Tag Archive for 'Kenya Institute of Management'

Is your business ready for the mobile web?

Published on November 30, 2009 in Uncategorized. 5 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , , .

In the month of October 2009, I had the opportunity to attend the inaugural Mobile Web Africa Conference in Johannesburg, South Africa. The two day event proved to be a real eye opener in terms of what is possible on the mobile web and how much ahead South Africa is. However, mentions of Kenya as a leading mobile web country in Africa kept coming up which got me thinking – are businesses in Kenya ready for the mobile web? From what I can tell, and to be honest, I highly doubt it. Most of the web sites in Kenya tend to be designed for the PC Web, let alone the mobile web. However, the reality is that according to a recent article in one of the daily papers, up to 45% of Kenya’s 4 million odd Internet users go online via their mobile phone.

The uptake of the mobile web in Kenya is quite extraordinary in terms of growth. In the last 6 months, I have been monitoring the trends and there are some spectacular patterns. For instance, in the August 2009 State of the Mobile Web Report (SMW) by Opera Software (who make the hugely popular Opera Mini web browser for mobile phones) it is expected that Kenya is projected to enter the top 10 global country list from its current position of 14 within the next few months. In an earlier Opera SMW report from April 2009, It was also found that Opera Mini users in Kenya have the highest number of page views per month of any country in Africa at 372 – this number has probably since increased. In the same report, Kenya’s page views growth between April 2008/9 was 572.6% and unique user growth for the same period was 146.4%

Other interesting statistics that I picked up from the Mobile Web Africa Conference came from a BBC representative. Apparently, the highest amount of traffic that the BBC receives for their mobile news and sports web sites comes from Africa. The order of ranking in this respect is Nigeria first, followed by Kenya, and then South Africa – very telling indeed! As a result, the BBC plans to launch Kiswahili versions of these mobile web sites in the very near future. In another report from the Communications Commission of Kenya (CCK) approximately 200,000 mobile internet subscribers we’re signed up between the months of March and June 2009.  Safaricom also recently announced its half year financial results whereby 18% of its Kes. 40 billion revenues came from data services including Internet, SMS and M-Pesa.

The statistics speak for themselves. The mobile web should indeed be a very big deal for businesses in Kenya. However, as it turns out, most of the top mobile web sites being accessed are the usual suspects like Google, Facebook and Twitter. The truth of the matter is that there is very little popular local content on the Kenyan mobile web with the exception of local mobile variants of the Daily Nation (mobile.nation.co.ke) and the East African Standard (www.eastandard.net/m). Some of the pioneers on the Kenyan mobile web include Kenya Airways (www.kqwap.com), Silverbird Cinemas (m.silverbird.co.ke), and CFC Stanbic Bank (www.cfcstanbicbank.mobi). There are probably a good number more but its clearly early days with very little information on how many Kenyan mobile web sites exist.

So, the big question is if you want to get in on the mobile web as a business, how exactly do you do it? Its clearly a large market opportunity but the rules are quite different from the PC Web or other media marketing channels. In most of the developing world, most users of the Internet have their first Internet experience via a mobile phone. It also ends up being the only “screen” that they will ever use to get online. However, the mobile phone is incredibly powerful from a marketing and service delivery point of view since its the one device that we always have with us, all the time. In fact, a few months ago, the mobile phone surpassed the FM radio to become the most ubiquitous electronic communications device in the world.

In a mobile web world, the biggest challenges are screen size and content. In terms of screen size, most mobile phones have small screens which requires that your mobile web site has to be optimized so as to render effectively to the end-user. This typically involves stripping down a web site to its basic essentials so that most of the content is text based and has small bandwidth efficient graphics. Also due to screen size, mobile web sites usually will have a menu or navigation that has significantly fewer options and sub-pages, compared to a PC web site. A key driver in this respect is giving your users only content that would be relevant to a  mobile web user. Its highly unlikely that a visitor to your web site will have the patience to pore over voluminous content in their mobile phone like they would do on the PC web.

The following are the some steps you can follow in developing a mobile web site that will generate business and improve service delivery to your current and prospective customers:

  • Have a mobile web strategy, first – there is no point in building a business mobile web site just for the sake of having one. The most important reason should be that you have a mobile web strategy that will result in business benefits, and a compelling value proposition for its users. This could anything from delivering office branch locations, special daily offers, downloadable ringtones and anything else that you think your customers would want from the mobile web site.
  • Update content, regularly – the mobile web is the real-time web. This is due to the nature of the mobile phone, which is always with you, day and night. On the mobile web, users get online at any time and for any reason. For this very reason, its absolutely essential that your mobile web site content is updated quite regularly or you will lose traffic. This is probably best exemplified by the fact social networks like Twitter and Facebook are some of the most popular mobile web sites in Kenya due to the highly dynamic nature of their content.
  • Keep it simple, really simple – On the mobile web, less is more, really! Its very very important to keep your content and services on the mobile web as simple as possible. A mobile web site has to render effectively on a basic Nokia model or the latest Apple iPhone so the spectrum is very broad indeed. Its important to work with the lowest common denominator – the most basic web-enabled mobile phones should be able to work with your mobile web site.
  • Context, context and more context – Who are you targeting with your mobile web site? What do they expect from your mobile web site? Why will they keep coming back to your mobile web site? What do they do and where do they come from? Its all about context, know thy customer! Better yet, ask them what they would want from your mobile web site before you build it!

This article was first published in the December 2009/January 2010 edition of Management Magazine, a monthly publication from the Kenya Institute of Management.

How To Build A World-Class Business Web Site.

Published on October 6, 2009 in Uncategorized. 2 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , , , .

Building a world-class business web site is no mean feat. In fact, it could be said to be rocket science when you consider all the variables and disciplines that have to be engaged to build a truly engaging and world-class business web site. Building a web site can be one of the most frustrating and arduous tasks today within a highly competitive and global marketplace. How can you ensure that you have a web site that is visually stunning, branded, marketed, dynamic and interactive? Unfortunately, on many occasions in Africa, web sites are usually treated as a non-strategic exercise, best left in the hands of ICT and Marketing  departments. There is also a trend whereby web sites in Africa tend to be “out of sync” with other traditional marketing and communications used by the enterprise. Its also not uncommon that these web sites are neglected once launched, thereafter displaying content that can be months or years out of date.

So, if you want to build a world-class business web site based on today’s trends and best practices, what is required? As mentioned earlier, there are indeed many variables and one size does not fit all. Each organization has unique requirements when it comes to developing a web site. The most critical factor is to begin with the end in mind and ensure that the core business strategies support and drive the web strategies. This is indeed the starting point and requires the most senior levels of executive management to participate. Its by asking the hard questions and ensuring executive commitment that a web strategy can be formulated. The web strategy should be business-driven with objectives such as growing sales, building brand, improving customer service or streamlining processes.

Once a web strategy has been defined, then the specific tactics to be employed can be reviewed. In building today’s world-class business web site, there are a myriad of possibilities. However, content should be top of mind as this will drive what goes onto the web site. This is more than simply re-purposing company profiles, brochures or media content. Its about generating and editing content that will be specifically targeted to the different people you expect to visit your web site. These segments could include customers, investors, distributors, retailers, suppliers, the general public, students, etc. Each user group has different needs and as such content needs to be developed accordingly. If a content strategy is not ;well defined at the very start then the web site will fail to “click” with the target user groups.

The next step is identifying strategic partners who will be required to execute the web site. This requires establishing the competencies and skill sets within a firm or a consortia of firms who can deliver on the requirements. This is not easy as building a world-class business web site is a multi-disciplinary exercise that may require business strategists, programmers, information architects, copywriters, creative designers, photographers, illustrators, animators, producers, internet marketers, etc to all work together. Its best to use case studies and client references to identify the firm or consortia who can deliver on the requirements.

What follows is defining the scope of work. This includes specifics such as branding, content development, internet marketing, back-end technologies, etc. The scope of work will determine the time line for the web site’s execution, which is best mapped to a project schedule which clearly defines all deliverables, tasks, and responsibilities. A key factor for success is that inputs are received in time, in the right quality, and the right quantity. Another major factor is that of scope creep where a web site project starts with certain agreed outcomes that then change as the project progresses, as a result of “new ideas”. Scope creep is often due to the intangible and flexible nature of the Internet medium. You never really complete a web site -  its always  work in progress.

Once a web site is built, there are two final issues that need to be addressed. The first is that of internet marketing. A web site can be built flawlessly but it needs to have an audience to generate value for your organization. In order to do so, one has to develop and execute an internet marketing program that would realize maximum visibility with target groups. This can include search engine optimization, social media such as Facebook and Blogs, display ads on popular domestic or regional media web sites, pay-per-click ads such as Google Adwords, etc. Internet marketing can be highly targeted using keywords, geographical target, demographic targeting, etc so as to achieve a maximum return on investment (ROI).

The second often overlooked issue once a web site is ready is that of content management. A web site is meant to be highly dynamic and current. This requires either a dedicated resource within the enterprise or a third-party to manage content on the web site. The most practical way to do so is using a content management system or CMS for short. A CMS is basically a software that is used to build web sites as well as manage their content in user-friendly manner without having to acquire highly technical skills. A good CMS also forms the foundation of a scalable web site since it can be extended to incorporate additional functionality later on such as blogs, email marketing, e-commerce, discussion forums, etc.

This article I wrote was first published in the October 2009 edition of Management Magazine, a monthly publication from the Kenya Institute of Management.

5 Reasons Why Every Organization Needs A Corporate Blog.

Published on October 6, 2009 in Uncategorized. 1 Comment Tags: , , , , , , , , .

The main purpose of a corporate blog is that is provides a direct and less formal communication for the organization with its current and prospective stakeholders. Corporate blogs also create the impression that your organization is open and responsive. Here are five reasons why corporate blogging for any organization is a great idea:

  • Expert Positioning – Many popular blogs are the ones where the blogger is an expert on the topics he/she writes about. This is a specific niche in which the blogger has a wealth of knowledge. Therefore, a corporate blog can be used to communicate expert advice and industry information on specific topics.
  • Corporate Social Responsibility – A blog can be used to highlight the corporate social responsibility activities within your organization. This demonstrates that your organization is conducting business in a responsible and community supporting manner.
  • Reputation Management – It is possible for anyone to post positive or negative comments about your organization online. A corporate blog acts as an avenue for your organization to manage its reputation online by being able to respond accordingly.
  • Conversations – Blogs, by their very nature, are interactive. Bloggers make posts and readers make comments. Therefore, blogger and reader become part of a conversation. For the corporate blog, its a powerful opportunity for all stakeholders to communicate directly with each other.
  • Marketing – A blog can be used as a marketing or brand building channel. More specifically, many corporate blogs are connected to social media such as facebook and twitter and as such content from the blog is syndicated to them. This in turn creates a marketing outlet for your organization with stakeholders.

These tips were first published in the October 2009 edition of Management Magazine, a monthly publication from the Kenya Institute of Management.

Emerging ICT Business Opportunities in Kenya.

Published on September 9, 2009 in Uncategorized. 1 Comment Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , .

The following is an article I wrote that was published in the September 2009 edition of the Kenya Institute of Management’s (KIM) Magazine, Management, as a special feature:

By all considerations, 2009 has been a remarkable year for Information and Communications Technologies (ICT) in Kenya. The first game changer of the was the controversial signing of the Kenya ICT Bill into Law earlier this year. This action received a lot of negative publicity from the Media fraternity due to some of the negative measures it presented. However, from an ICT perspective, there we’re several important and highly beneficial breakthroughs in the same. Nevertheless, these breakthroughs are yet to be fully realized due to the challenges faced in actually operationalizing them.

The first major development in the ICT Bill is that it accommodates the possibility of E-Commerce in Kenya. More specifically, the Bill provides Kenyan Banks with the legal framework to start offering E-Commerce services in Kenya. E-Commerce is a key aspect of Kenya achieving its full socioeconomic potential and will enable companies, small and large, to market and sell their services via the Internet, in Kenya and beyond. The second major aspect of the ICT Bill is that of email being legally binding for electronic communications and transactions, meaning that it is now admissible in court. And, lastly, the Bill provides for electronic signatures which can be used to digitally sign documents and transactions. This will enable all sorts of possibilities such as customers signing up for services online with out necessarily having to sign hard copy documents. All of these developments will basically create an electronic business environment in Kenya which has lagged so far behind the rest of the world for the better part of a decade. Globally, E-Commerce represents a massive market that is worth trillions of dollars across a broad range of sectors and industries – the ICT Bill enables Kenya to become a part of this opportunity.

The second ICT game changer for business of the year has been the landing of both SEACOM and TEAMS high speed under sea cables. In the month of July 2009, SEACOM went live in several African Countries including Kenya. Already, we can see that our Internet connectivity has at least doubled in speed even if the costs have remained largely unchanged at both the retail and business consumer levels. Going forward, when the TEAMS cable goes live later this year, and the EASSY cable goes live next year, Kenya will have an abundance of high speed internet connectivity to the  rest of the world. It is already being speculated that Internet costs will drop by as much as 70% in due course. In a nutshell, it means that the Internet will become a highly commoditized utility throughout Kenya. This presents a number of obvious and not so obvious opportunities from a business perspective.

The first industry that is expected to benefit from the high speed cables most is that of Business Process Outsourcing (BPO). Global BPO is a multi-billion dollar industry that is largely dominated by countries such as India, The Philippines and China. Hithero, Kenya has been unable to compete effectively due to the high costs and low quality of satellite-based communications, even though Kenya has a large population of highly educated graduates who could be absorbed into this Industry. However, the low costs of communications that the high speed cables will create will level the playing field for businesses operating in BPO. This is an essential development especially for call centers, data transcription and other BPO businesses that require fast and high quality communication linkages.

The high speed cables will also create opportunities for those businesses and individuals who want to enter Knowledge Process Outsourcing (KPO). KPO is different from BPO as it represents high level services that outsourced such as accounting, legal services, medicine, data analysis, software programming, web site design, architecture, engineering, etc all that can be offered virtually to a global client base. This means that rather than looking for jobs or customers in Kenya alone, businesses and individuals will be able to market and deliver their offerings to a global customer-base, online. This is possible due the fact that large data uploads and downloads will be cost-effective and efficient as a result of the high speed cables. It also means that teleconferencing and video conferencing with customers globally at near-free costs will be a reality, enabling a Kenyan service provider to interact with customers online, as if they we’re in the same room.

From an organizational perspective, the high speed cables mean that businesses will no longer have to fly staff to expensive conferences, workshops or seminars since they can “virtually” attend the same through the Internet. The cost savings of this possibility alone are mind boggling, especially in this day and age where organizations have to think about operating at an optimal level and maintaining a “green” approach to their business processes, with a minimal carbon footprint.

Another transformational aspect of the high speed cables will be in the area of service delivery from a public and private sector perspective. It will become possible to cost-effectively deliver services to a mass market through the Internet. It will be easy to facilitate the development and distribution of lots of content to a market that will be largely online. Business models that have operated up to this point effectively will be disrupted by the advent of high speed Internet access, anywhere and everywhere.

Lastly, from a consumer perspective, the very idea of content consumption and distribution will change. The idea of streaming real-time radio or tv on a mobile phone will result in a whole new range of media business possibilities. The non-stop high-speed Internet access will create all sorts of consumer content choices and preferences. The masses will be become a truly one-to-one marketplace for brands across the board. The consumer we know today will indeed look quite different in the days to come. The consumer will also become a major part of content development and distribution. It will definitely not be business as usual.

Dotsavvy wins KABA Youth Entrepreneur Award.

Published on October 26, 2008 in random. 4 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , .

KABA

Dotsavvy wins the KIM KABA Youth Entrepreneur Award

This past Friday the 24th October 2008 at the inaugural Kenya Institute of Management’s (KIM) Kenya Annual Business Awards (KABA) Gala Night, Dotsavvy’s co-founders’ Robert Koech and I jointly won the best youth entrepreneur of the year award. This special category award recognizes young entrepreneurs who have managed to build a successful small and medium sized enterprise (SME) in Kenya. The award also came with a generous cash prize donated by the Chandaria Foundation in Kenya. KABA was set-up by KIM as an initiative to recognize well-run and successful SME’s throughout Kenya.

Dotsavvy\'s Moses Kemibaro receives cash prize from the Chandaria Foundation at the KIM KABA Awards

The KABA award is undoubtedly a key milestone for us since its the most significant recognition to-date that we have ever received for our work at Dotsavvy. This would not have been possible without our fantastic team, our families, clients, strategic partners and other supporters who have been by our side all the way through thick and thin. Thank you all and we will endeavour to reach even higher heights for Dotsavvy in the coming years.