Kenyan companies yet to fully adopt digital media

Using social media. Most Kenyan organisations are currently using social media just for customer care as opposed to driving sales. PHOTO/CYRIL NDEGEYA

What you need to know:

  • Kenyan organisations use digital media mostly for customer care as opposed to driving sales.
  • Socionomics recognises the power of society in improving sales for an organisation.
  • Most Kenyan organisations are currently using social media just for customer care.
  • Suggestion boxes previously used for generating feedback should be a thing of the past

Digital media has not been adopted fully in Kenya as most corporates are still concentrating on growing profits through conventional ways.

According to the organisers of the inaugural Kenya Digital Media Bootcamp, Kenyan organisations are slowly adopting digital media and use it mostly for customer care as opposed to driving sales.

The Bootcamp is taking place from July 24 to July 25, 2014 at the United States International University (USIU) Africa.

Uvyu Mbole of the USIU Alumni Association which is part of the Bootcamp sponsors says companies that wish to have an edge over others need to adopt digital media.

“Socionomics is the fifth level of engaging in business that ought to be adopted for more business,” he added.

The socionomics concept was introduced by digital guru Erik Qualman and it aims at transforming everyday life and business interaction.

POWER OF SOCIETY

It recognises the power of the society through people’s interaction to recommend products and aid in improving sales for an organisation.

“Marketing can now be done on social media where new brands are introduced to the market and feedback obtained and then used to make the brands satisfactory to the customers,” adds Mbole.

The USIU Africa Alumni includes entrepreneurs who have started sustainable businesses and, as part of the sponsors, have a discounted package for the alumni association members.

“We are hoping to give an edge to our alumni above other business people and encourage them to adopt digital media in their businesses for improved interaction with customers that translates to better profits,” said Mbole.

Erik Qualman who is the author of Socionomics will be the speaker in the two day digital Bootcamp and will later guide the attendees through their digital media start-ups through two different webinars.

In his many talks, the bestselling author has always laid emphasis on companies optimising their use of digital media to drive profits.

MORE THAN GENERATING FEEDBACK

Mr Mbole says that most Kenyan organisations are currently using social media just for customer care yet it can do more than just generate feedback.

“There is the society and then there is the economy, both of which are integral for good business. To strike a balance one needs to incorporate both. You lose one then you will end up closing shop. That is the power of social media,” he adds.

For him, suggestion boxes previously used for generating feedback should be a thing of the past as companies adopt social media for real time feedback.

Erik Qualman has recently given international keynote addresses to companies like IBM, Facebook, Small Business League, Raytheon, Chrysler, Montblanc, TEDx, Polo, Nokia, Google and AutoTrader among others.

In one of his quotes, Qualman illustrates the importance of social media saying, “The return on investment (ROI) of social media is that your business will still exist in 5 years.”

The Nairobi Bootcamp’s registration is on-going at the event’s website where attendees will pay Sh80,000 for the two days including a signed copy of Qualman’s Socionomics and go through two online seminars after the camp.