Edgar Brandt
Windhoek
The Government Institutions Pension Fund (GIPF) has invested in Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software and solutions that is expected to greatly enhance the institution’s customer service experience. The new software, which includes a computerised service (queue) management system, is already available at the GIPF head office and is scheduled to be rolled out to other GIPF offices country-wide during the coming months. The Fund also yesterday announced, during its fifth Stakeholder Engagement Consultative Meeting, that is has revamped its website which includes the much anticipated self-service online portal allowing members to access their benefit statements and update member details amongst other functionalities via the use of computers and/or mobile devices (smartphones).
“Gone are the days when you needed to physically visit an office for service, new technologies are now allowing service at a touch of a button in the comfort of your home/office. Coupled to the introduction of the contact management system, other initiatives aimed at ensuring a smooth and pleasant customer experience will be launched throughout the year, as we continue to make our services more accessible to you, at your finger-tips,” said GIPF CEO, David Nuyoma.
Nuyoma noted that customer service is probably one of the most articulated subjects globally and according to recent studies 89 percent of businesses are expected to compete mainly on customer experience with organisations that take customer experience seriously, standing out from the rest and winning loyal customers over. “Therefore, in order to deliver an excellent customer experience, you have to know your customers better than ever before. This means creating complete customer profiles that help you understand and measure your customers’ behaviours at every touch point across multiple channels. To achieve this, you need reliable Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software and solutions, which I am proud to announce that GIPF has invested in and is fully being utilised,” said Nuyoma.
He added that the GIPF’s membership base has increased significantly over the years and as such the Fund needed to ensure that its harmonises its members’ customer experience by introducing them to interactive and user friendly digital solutions.
According to the Chairman of the GIPF Board of Trustees, Goms Menette, the Trustees took a deliberate decision and directed management to devise a strategy on how the Fund will enhance customer satisfaction and improve service delivery. “We have heard our members cry for faster turnaround times, improved benefits, access to information, member education etc. we have therefore committed ourselves to meet these expectations,” said Menette.
At the beginning of this year GIPF opened its revamped client services and reception area and introduced a comprehensive contact centre system that manages all customer experience elements from the moment they enter the GIPF building to the time they depart.
The system effectively manages the time members spend in a queue while waiting to be assisted and greatly improves efficiency and effectiveness throughout the waiting period. On the same day, the Fund opened the B1 City Client Services Satellite Office, located close to members residing in the vicinity of Katutura and Khomasdal.
“As the year progresses you should anticipate more efforts towards customer centric innovations. We intend to increase our organisational footprint, decentralise services to the regions, improve member communication, improve administration systems and processes and implement an online self-service portal and so forth,” Menette concluded.