Impeccable customer experience is the key to the success of any business, regardless of the industry.
The 2022 international customer service week was themed Around Customer Centricity, which was informed by future analytics. This was undoubtedly more than mere hype. The banking sector has witnessed a renewed focus on understanding members’ needs and providing solutions that fit their requirements. SACCOs have not been left behind.
The concern, therefore, is how Saccos can increase revenue and improve customer satisfaction without necessarily having to invest heavily in new systems.
Taking advantage of simple, innovative and secure products is the most effective way to achieve the two. We sample some of the affordable yet innovative products :
The statement “happy employees equal happy customers” cannot be further from the truth. How can you achieve this better than by making work easier for your team? This is easily doable by providing the best tools to facilitate efficiency in customer-service delivery.
 Among the easy, cost-effective ways of achieving this is by upgrading an older ERP system to a more versatile, even web-based ERP that allows your Sacco staff to work conveniently.
A system that serves members quickly and accurately will likely improve customer satisfaction and boost revenue through increased productivity.
Giving customers more accessible access to services 24/7 without filling out physical forms or queues will skyrocket the Sacco ahead of any competition. Driven by an understanding of the challenges encountered by our customers, we have developed the solution so that members receive funds directly to their mobile accounts vis a vis having to withdraw from Sacco first.
 The e-loan product gives your members access to emergency loans, whose limit parameters are determined and set by Sacco. This guarantees the expansion of your loan book as members do not have to run to digital lenders for emergency loans and increases revenue through interest.
The Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD) is a communication protocol for mobile phones. Using USSD code lets your members access web-based services without installing a mobile app. When customized to cover the functionalities needed by individual saccos, this solution can boost revenue for Sacco as customers can access critical functions such as Cash deposits, withdrawals, subscriptions, etc., without necessarily visiting the Sacco offices. The convenience of this product is that it is accessible to customers using feature phones.
A web-based interactive portal where both members can view not only statements but also access important information necessary to appraise loans anytime and anywhere in the world
Saccos can retain hard-earned savings through defaults. The risk can be significantly reduced through IPRS integration that verifies the KYC details of a borrower as well as CRB integration that provide credit score and loan appetite reports. If these solutions are integrated into the CBS, customer service delivery will be faster and more effective.Â
The easy way to operate a branchless Sacco whilst providing excellent service to members who are away from Sacco is through agency banking. Customers receive the same services they would have gotten from the branch, only this time. The benefits come to them through an agent.Â
SMS communication is the fastest and cheapest way to communicate with customers. When correctly integrated, saccos can automatically send notifications of transactions to customers, reminders and even corporate communication of upcoming events.
In summary, knowing your Sacco members, understanding their needs and making services readily available is the key to improving their experience and increasing SACCO revenues through retention and consumption.
