Windhoek
Team Namibia, the non-profit organisation which has been tasked with advancing the country’s economically sustainable future by promoting the use of local products and services, yesterday announced its own smartphone mobile application. What makes the application worth mentioning is that besides focussing on being interactive, the app is being fine tuned to activate a specific sound when a consumer is in a supermarket aisle containing Team Namibia products. The feature, which received a huge ovation at Team Namibia’s Annual General Meeting yesterday, is expected to greatly improve the awareness of locally manufactured products available at local retailers.
The smartphone application, which was developed by Green Enterprise Solutions, is a free download for Android and IOS devices. According to Lizette Foot, Team Namibia Board Director, the app is aimed at keeping a younger audience informed about Team Namibia members and their products. “All our members will be listed on the app, including their contact details and a map to their location,” said Foot. She added that once launched the app will be able to be downloaded from either Google or Facebook free of charge.
Providing a demonstration of the app, Michel Onwordi from Green Enterprise Solutions, explained that it consists of a directory, membership information, a link to Team Namibia TV on Youtube as well as general information on Team Namibia and its approach to promote locally manufactured goods.
The directory on the app contains a direct telephone and email link to any of the members as well as a map to find the specific member. The membership information includes the different categories of Team Namibia, information about the different members as well as an application form for prospective members. “Going forward, we can transform this into a more interactive process,” said Onwordi. He added that the app’s software will be able to track the number of people using it and how many people use the app to directly contact Team Namibia members.
The information on members will include how much they invest in Namibia and how much of their procurement is done locally. “We have done quite a bit of groundwork to ensure that Team Namibia members invest locally and procure locally so customers can confidently spend their money with these members,” added Daisry Mathias, outgoing Chief Executive Officer of Team Namibia.
Team Namibia endeavours to positively impact the sustainable economic development of the country, by growing the consumption of locally produced goods and services, domestically and abroad. The organisation has undertaken a social marketing approach to ignite increased public awareness. Consumer markets have been identified as a major player in empowering Namibian-owned enterprises, by preferring, consuming and procuring from Team Namibia members.