Category: Business Daily

Last week, organisations celebrated Customer Service Week, a time to recognise and reflect on the importance of exceptional customer experiences.

While the week was buzzing with activities and celebrations, the conversation around customer experience is timeless, especially as expectations evolve in a digital-first economy.

Artificial intelligence (AI), chatbots and predictive analytics have transformed how businesses deliver service, enabling faster responses, greater efficiency and proactive support. Yet, technology alone cannot secure customer loyalty. The most successful organisations will be those that integrate the efficiency of AI with the authenticity, empathy and trust that only human interactions can deliver. Today’s customers no longer compare brands, they compare experiences across sectors. Whether engaging with a retail leader or a fintech startup, consumers expect seamless, real-time interactions, consistent quality across all channels, with personalised and anticipatory support.

In this environment, AI has become a cornerstone of outstanding customer experience. From instant chatbot responses to predictive service models, businesses can now anticipate and respond to needs at unprecedented speed. Yet, technology alone is not enough, the emotional aspect of customer experience remains irreplaceable.

Customer experience is not only about resolving problems but also about how customers feel during every interaction. While AI tools can process queries instantly, they lack emotional intelligence. This is particularly critical in high trust industries such as finance, insurance and healthcare, where reassurance often matters more than the answer itself.

Case in point: clients who are less digitally fluent, particularly older demographics, often value patience, personal guidance and reassurance more than speed. Building trust with these clients means meeting them where they are, simplifying processes, avoiding jargon and following up to ensure comfort and confidence.

The future of customer experience lies in hybrid intelligence, the strategic collaboration between humans and AI. AI should handle repetitive, low-complexity tasks such as password resets, balance checks, among others. Humans should manage high-stakes, emotionally sensitive or complex interactions.

Artificial Intelligence is here to stay, and its potential is undeniable. But the future of customer experience is not about replacing people, it is about enhancing human strengths with technology.

AI can anticipate needs based on prior interactions and escalate seamlessly to human agents when necessary.

On the other hand, humans should manage high-stakes, emotionally sensitive or complex interactions, build trust through empathy, transparency, and personalization. Interpreting nuance and context that machines cannot fully grasp is also best done by humans.

By leveraging AI for efficiency and humans for relationship-building, businesses can create a service model that is both scalable and human-centered. To sustain customer loyalty in the AI era, organizations must focus on automation with a human lens by training AI systems continuously for relevance and accuracy. Companies should design clear escalation paths to live support, empower CX teams with data for personalized service, gather and act on customer feedback.

Trust is built when customers know that they will be understood, supported and respected whether interacting with a bot or a human.

As Kenya rises among the top users of ChatGPT globally, Jubilee Asset Management is embracing personalization at every step of the way. We connect with our clients by name, understand their story and tailor solutions that fit their goals. By listening and acting on feedback, we are redefining both our AI and human experiences to serve our customers better.

The most memorable brands will be those that balance efficiency with empathy, speed with sincerity and automation with authenticity. In the end, customers may forget what you said, but they will never forget how you made them feel.

Recently I came across a 1994 investigative information in Singapore by the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB); the case of Choy Hon Tim, a former deputy chief executive (operations) of the Public Utilities Board (PUB).

Following many investigations and judicial trials, Choy was found to have taken bribes to assist a sub-contractor doing work for PUB, on several occasions. Even though, Choy fled the country, he was eventually brought back to Singapore and charged on October 27, 1995 for criminal conspiracy and accepting bribes totaling around $13.85 million. He was sentenced to prison for 14 years.

The Court of Appeal has granted 51 tea plantation workers, most of them women, allegedly infected with HIV/Aids by their managers, a lifeline to pursue justice after a 13-month delay in filing their appeal.

Justice Mohamed Warsame allowed the workers’ application for an extension of time, citing “exceptional circumstances” including missing court files, bureaucratic delays and the logistical nightmare of coordinating with witnesses under State protection.

Stella Mutheu, the estranged wife of hotelier William Osewe Guda, took a plea on Wednesday in a case in which her former husband has accused her of ousting him from one of their shared business through forgery.

Ms Mutheu was charged at the Milimani Criminal Courts with the offence of forging minutes and a share transfer document, transferring her 250 shares in Ranalo Foods Dala Limited to herself.

You may be familiar with the age-old story of the bamboo tree, a symbol of patience and resilience. In parts of Asia, for years after planting, the bamboo tree shows no visible growth, nothing above the soil.

But beneath the surface, it’s developing a complex root system. Then, almost overnight, it shoots up to 90 feet tall. The lesson? Real growth, like real innovation, starts underground, invisible, and cultural.

In today’s fast-paced business world, innovation is the buzzword on everyone’s lips. From Silicon Valley boardrooms to emerging tech hubs in Africa, Asia, and Latin America, it’s often equated with flashy apps, billion-dollar valuations, or cutting-edge research and development labs. But this view misses the mark. True innovation isn’t about how much money you throw at a problem. It’s about how people think, interact, and take risks. In short, it’s about culture. Culture is the silent architect of how organisations behave, solve problems, and adapt. It shapes how people speak, collaborate, and make decisions.

In a world of shrinking margins, rapid digital transformation, and global competition, it’s not capital that will determine who leads and who lags. It is about culture.

Consider this: a small startup in Jakarta, Lagos, or Nairobi with a bold, agile team and limited funding can outpace a well-funded multinational bogged down by bureaucracy. Why? Because culture, not cash, enables experimentation, agility, and learning.

Let’s explore the key cultural pillars that truly drive innovation:

1. Psychological safety-creating space to speak up

Innovation begins when people feel safe to ask questions, share ideas, and challenge the status quo without fear of ridicule or punishment.

In many hierarchical workplaces around the world, respect for authority can stifle open dialogue. But breakthrough ideas often come from those who dare to question the norm. Leaders must create environments where all voices are heard, especially the dissenting ones.

2. Agility-speed over structure

In a world where market conditions shift overnight, the ability to pivot quickly is essential. Yet many organisations still operate like 20th-century bureaucracies, with rigid hierarchies and endless approval chains.

To innovate, businesses must empower teams to make decisions and test ideas in real time. Agility beats bureaucracy – every time.

3. Inclusivity-innovation is everyone’s job

The best ideas don’t always come from the boardroom. They often come from the frontline, retail clerks, customer service reps, and warehouse staff.

These are the people closest to the customer experience. Organisations that listen to all employees, regardless of title, tap into a much richer vein of innovation.

Read: Nairobi up 24 places on startup-friendly city log

As management guru Peter Drucker famously said, ‘Culture eats strategy for breakfast.’ In today’s hyper-competitive world, it may also decide who gets to stay for dinner. For that reason, let’s create a culture that promotes innovation in our workplaces, and we will reap the fruits of competitive advantage.

4. Tolerance for failure: Learning beats blaming

Fear of failure is innovation’s silent killer. In many cultures, mistakes are stigmatised, creating a climate of risk aversion. But global innovation leaders like Google and Pfizer embrace a ‘fail-fast’ mindset, treating failure as a steppingstone to success. To follow suit, organizations must shift from blame to learning.

5. Long-term thinking: Play the long game

While quarterly results matter, sustainable innovation requires long-term commitment. In tough times, innovative budgets and training programs are often the first to go. But history shows that countries like South Korea and Singapore became innovation powerhouses by thinking decades ahead. Organisations must learn to invest in tomorrow even when today feels uncertain.

6. Leadership consistency: Walk the talk

Culture is shaped not by what leaders say, but by what they do. If leaders preach innovation but punish mistakes, the message is clear: play it safe.

Leaders must model the behaviors they want to, rewarding bold ideas, supporting experimentation, and being honest about their own failures. Innovation must be visible right from the top.

Global Innovation Opportunity

Across the globe, the ingredients for an innovative-driven future are already in place: youthful populations, digital connectivity, entrepreneurial energy, and consumers hungry for better solutions.

What’s needed now isn’t imported frameworks or expensive consultants. It’s a cultural shift; one that empowers people to think differently, take initiative, and collaborate openly. Innovation isn’t an event. It’s a mindset. A way of working. A way of being.

As management guru Peter Drucker famously said, ‘Culture eats strategy for breakfast.’ In today’s hyper-competitive world, it may also decide who gets to stay for dinner.

For that reason, let’s create culture that promotes innovation in our workplaces, and we will reap the fruits of competitive advantage.

‘Judge a person by their questions, not their answers,’ advised Voltaire, the French historian and philosopher, almost three centuries ago. Is there nothing new under the sun?

What is the value of the right answer to the wrong question? If you change the questions, does the business problem shift? Is the idea of strategic planning, bordering on a hoax? What can one learn from the agile Napoleon in taking a sprint approach to insightful business strategy?

The Nairobi Hospital has announced that it has restored full insurance coverage of services at its facilities, ending more than two months of strained relations with major underwriters that disrupted its operations.

In a joint statement released after a meeting with stakeholders on Wednesday, the hospital’s Chief Executive Officer, Felix Osano, said that the hospital and its insurance partners had reached a mutual agreement after weeks of discussions aimed at rebuilding trust and ensuring uninterrupted access to care.

This development comes as a relief to patients who have been affected by the standoff, some of whom have been forced to seek treatment elsewhere midway through their care, and others who have had to pay in cash.

‘This favourable resolution demonstrates our shared commitment to ensuring continuous, high-quality healthcare access for our clients,’ said Mr Osano. ‘Our relationship with insurers goes beyond healthcare transactions; it is strategic and purpose-driven, unified in service to our patients. Through collaboration, transparency, and operational efficiency, we will continue to strengthen claims processes and enhance the overall patient experience.’

‘This positive outcome affirms what can be achieved when we approach challenges with openness, shared purpose, and a commitment to long-term partnership,’ added Dr Barcley Onyambu, chairperson of the Kenya Hospital Association (KHA) Board.

‘It is important that we communicate with one voice to reassure clients that coverage has been fully reinstated and that our joint efforts remain focused on patient welfare, trust, and service excellence.’ The resolution follows weeks of negotiations between hospital management and insurance executives, which were prompted by disputes over new hospital tariffs that led to a suspension of coverage in August.

The standoff began in early August when Nairobi Hospital introduced new service charges, including higher rates for imaging, diagnostics, and accommodation, provoking sharp criticism from insurers, who described the changes as abrupt and unsustainable.

In turn, eight major insurance companies, including Madison Insurance, First Assurance, Minet, Old Mutual, Britam, AAR Insurance, CIC Group, and Pacis Insurance, jointly suspended medical services for their clients at the hospital.

The companies accused the hospital of implementing the price changes without sufficient consultation, warning that the increases would make healthcare unaffordable for thousands of policyholders.

In response, Nairobi Hospital temporarily suspended the new pricing structure and invited insurers to negotiate. While maintaining that the tariff adjustments were necessary to cover rising operational costs, inflation, and investments in modern medical equipment, the hospital acknowledged the importance of reaching a consensus.

Nearly three in four small traders in the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) register paid taxes in the financial year to June, outperforming large and medium-sized firms where only one in four companies remitted duty from their earnings.

Data obtained from the KRA suggests that micro and small enterprises in the turnover tax (ToT) register are becoming more compliant than large companies under corporate income tax (CIT), painting a striking contrast between the country’s informal and formal business segments.

A few years ago, a man dressed as a sad boar and dancing would not have been considered a business that would earn millions of shillings in profit. However, as more Kenyans become entrepreneurial, the mascot craze has swept across towns, with wacky characters being hired to lure visitors and investment.

You have seen them in shopping malls, hotel play areas, or even at a children’s party. The brightly coloured mascots spread joy, but they have also become a source of income for many.

Local investors have joined the scramble for the gold exchange-traded funds (ETFs) at Kenya’s stock market amid a global rush for the yellow metal market that has driven prices to record levels.

The Absa NewGold ETF, which mirrors the price of gold in the global market, has surged past the Sh5,000 mark for the first time in a blistering rally that made it one of the top movers at the Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE) this month.