Welcome to Techforce Africa
Customer expectations are higher than ever and continuously evolving, bright digital innovators move the goalposts with new technologies, and the ways we work have dramatically shifted.
And nowhere is this digital revolution having a bigger impact than the African continent.
Techforce in Africa is a podcast showcasing African Trailblazers in the tech space. We explore journeys behind the continent’s emerging startups and leading companies by profiling talented creators, top CEOs, impactful entrepreneurs, bold change-makers, and talent from the Salesforce ecosystem. You can listen to the podcast here.
You’ll get insights, lessons and tactics from the heart of the African tech space. To give you a taster, here are 6 key takeaways from the podcast series.
#1 Business leaders have the power to make the world more sustainable
Can tech businesses make the world a better place? Zuko Mdwaba, Salesforce Area Vice President and South Africa Country Leader, and Brian Nell, CEO of Rise Against Hunger, believe so.
Tune in to see how embedding sustainability into your business’ core values can make you more profitable, lower overall costs, and make your business more attractive to potential partners and investors. Zuko Mdwaba and Brian Nell will show you how a sustainable farming initiative is doing exactly this.
You’ll also see how business leaders are using Salesforce to help eradicate extreme hunger on the continent, and power impactful projects like the Early Childhood Development program (ECD).
#2 Truly inclusive banking is helping reduce poverty
Shenin Singh, Managing Executive for Customer Value at Absa, believes that society can only win when every individual and business has access to responsible and sustainable financial services.
Find out how Absa is democratising access to banking and throwing the doors open to people who would otherwise struggle to access financial products and tailored financial advice.
You’ll also see how you can move to more cross-channel banking practices to close the financial knowledge gap between generations.
On top of this, you’ll see how financial education and hyper-personalisation is helping to alleviate the causes of extreme poverty.
#3 Developing skills is the key to access new opportunities and transform digitally
40% of companies admit they’re going to have to change how they work to fit with the current digital environment.
Companies need to stop seeing digital transformation as an abstract concept. It’s time to increase access to real-world tech advances and prevent companies and individuals from being left behind.
Join Themba Makela, Chief People Officer at BlueSky, and Ursula Fear, Senior Talent Program Manager at Salesforce and BlueSky’s Learning & Development Manager, to learn about the types of skills gaps that are halting digital progress, such as access to technology or the concept of technology, and learning agility.
#4 Customer and employee experience has to match the speed of growth and innovation
Spinning up a new business from scratch is hard. In fast-paced markets where you’re growing rapidly and focused on innovation, you need to make sure you’re taking your customers and employees along for the ride.
Discover how Bash – South Africa’s largest online fashion omnichannel retailer – uses customer data and a culture of continuous iteration to improve its buying experience. Bailey Kropman, Bash’s Chief of Staff, will also share the core principles you need to unify your employees under one vision for the future.
Neil Pryce, Head of Salesforce at Standard Bank, will also share how leaders are using Customer 360 to give employees unified customer data that’s easy to access and easier to act on. Plus you’ll see how you can use data and automation to make real-time connections and reduce friction for your employees.
#5 The future of diversity in tech is bright if companies listen, learn and teach
“The table is wide and deep enough for us all.”
Otema Yirenkyi is optimistic about the future of women’s representation in tech, but how can businesses like yours help inspire this change?
Find out what kinds of measures you can put in place to support women in tech, (like inclusive training), the importance of listening, and how you can measure your progress and stay accountable.
#6 Customer feedback should drive how you shape digital-first experiences
Ecommerce is increasingly taking hold among African consumers: 87% of South African customers have made an online purchase in the last year.
Thanks to its relentless focus on feedback, Coca Cola Peninsula Beverages is meeting its customers where they’re most comfortable – whether that’s a digital-first self-serve portal, or chatting to a rep on the phone.
You’ll also learn how self-service options can help you meet evolving customer needs, and free up your business resources – so you can focus on building stronger relationships with customers.
To top it off, you’ll get some top tips on how to embed digital transformation into your company’s roadmap.
Inspire your people. Chart new plans. Evolve your purpose.
Trailblazers across Africa are doing more and better things for their customers, employees and fellow citizens – and after listening to these incredible stories, we believe you will too.
From businesses with purpose, to impacting individuals, to overcoming legacy technology for real-life change, there’s something for all technological innovators out there in the Techforce in Africa series.
