Reflections
Emotional Connection In Brand Building
By Fawzia Ali-Kimanthi
On 24th October 2024, 5am, teams across the country were getting ready to celebrate 24 years of Safaricom with the customers in the market. The celebration was simultaneously taking place across the country. I was at the airport waiting for the flight to Mombasa. I met colleagues who were traveling to Eldoret and Kisumu. Other colleagues were on the road to Nakuru, Machakos, Nanyuki, Thika and other areas across the country. The 6000 strong army of Safaricom employees were going to spend the day in the market engaging with our customers to say Asante for 24 years.
We paid fare for our customers using public transport, we gifted customers in the shops food hampers, we fueled for boda boda riders, we visited children’ s homes and spent time with the children, we opened customer care centres with the aim of bringing service closer to the customers. Our partner dealers joined us as we engaged our customers. As it was a celebration, cake was eaten. As we continue to digitize our customers, we gifted a few with smartphones and many more with airtime. We received a warm reception from our customers who were keen to engage and participate in the celebrations with us.
I remember a customer in Mwembe Tayari who told us that he had been a trader in the market for the last 40 years. He had been with Safaricom since the year 2000. Customers shared stories of how Safaricom had transformed their lives. The customer stories were powerful reminders of the impact we have in society and the responsibility we have to continue to serve our customers.
In a recent brand conversation, one of the presenters, made a powerful statement- customers do not buy brands they join brands. I found this profound. And it is true. Customers are evolving and becoming more discerning. They are looking for brands that understand them and enable their ambitions. Customers are raising the bar on service expectations. They are more demanding that brands be more transparent and accountable.
Brands have to transform to meet these evolving needs of customers. Brands have to transition from being organizations that provide services to organization to brands that aim to deliver holistic experiences that live in the hearts of customers.
Customers are evolving and becoming more discerning. They are looking for brands that understand them and enable their ambitions. Customers are raising the bar on service expectations. They are more demanding that brands be more transparent and accountable.
So how can brands do this? Reward Loyalty
Brands grow and thrive because of the loyalty of the customers they serve. Rewarding and recognizing these customers is therefore essential in building emotional connection. With Safaricom @ 24 and Sambaza Furaha na Safaricom Hii Krisi, we did exactly that. We gave our customers devices, airtime, great offers on products and services. As we drew near the holiday season, we thanked our customers and rewarded them with chicken and goats. We used song and dance as a great connector, using the platform to educate and engage our customers. The pure joy on their faces when they received these gifts was heartwarming.
Our loyalty scheme, Bonga is another platform that rewards our customers. For every shilling spend on our network they receive points that can be redeemed for connectivity products and beyond. I listened to a friend the other day saying how she was so happy that she was able to use her bonga points to buy her mother her monthly medication. Another told me he could not believe that he could fuel his car with bonga. Last month as I was shopping in Quickmart and I was able to pay for part of my bills with the loyalty points. When my son needed an upgrade on a flight, we were able to use his miles. All these benefits build a great emotional connection and affinity to brands.
Show Empathy And Care
With over 30m monthly active customers, bringing services closer to the customers is a key way of demonstrating empathy and care. Safaricom has invested in a
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