By Martin D. Shaanika
The recent pandemic has put much on hold and in many cases, shown us that platforms to showcase product and services, play a significant role in terms of brand awareness and increasing our service delivery. Participating in showcasing efforts, enables start-ups and well established corporations to develop and thrive by showcasing their goods and services to a large audience who might not typically have the time to explore what the organizations have to benefit them. We can now demonstrate what we do and how it will help consumers and potential consumers through platforms such as the Windhoek Agricultural Show.
Namibia boasts a population of under 3 million and it is critical to support initiatives that strive to boost the economy through trade and networking. Referring once more to the pandemic, much isolation has caused a greater need now than ever before, to network and appreciate platforms that have been put on hold due to social distancing and the severity of the killer virus. We will now be able to connect with more businesses and consumers and develop stronger collaborations which we have missed out on, over the past two years. Our businesses will once more have an opportunity to put in effort to utilise networking events as such, to gain new prospectus and allow that personal touch to further elevate customer relations.
As much as digital platforms have boomed during lockdown, we must admit from an African point of view especially, that personal interaction still remains more impactful. From networking spaces, we are able to once more engage from a “peoples’ point” of view with more compassion and understanding. In our industry, especially the insurance sector much one on one is celebrated before committing financially and offer insightful information to further drive the financial literacy narrative. The value of similar sectors rubbing shoulders and engaging not only in serious discussions but through stakeholder networks that grant another side of co-operation and collaboration.
From a consumer point of view, this is no better space than to shop under one umbrella in the comfort of their own time. It is the same reason why Namforce decided to utilise face to face consultations at a public platform to make it easier for its customers and potential customers. This diverse exhibition space saves people time and money by enabling them access to a variety of services and goods in one location. Customers are more engaged since showcasing activities give them a platform to quickly learn about the goods and services available and to enquire more and be given more conviction on their choice options. As corporates, it is important to applaud such organizations and support other exhibitors to ensure that our Namibian economy is invested by our own and stays within our borders.
It was very evident on how dependent Namibia was in terms of import and export during lockdown and therefore building a culture of buying and purchasing more Namibian owned products will help us support our own service delivery. This may still take time as we are barely trying to recover from many setbacks over these past few years but through venues that call for Namibian companies to sell and trade under one roof, it should be embraced even more than before.
It is therefore the reason why Namforce has decided to hold hands with other corporates/exhibitors to be at this years’ Windhoek Agricultural Show to further sensitize the public around financial literacy. Not only financial literacy but what vehicles have been designed to help them especially in such uncertain times that we are living in. Our qualified team will be able to walk through show attendees the importance of saving and securing a comfortable future with products that have been customized to assist them. We boast being a fully Namibian owned life insurance company and will continue to fulfil our mandate to educate our Namibians and lend that helping hand to reduce financial distress in a society that escalated through this global pandemic. We trust that all corporates this year and attendees will support in numbers to fully understand the significance of our ever-growing industry through support, collaboration and investment back into our own.
Martin D. Shaanika is Namforce’s Managing Director