BizBuzz BizBuzz October 2023 | Page 37

NAVIGATING THE WATERS TO BUSINESS SUCCESS
IT IS SAID THAT SUCCESS IS NO ACCIDENT , AND FOR ENTREPRENEURS WHO PLOT THE RIGHT DESTINATION AND NAVIGATE THEIR “ SEAS ” STRATEGICALLY , VICTORY IS SEALED . ONE NAVIGATION INSTRUMENT THAT SUCCESSFUL COMPANIES SHOULD USE , IS FOCUSING ON DELIVERING CUSTOMER VALUE AT THEIR CORE . WHEN LEADERS FOCUS ON CUSTOMER VALUE AS A CORE STRATEGY , DELIVERED ACROSS THEIR PRODUCTS , SERVICES , OPERATIONS AND PEOPLE , THEY ENSURE HAPPY , SATISFIED CUSTOMERS .
TWO ENTREPRENEURS , WARREN BONHEIM AND FRANK MULLEN , THE FOUNDERS OF ZINIA , AN ESTABLISHED IT COMPANY AND MANAGED SERVICES PROVIDER ( MSP ), HAVE FOR OVER A DECADE APPLIED THEIR BUSINESS ACUMEN TO NAVIGATE THE TOUGH WATERS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN LANDSCAPE .
FROM THEIR EARLY DAYS IN BUSINESS WITH A SMALL CUSTOMER BASE TO TODAY WHERE MANY MID-SIZED AND CORPORATE COMPANIES TRUST THEM , THEIR FOCUS ON CUSTOMER VALUE CREATION , BRANDING , AND INVESTMENT IN TECHNOLOGY FOR OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCY , CONTRIBUTED TO THEIR SUCCESS .
WARREN AS THE MANAGING DIRECTOR OF ZINIA SHARES THEIR LEARNINGS AND PROVIDES INSIGHTS FOR LEADERS TO NAVIGATE THE CHOPPY WATERS OF BUSINESS TO LONG-TERM SUCCESS .
FOCUS ON DELIVERING CUSTOMER VALUE FROM THE OUTSET WE KNEW THAT THE CUSTOMER HAD TO BE AT THE HEART OF OUR BUSINESS . HOW DO WE DELIVER VALUE NOT JUST IN TERMS OF THE PRODUCT BUT THE ENTIRE VALUE CHAIN OF THE BUSINESS ? IT IS IMPORTANT FOR BUSINESSES TO ENHANCE THE INTERSECTION POINTS BETWEEN THEIR CUSTOMERS AND THE BUSINESS . HOW CAN THEY MAKE IT EASIER , FASTER , BETTER WHEN DOING BUSINESS WITH THEM ?
WHEN WE STARTED IN 2009 WE UNDERSTOOD THE PAIN POINTS OF COMPANIES , AND TACKLING THESE ISSUES BECAME OUR PRIORITY , AND OFCOURSE DELIVERING OUR PRODUCTS AND SERVICES SEAMLESSLY , SIMPLY , AND QUICKLY .
A CUSTOMER VALUE STRATEGY CAN BECOME ONE OF YOUR KEY DIFFERENTIATORS IN A CUT- THROAT INDUSTRY .
IN OUR EXPERIENCE , AN UNWAVERING DEDICATION TO A VALUE PROPOSITION THAT PUTS A CUSTOMER ’ S POSITIVE EXPERIENCE WITH YOUR BRAND ABOVE ALL ELSE , IS THE KEY TO SUCCESS .
THIS APPROACH SET US APART WHEN WE ARE UP AGAINST LARGER COMPANIES , GIVING US AN EDGE AND REINFORCING WHY CUSTOMERS SHOULD DO BUSINESS WITH US . LEADING WITH THE CUSTOMER NEED AND CREATING EVERYTHING TO SUPPORT THIS IS A GREAT BUSINESS STRATEGY .