Lockdown: SMEs must migrate to digital space to remain relevant – Entrepreneur

Tue, Apr 7, 2020
By publisher
2 MIN READ

Coronavirus Pandemic

Jennifer Jemedafe, a service industry expert, said on Tuesday that businesses in the country must go digital to survive, particularly during emergencies such as the Coronavirus pandemic that had shutdown the country.

Jemedafe, founder of Retention Concierge, a Lagos-based customer experience startup company, stated this in a telephone interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Kaduna.

She pointed out that many Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) have incurred huge losses, while others have shutdown, following the lockdown of some parts of the country to contain the spread of COVID-19.

According to her, most of the SMEs that are badly hit by the lockdown and restriction of movement are businesses that experienced unexpected shock and are not able to innovate fast.

“Several SMEs in the country are not on the digital space where world class services can be delivered with limited human touch.

“Even organisations with websites, need to take a closer look at every opportunity to improve the customer transaction journeys and after purchase experiences on their website.”

She noted that currently, a lot of SMEs were being forced to close down, while others feel stuck, saying that “only businesses that are agile and quick to innovate are pushing through this difficult time.

“The secret is simply using the power of technology, combined with experience to deliver consistent, personalised and excellent service to customers.”

She said Retention Concierge has concluded plans to evaluate 180 SMEs websites for free, as part of efforts to improve digital service delivery in the country.

She added that the gesture was to help SMEs provide satisfactory digital customer experience.

“To benefit, interested SMEs should visit  www.retentionconcierge.com and click ”Evaluate My Website” to get started,” she said.

Jemedafe, with over eight years of working experience, with leading brands in the telecommunication, information technology and gaming industry in Nigeria, noted that in the current digital and customer experience-driven world, “it is Go Digital or Go Home’’. (NAN)

– Apr. 7, 2020 @ 10:59 GMT |

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