronically Ill Children, a paediatric care facility giving children with life threatening illness a second chance at childhood. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, they have not been able to share the beauty of their gardens to raise funds for St Joseph’s Home. Like many charities, COVID-19 has negatively impacted the operations at St Joseph’s who rely on donations to provide free 24-hour specialised and general nursing care and rehabilitation to those who need it most. Magical garden and history St Joseph’s is very excited and grateful that a beautiful video has been made of the Stellenberg Gardens to enable anyone to visit by way of a virtual garden tour! It can be viewed on the GivenGain fundraising platform where donations can easily be made in aid of St Joseph’s. Thanks to donations from the many virtual visitors to the gardens, more than R80 000 has been raised for St Joseph’s to date. The origins of the Stellenberg estate date back to the seventeenth century and Sandy Ovenstone and her dedicated team of gardeners have created a magical garden in harmony with the historical homestead that is unique in South Africa. There are 16 distinct areas in the gardens, namely the Garden Entrance, the White Garden, the Parterre Garden, the Vegetable Garden, the Garden of Paradise, the Herb Garden, the Shady Walkway, the main lawns and façade, the Wild Garden and reservoir walk, the Stream Garden, Lower-Stream Garden, the Lime Tree Walk, the Garden of Reflection, the Vine Walk allée, the Walled Garden and the Pool Garden. Join them for a leisurely and inspiring stroll through these magnificent …
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African Utility Week & POWERGEN Africa postponed to November
Following the South African Government’s announcement of a national state of disaster and subsequent ban on public gatherings of over 100 people, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Clarion Events Africa (formerly Spintelligent) is rescheduling African Utility Week and POWERGEN Africa. The event, which was due to take place from 12-14 May, will now run from 24 - 26 November 2020. The venue - CTICC in Cape Town, South Africa – remains unchanged. African Utility Week and POWERGEN Africa attracts over 10,000 people from more than 90 countries and is the largest energy show in Africa. 2020 marks its 20th anniversary. “The health and safety of our exhibitors, visitors, employees and the wider public is of paramount importance to us,” said managing director David Ashdown. “Following the Government’s announcement, we have worked with industry to reschedule African Utility Week and POWERGEN Africa to November, in order to minimise potential health risks to those connected to the event. “It is expected that the current challenges presented by the Coronavirus will slow down significantly within the next few months, which means the new November date for African Utility Week and POWERGEN Africa will allow us to deliver the most meaningful event in terms of maximising ROI for our exhibitors and excellent content and experiences for our visitors. “The power sector in South Africa is facing incredibly challenging times. By committing to running the event this year, Clarion Events Africa can continue to drive energy security on the continent, support the local industry and provide business-critical market opportunities to support our exhibitors’ future prosperity.” A spokesperson for South Africa’s national power utility, Eskom, said: “Eskom recognises the role that this event plays in addressing the challenges facing the provision of electricity on the continent. We recognise that COVID-19 presents unprecedented challenges and are glad that a solution has been …
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Mining Review Africa hosts live discussion on Tailings Storage Facilities in Cape Town
The controversial issue of Tailings Storage Facilities (TSF) construction and management following a spate of disasters over the last 24 months was unpacked during a breakfast discussion by leading mining services companies Fraser Alexander, Knight Piesold and Webber Wentzel on the sidelines of the annual Investing in Africa Mining Indaba event in Cape Town this week. Hosted by leading, African-focused mining trade journal Mining Review Africa, the discussion focused on the importance of integrated TSF management and attracting investment while containing risk. A TMF/TSF is a storage area for post-processed ore at a mining operation. It typically comprises a fine-grained material with uneconomic mineral content that is often transported and deposited there as a slurry, from which excess water is recovered. The method of impoundment varies for each mine. The mining industry will never be the same again following an iron ore tailings dam failure in Brazil in January 2019. As a result, far greater transparency is being requested by investors and insurers with regards to TSF management structures, in addition to requirements by regulators and broader stakeholders. Read more about the environment Regulators are reviewing their guidelines and minimum requirements for design, operation and closure of tailings facilities. This includes international groups such as the International Commission of Large Dams (ICOLD) and the International Council for Mining and Metallurgy (ICMM). Building on and unpacking this topic in far greater detail, the TSF breakfast discussion was led by: - John Wates, Chairman, Fraser Alexander - Andrew Copeland, Technical Director, Knight Piésold Southern Africa - Rashaad Carrim, Partner, Webber Wentzel - Le Roux van den Berg, Loss Adjuster, Lloyd Warwick The discussion focused specifically on the following aspects: • strategic risks facing organisation executives • factors to determine appropriate executive level …