October 2019

Yet again, alongside all the stories of doom and gloom, we are seeing signs of progress across southern Africa. While so many talk about a challenging economy and difficult marketplaces, many companies continue to adapt and change in order to meet the needs of customers, bolstering reputations at the same time.

Take our lead feature for October, Experian, the South African arm of the global credit, data, and information business. After completing a significant acquisition earlier in the year, Experian is now introducing its services across Africa, in markets where traditional credit bureau services are not so common. Even with an uncertain economic future, across the entire region, this business has supplied services of the highest importance, making it vital in the operations of its customers. Now, the company is thinking about further expansion and looking for more opportunities for growth.

It’s a similar story at Wirquin SA, the regional division of the international plumbing and sanitary products company. This is a business in desperate need of capital expenditure to help make the most of booming demand. By delivering products of the highest international standards, Wirquin has entrenched itself as an indispensable partner to home builders looking for quality and value.

Then there’s National Packaging Systems, the Durban-based food packaging machine manufacturer. This is a business which competes against major international organisations but is managing to maintain a healthy market position thanks to an understanding of what customers need.

All of these businesses are aware of the uncertainty and negativity coming from doubt in the economy, but all are deepening their relationships with customers and establishing themselves as partners of choice in order to avoid any downturn effect.

Get in touch and tell us how your company is embedding itself within the business of your customers. We’re always online through LinkedIn and @EnterpriseAfri1