On June 21, 2024, KEPSA, in partnership with Isuzu East Africa, organised a half-day Private Sector Exchange Learning Program as part of the capacity-building activities under the Jiinue Growth Program (JGP). The event took place at the Isuzu East Africa Headquarters in Nairobi. This cohort 2 benchmarking tour targeted SMEs from various fields to learn and incorporate proven and tested working business practices into their operations.

During the event, 27 participants were taken through a series of sessions. They had an enlightening mentorship session with Ms. Rita Kavashe, MBS, AOEC, Chair of the Board and Managing Director of Isuzu East Africa Ltd. Ms. Rita emphasised on building a strong culture using communication, rewards, incentives, and partners. She advised on resilience and tenacity and stressed the importance of committing to engaging with business stakeholders in the business ecosystem and focusing on self-development.

"You are the big businesses of tomorrow, so engage your employees and incorporate them into your vision. Be articulate and confident about your business. Be compelling as the vision carrier of your businesses. Credibility and commitment sell you as a business, especially as a small business. Know your customer. Keep records as a business person. Have a strategic plan, know your competitors, try different strategies, and use e-commerce," she told the SMEs.

Mr. Timothy Odongo, Marketing and Membership Manager at KEPSA encouraged SMEs to take advantage of the opportunities provided by KEPSA, highlighting their benefits for business growth. He acknowledged the slowdown in the SME sector due to COVID-19 and emphasised KEPSA's adoption of a continuous learning model to support SMEs. This model supports SMEs in acquiring crucial business continuity skills, affordable financing, access to markets, training, and mentorship amongst other initiatives.

“The Benchmarking Tour provided a valuable opportunity for the SMEs to network and create connections. The SMEs were able to learn from Isuzu East Africa and grasp innovative ideas to implement in their businesses. Thanks to KEPSA for the great opportunity,” Ms. Judith Ngerechi, one of the SMEs commented.

To highlight good corporate culture, Dr.  Fred Wasike, Director of Human Resource and Corporate Sustainability Division, Isuzu, emphasised the importance of values in a company, highlighting their role in promoting corporate social responsibility and ensuring relevance as the company develops. The organisational values should resonate with customers and foster strong collaborative relationships both internally and externally. Understanding business dynamics, customer pain points, and diverse communities is crucial for providing excellent service. Values guide the company, evolving and driving attention. He gave an example of how Isuzu E.A trains, coaches, and rewards its employees, reinforcing culture through leadership and recognition. Emphasising teamwork and understanding personalities empowers employees, and strong values simplify decision-making. “Integrity is the foundation of sustainability,” he stressed.

Ms. Ruth Magugu, Isuzu’s Customer Experience Manager highlighted the importance of being customer experienced. Customer experiences are shaped by culture, systems, attitudes, and skills because they are driven by people. Customer care involves everyone in the workforce enthusiastically connecting with customers, offering tailored products, and representing the brand to exceed expectations and create amazing experiences. Employees should be seen as internal customers. To enhance customer satisfaction, entrepreneurs should conduct surveys to get honest feedback, measure and implement changes, map the customer journey, and build brand awareness. She advised the entrepreneurs to understand customer needs, provide quality and unique solutions, and maintain relationships through post-purchase service. Continuous follow-ups are essential in business to address pain points, as unhappy customers can harm their business by spreading negative feedback.

The SME participants also toured the Isuzu manufacturing plant, witnessing first-hand the efficiency and precision of their assembly processes. This practical exposure allowed them to visualise the application of best practices in a real-world setting. The tour provided a behind-the-scenes look into Isuzu’s operations, highlighting how the company overcame challenges, and trends currently faced by businesses. The benchmarking tour underscored KEPSA's commitment to empowering SMEs by facilitating knowledge exchange with established companies like Isuzu East Africa, equipping SMEs with powerful tools to enhance their operations and competitiveness.

About Jiinue Growth Program

JGP seeks to address the funding gap for young women and young men-owned/led MSMEs by pairing up financial support with technical assistance, and a hands-on coordination strategy between various players in the entrepreneurial ecosystem. The program is implemented in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation and is led by Grassroots Business Fund (GBF) and brings together six organisations, Kenya Private Sector Alliance (KEPSA), Kenya National Chambers of Commerce (KNCCI), GROOTS, 4G Capital, and Powered by People (PBP). The program offers several benefits in terms of market access, including the integration of MSEs into supplier diversity programs, organizing MSE exhibitions, developing online and digital marketplaces, and supporting MSEs in brand and product positioning.