Angela Mensah-Poku, Director of Digital Transformation and Commercial Operations, Vodafone Ghana, has advised businesses to re-invent strategies with technology to satisfy their customers amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

She said the world was so different now as a result of COVID-19 and that consumer needs had suddenly become almost too many to count as everybody expected choice, control and convenience.

She gave the advice at a virtual Customer Experience Summit, held on the theme: “Reinventing the New Normal for Business Growth and Value Creation.”

Ms Mensah-Poku said research continued to demonstrate that organisations that transformed their customers’ experience with technology, suffered less and rebounded stronger from crises.

“A study by McKinsey and Company also revealed that by digitizing, customer satisfaction could increase by 33 per cent and cut cost by 25 to 35 per cent.

“This is value-creating and not only does it help your business to survive but to thrive and grow,” she said.

The Director said employing technology in business helped it to understand customers with precision and anticipate their needs.

“While we recover from the pandemic, businesses that embraced digital customer experience will gain a competitive edge and those who get it right will ensure customer loyalty. Customers are now co-creators and not just consumers,” she noted.

New technologies including cloud computing, artificial intelligence and robotic process automation, she said, were enabling companies to connect with customers directly by proactively offering personalised solutions, while simplifying and automating operational processes.

Ms Mensah-Poku said reinventing the new normal for business growth and value creation was not just about the future technology as the traditional customer service pillars still remained building trust, demonstrating competence, listening actively and conveying warmth and empathy.

“Although it seems, AI, Robotics and digital tools are not very customer friendly terms in our market! But it can be achieved by integrating digital in some small way into your customer experience journey.

“It is a beautiful balance between human & digital drive and you need to allow the customer to decide how he or she takes that digital journey with you, but starting that digital journey is a must,” she added.