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  • Business
    Small-scale farmers and livestock SMMEs in the North West are calling for urgent action to safeguard their businesses and livelihoods, after years of grappling with escalating crime and inadequate support.

    SMEs call for solutions as crime wave bites

    Eskom Development Foundation CEO, Cecil Ramonotsi

    Eskom’s business connect powers up SMEs

    Cranes operating amid backlog at Durban port, exporters say equipment bottlenecks are contributing to delays

    SMEs hit hard as Durban port congestion worsens

    According to industry estimates, ASM contributes R30–40 billion annually to the economy, yet most of this activity remains undocumented.

    Small scale miners await outcome of new mining bill

    Village tea crafters head to world’s largest food trade fair

    Banana farmers face a growing threat from Banana Bunchy Top Virus in Kwa Zulu-Natal

    Banana Bunchy Top Virus threatens farmers and jobs

    The commitments made at the recent G20 Tourism Ministers’ Meeting in
Mpumalanga could open new opportunities for tourism SMMEs in Southern Africa,
according to entrepreneurs in neighbouring Eswatini.

    Eswatini tourism SMEs eye G20 opportunities

    South Africa's first-ever G20 Tourism Hackathon Challenge has put the spotlight on
how technology can transform the country's tourism landscape and, crucially, how it
could open new doors for small businesses in rural and underrepresented
communities

    Youth tourism tech innovations hold promise for small businesses

    Itumeleng Seleke, CEO and operations manager of Nomusa BNB (Pty) Ltd in
Richards Bay, said the government’s push on destination marketing offers a chance
to diversify offerings and attract more visitors.

    Tourism plan brings fresh hope for small businesses

    City of Tshwane Mayor Dr Nasiphi Moya

    Tshwane turns empty properties into SME hubs

  • Agriculture
    Small-scale farmers and livestock SMMEs in the North West are calling for urgent action to safeguard their businesses and livelihoods, after years of grappling with escalating crime and inadequate support.

    SMEs call for solutions as crime wave bites

    According to industry estimates, ASM contributes R30–40 billion annually to the economy, yet most of this activity remains undocumented.

    Small scale miners await outcome of new mining bill

    Village tea crafters head to world’s largest food trade fair

    Banana farmers face a growing threat from Banana Bunchy Top Virus in Kwa Zulu-Natal

    Banana Bunchy Top Virus threatens farmers and jobs

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    Township bakeries face ruin as wheat prices soar

    South Africa and Brazil have signed a landmark Memorandum of Intent to boost agricultural cooperation.

    South Africa and Brazil partner to strengthen agriculture

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    Small scale fishing permit holders are struggling against undocumented competitors. Photo. Mukurukuru Media

    Illegal fishing threatens livelihoods of documented fishers

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    Innovators in race for $100,000 Mandela Rhodes Foundation prize

    Daveyton-born entrepreneur Kagiso Ranyawa has transformed steel drums into mobile handwashing stations

    Entrepreneur finds hygiene solution in steel drums

    Tshima Bricks is helping rural based folk to access bricks that are adaptable to their areas.

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    Varsity student Owethu Ndzabe has opened a car wash

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  • Finance
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    SA pushes for global SME compact at G20

    DTIC Minister Parks Tau is inviting business people and related stakeholders to submit their views on proposed new draft regulations. Photo. DTIC

    Proposed changes to credit regulations target SMEs

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    Gauteng’s budget offers strategic investment in SMEs

    South African National Parks, in partnership with Sanlam, offers an interest-free loan program at Table Mountain in Cape Town. Photo: Facebook.

    More businesses to benefit from SANParks loan deal

    Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana

    R402 billion budget could open doors for construction SMEs

    Small Business Finance Development Agency has helped an entrepreneur to secure funding to invest in a filling station. Pic: Shell

    Franchise funding for entrepreneurs

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    Limpopo Budget: hope for small businesses

    GEP deputy chairperson Phosane Mngqibisa

    Gauteng increases support for small businesses to access funds

  • Tourism
    The commitments made at the recent G20 Tourism Ministers’ Meeting in
Mpumalanga could open new opportunities for tourism SMMEs in Southern Africa,
according to entrepreneurs in neighbouring Eswatini.

    Eswatini tourism SMEs eye G20 opportunities

    South Africa's first-ever G20 Tourism Hackathon Challenge has put the spotlight on
how technology can transform the country's tourism landscape and, crucially, how it
could open new doors for small businesses in rural and underrepresented
communities

    Youth tourism tech innovations hold promise for small businesses

    Itumeleng Seleke, CEO and operations manager of Nomusa BNB (Pty) Ltd in
Richards Bay, said the government’s push on destination marketing offers a chance
to diversify offerings and attract more visitors.

    Tourism plan brings fresh hope for small businesses

    G20 Tourism Ministers Summit has opened new opportunities for SMEs

    Tourism Investment Summit unveils R1bn in new projects

    Minister of Tourism Patricia de Lille noted  that SMEs are the backbone of the industry.

    SMEs pin hopes on G20 tourism priorities

    Bead makers are hoping to cash in on the abundance of cultural events during Heritage Month. 
Photo: Lucas Ledwaba/Mukurukuru Media

    Bead makers look to cash in on Heritage Month festivities

    North West SMEs in the tourism sector are hoping to cash in on a new strategy shift by the provincial government. Photo. North West Arts and Culture

    Tourism strategy shift gives SMEs new hope

    Statistics show that more than 79 000 tourists from China visited the country in 2023/4.

    Mandarin training could give local tourism business the edge

    SMEs in the tourism sector in Eastern Cape are set to benefit from SanParks incubation program

    Tourism SMEs to benefit from Sanparks incubation initiative

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Customer satisfaction key to growing a business

by Moipone Malefane
June 20, 2024
in Business
Reading Time: 3 mins read
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Palesa Mabasa who is head of SME funding at FNB

Palesa Mabasa who is head of SME funding at FNB

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By: Amy Musgrave

Small businesses should not view customer complaints as an attack, but rather as a way to refine their offerings and increase customer satisfaction, according to Palesa Mabasa, who is the business development head for SME funding at FNB. “A customer who takes the time to complain is offering you priceless insights into their needs and expectations, and those of many other customers,” she said. “So, a well-managed complaint can be an opportunity to enhance your relationship with the customer and transform them into a loyal advocate for your brand.”

Mabasa’s advice is in line with Business Partners Ltd SME Toolkit, which advocates for companies to consider customer complaint line management services. Not only does it help build trust between businesses and customers, it also relieves work pressure on employees and happy customers bring in more money. FNB Commercial head of customer experience, Maropeng Ngoasheng, agrees that to successfully turn a complaint from a risk to an opportunity, there are certain guidelines that any business needs to follow, including establishing a comprehensive complaints-handling framework.

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“Ignoring a complaint poses a severe risk to the customer relationship as well as the business’s reputation. So, you need to aim to respond quickly, preferably on the same platform where the complaint was made,” she said, Also, it is imperative to have a clear escalation procedure in place if a matter is not resolved initially. “It is impractical for all complaints to go to one person, especially not the owner. So, be sure to empower your staff to resolve issues independently.”

Mabasa said it was just as important that all employees, and not just the sales team, were trained in complaint resolution. This was because customers might approach anyone in the store or business with a complaint. Staff training should include techniques for staying calm and respectful, de-escalating situations, and handling abusive customers.

Also, while email auto-responses were acceptable for customer queries, they may not be suitable for initial responses to complaints as they could make customers feel that their concerns were not been taken seriously. “If you use an auto-response, ensure it includes a commitment to a personalised follow-up within a specific timeframe. And then make sure that you always keep that promise,” advised Mabasa.

Above all, businesses had to be proactive as prevention was better than cure, said Ngoasheng. “Only a small percentage of unhappy customers actually voice their complaints, and this poses a risk to your company since silent dissatisfaction can lead to lost business without any opportunity for rectification.” She recommended proactively seeking feedback from customers to uncover potential issues before they became formal complaints and then leveraging innovation and continuous improvement to operational processes to proactively drive better customer service and an improved overall experience. “Implement regular feedback mechanisms, such as post-transaction surveys or annual reviews, to gather customer insights.

“Make the process straightforward to encourage participation and when potential issues or great ideas are identified, ensure there’s a system to address and acknowledge them, reinforcing to customers that their feedback is heard and valued,” said Ngoasheng. In a competitive environment, excellent customer service is crucial for smaller businesses that want to stand out from their competitors and attract more clients.

Tags: Maropeng NgoashengPalesa MabasaSME funding
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