Browsing by Author "Lusweti, Selinah Namachi"

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    Small and medium-sized enterprise communication strategy adopted for customer relations: case of 4IR companies in the Richards Bay CBD area
    (University of Zululand, 2023) Lusweti, Selinah Namachi
    The Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) altered the world as we knew it. It devasted the health care system, education, businesses, and the economy worldwide. During this pandemic, some SMEs shut down while others turned to a digital way of working. Numerous digital tools within the 4IR are being developed continually to create effective interaction between businesses and their clients. However, the rate at which enterprises adopt these modern digital instruments is yet unknown. This study assessed if SMEs were aware of the digital tools available in the 4IR that could improve communication experiences with customers; it also ascertained the barriers that SMEs face in digitising communication functions for customer relations, and it evaluated how digital communication tools are used for customer relations among SMEs. With the current era of the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR), businesses have been compelled to review how they operate as well as welcome endless benefits common in the 4IR. The study examined ways that the 4IR affected businesses in various sectors of industry. As more businesses embrace digital transformation, enterprises face fierce competition as customers’ expectations increase for the digital experience. The relevant literature reviewed includes SME awareness of digital tools found within the 4IR that can improve communication strategies, barriers to the digitisation of advertising functions of SMEs, and the level of adoption of digital communication tools among SMEs. The methodology used in this research study was qualitative and looked at the digital communication experience of SMEs within the business and customer relations. The philosophy of the study was pragmatism. The approach of the study was qualitative. The sample of the study included non-probability sampling. The sampling method of the study was convenient sampling. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with SMEs in the finance sector. The data collected from the interviews was presented in themes and backed with recent relevant literature. The findings of the research showed that SMEs in the finance sector have embraced digital transformation however, since they not only cater to customers in urban areas but also have customers in rural areas, digital transformation is not yet fully achievable. Lack of infrastructure and digital literacy are some factors that contribute to digital barriers. To enhance the performance of SMEs, governments need to embark on policies that support the SMEs financially and entrepreneurial orientation development to drive business performance. Also, efforts made by governments to support SMEs financially can enable these enterprises to adopt digital transformation. It is also imperative that SMEs try and bridge the digital divide among employees by offering training for their staff that will provide them with skills that can benefit the enterprise as well as the employee.