In these difficult times, how does a company adapt and enhance their digital customer experience? The starting point is to embrace change.
It is not business as usual and one cannot expect it to be. A re-evaluation of our customer’s journey and their experience is required, with a view of building agility to respond to a dynamic crisis (which may span months or years).
First and foremost, re-evaluating this customer experience requires the right tools. At Nimble, we have harnessed our voice analytics tool, Nexidia Analytics, to understand our customers’ sentiment and particularly the challenges debtors are experiencing during this lockdown period. Combining this insight with data from consumer surveys has helped us to confidently re-evaluate the customer journey in a
COVID-19 world. Based on our customers’ unique circumstances we are able to tailor suitable repayment solutions that benefit them.
During the COVID-19 lockdown, physical movement has been severely restricted. Post lockdown, social distancing will become the norm.
When stores reopen, the world of bricks and mortar may be fundamentally different. This means the avoidance of physical customer channels is likely to persist after lockdown.
This leads to Nimble prioritizing digital channels, such as WhatsApp, our mobile app – NimblePay, and Nimble Forms as alternative collection platforms. This wide array of online payment methods accommodates our customers’ changing needs. It allows us to offer both convenience and safety to our customers who would otherwise fear infection, and avoid engagement with us altogether. More and more we are seeing that our customers are growing comfortable with digital, remote, and low-touch options, even in rural and older populations.
However, convincing a customer to spend money on debt repayment, and getting them through a metaphorical digital door, will remain a key challenge. Limited financial resources will remain a concern for customers who may be unemployed or face unemployment. This demands two things: Convincing a consumer that debt repayment is an important part of their discretionary budget, and that it’s in their
best interest.
It requires marketing messaging that is convincing and tailored to a debtor’s circumstances. We have overhauled our SMS, Email, and Facebook marketing campaigns to take into account COVID-19. The surge in online engagement currently underway offers an opportunity to tap into insights from social media and our two-way communication platforms to rapidly understand consumer sentiment and develop new plans and offers for our customers. We have been able to offer immediate debt relief to cash-stricken customers and provide unique financial literacy to emphasize the benefits of repayment for our financially strained consumers.
Customer experience has taken on a new definition and dimension in the overwhelming challenge of COVID-19. It has led to an overall emphasis on ‘digital mass customization’, and a focus on understanding who the customer is and how we might better serve them digitally.
As a business, we believe it is those who care enough to ask, and then innovate to respond during this crisis, and anticipate how customers will change their habits, who will build stronger relationships that will endure well beyond the crisis’ passing.
Written by: Swati Safeda, Chief Digital Officer
WhatsApp: +27 (872) 406-623
St Agnes is a public school situated in Woodstock, Cape Town.
Nimble Group actively supports St Agnes Primary School through the Partners for Possibility programme. We dedicate resources to a variety of initiatives aimed at creating an enhanced learning and recreational space, enriched student experience, and optimized day-to-day running of school operations.
Computer room upgrade Our dedicated team of IT technicians has upgraded the school’s IT hardware and software, creating a more user-friendly and modern environment for students and teachers using the computer room daily.
Playground painting and revitalization
Our enthusiastic volunteers devoted their time to painting vibrant murals and interactive games on the walls and paved areas of the playground.
Enriched student experience
Nimble strives to continuously improve the student experience by celebrating academic excellence, sponsoring prize-giving events, and more.
Day-to-day operational support
We also contribute to the school’s operational efficiency by offering administrative support and providing access to Nimble’s HR and Finance functions.
Nimble Group has taken the initiative to establish an Early Childhood Development Centre, which began operating in January 2019 in Woodstock, Cape Town. The centre operates under the guidance of Peak child, and while accessible to the public, primarily serves as a subsidized preschool for the children of Nimble staff.
Peak Child aims to equip children with the best possible foundation for life by providing affordable, high-quality preschools in close proximity to workplaces, catering to the needs of emerging middle-class parents. Since its inception, Peak Child has focused on collaborating with socially responsible employers to support their staff beyond conventional employee benefits.
Peak Child offers comprehensive programmes for children aged 3 months to 5 years. Through partnerships with prominent educational experts and local primary schools they ensure that children transitioning from Peak Child are socially, academically, and physically prepared for admission to any of Cape Town’s leading primary schools. Peak Child currently operates three schools, including Peak Child Nimble.
Nimble has made a significant investment in this project, with plans to replicate this model close to its Johannesburg offices.
The Altius Et Latius Trust is a school education initiative aimed at providing bursaries to historically disadvantaged students, enabling their attendance at top schools in Cape Town.
The primary goal of the trust is to promote equitable access to high-quality public education, fostering lasting transformation. Their objective is to support fifty talented learners in gaining admission to high-performing schools.
Nimble Group continually makes a substantial impact on this crucial initiative by providing essential resources for additional student support, such as tutoring, funding for school events or excursions, sporting equipment and more.
