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Safaricom Sustainability Report 2016
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Agents
In terms of our agents, we delivered value to them in the following ways during the year:
•
Relationship Managers
We expanded our team of agent Relationship Managers (RMs) to six during the year, who now handle the top 600
agent head offices that provide us with 80% of our revenues.
•
Principle Forums
We changed the format of our agent Principle Forums this year. We solicited feedback on challenges and issues at the
start of the year, such as commissions and the migration to the new system, and then reported back on our progress
against these challenges at the end of the year. As a result, the forums are much more intensive and focused and
agents are seeing quicker, more tangible outcomes. These forums are held in 13 areas on a quarterly basis.
•
Agent assistant training
A new initiative launched during the year, this is a one-on-one training session that identifies and plugs the gaps in
an individual’s knowledge, empowering them and improving the service they are able to provide customers and
colleagues. Our area managers in 35 areas are now trained every quarter.
•
Weekend capital financing
Like the service launched for dealers, this new facility provides agents with an internal float over weekends and public
holidays, ensuring they have enough stock to meet demand during these periods. An average of 625 agencies are
financed every weekend to an average amount of KSh 630 million or more.
•
KCB service upgrades
As well as not being charged to replenish their floats at KCB, agents can now access loans at a reduced rate of 16%
interest. During the year, KCB agents processed a total of 500 KCB KOPA float loans, amounting to KSh 949,613,029.
•
Merchandising
We expanded our branded merchandising initiatives to include all agent head offices and stores on a quarterly basis.
The merchandising available includes calendars, umbrellas, caps and t-shirts.
•
Regional Agent Awards
Our annual Awards event was expanded and improved this year as well. Events were held in six regions and a total of
177 Agent Stores were awarded.
Focus areas for the year ahead
In terms of our suppliers, our focus areas in the year ahead will include:
•
The performance evaluation will focus in future on key/strategic vendors in terms of spend analysis and critical service
areas. This will pave the way for the creation of high-level business reviews after the performance review and feedback
meeting with the vendor. Evaluation for other vendors can be left to the administration of the user sections, while supply
chain is given the reports/compilation from Symfact.
•
Emphasis will be on end-user training and sensitisation to enhance performance monitoring and meeting expectations.
•
We will implement contract management functionality for the Enterprise and Consumer Business Units to improve on
customer experience.
•
Visits to suppliers and holding performance meeting reviews at supplier premises will be undertaken.
In terms of our agents, our focus areas in the year ahead will include:
•
Agent commission visibility — we intend to upgrade our systems so that sub-agents who do not have access to the
Dealer Portal will be able to query their float levels at any given time using a USSD code.
•
Agent segmentation — M-PESA Agent Head offices and outlets will be segmented, depending on their transaction
values and volumes.
•
Staff uniforms — we intend to issue staff uniforms to 3,000 stores on a quarterly basis.
•
Branding — we intend to brand 500 stores on a quarterly basis.
•
Float level validation on till application — float checks for all the stores under an organisation will be performed
automatically by the system before allowing the head office to apply for a new till.