very humbled when one of the new startups asked me to sample one of their products and give a review . Needless to say , I made a big deal out of this ask by letting everyone in my life know that I was now an influencer - which was obviously a joke .
What I admired the most about this upcoming entrepreneur , is the fact that she took a huge gamble by selecting a few of us ( who are not influencers , celebrities or household names ) to try out her new products and later on share with others on our social media pages .
Her approach , from the request on whether we would mind trying out her products , to the delivery and the after service was all so seamlessly done that we all made our orders , a few days after the sampling . From our own shared experiences and recommendations , she gained a few clients , which she says has had a ripple effect on the growth of her business .
Her business may be new but as an entrepreneur , she has taken time to understand the importance of not just offering but investing in quality service
to all her clients . Frankly speaking , we can only wish her nothing but the very best .
A popular grocery store in Nairobi has clearly understood that some benefits outweigh the risks they must take in order to remain afloat . If I can shop for my vegetables , enjoy my fruit juice or a cup of coffee and while at it , grab my bottle of wine , all under one roof , then that really gives me the consumer convenience I need . It also saves me a lot of time .
For all that to have happened , for them to ensure that they not only just provided additional services but also maintained the quality of service delivery to all their customers , they had to invest in renovations at a time when many would rather not . It was a risk I believe they had to take . And this just goes to show that the pandemic has truly necessitated businesses making drastic changes and looking for opportunities that will see them survive , way after this crisis is over .
Look for what I believe is the silver lining amidst very unprecedented times we all find ourselves in . As the experts keep saying it is impossible to plan the next six months let alone one year . No one knows how the consumers will behave post-covid or what the business environment will be like , but businesses and organizations must use this time to make desired improvements , however small , with retention of their customers in mind and not so much the growth of the business .
While not many businesses will report growth this year , it is a great time to take stock of every key aspect of your business . We still hope to sing along to the Bee Gees song ;
Well now , I get low and I get high And if I can ' t get either , I really try Got the wings of Heaven on my shoes I ' m a dancin ' man and I just can ' t lose You know it ' s alright , it ' s okay I ' ll live to see another day We can try to understand The New York Times ' effect on man
Lorraine Kirigia is a Personal Network Analyst . You can commune with her on this or related issues vide email at : LKirigia @ gmail . com . `