Quality product key to successful marketing drive

A salesman at work. FOTOSEARCH 

By MURORI KIUNGA

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Summary

• The success of marketing is dependent on the products.
• Another key success factor in business is your customer retention strategy.
• Client loyalty is a product of good relationship with business staff.

Half of Kenyan businesses in the dark for ignoring Internet

From left- Ezra Odhiambo, Zachary Mwangi, Sammy Itemere, Irungu Nyakera and Francis Wangusi during the ICT Survey Reports launch. PHOTO | SALATON NJAU | NMG 

By MUTHOKI MUMO

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Summary

• The newly released Kenya Enterprise ICT Survey 2016 also shows that Internet usage among Kenyan businesses remains relatively unsophisticated.
• Indeed a worrying 75 per cent businesses go at least a month without updating their websites, ending up not extracting the full value of this resource.
• There is one area where businesses are performing very well online, with 92.7 per cent of surveyed firms saying they used e-government services, mostly to file their tax returns and to carry out research.

Expensive vehicles cut imports by Sh31.7 billion

Second hand cars at the Mombasa port. File photo | nmg 

By NEVILLE OTUKI

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Summary

• The value of vehicles shipped into the country dropped to Sh85.8 billion, down from Sh117.6 billion in 2015 — reflecting a 27 per cent drop.
• The number of newly registered vehicles dropped 16 per cent to 90,176 in 2016 from 107,761 a year earlier, the Economic Survey 2017 shows.
• Kenya’s car market is dominated by low-priced second-hand imports from countries such as Japan.

Kenya must tap green energy to drive growth

Geothermal power production at Ol Karia in Naivasha. FILE PHOTO | NMG 

By TINA NDUTA

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Summary

• Kenya is among top countries for renewable energy in Africa. It is the largest renewable energy investor on the continent after South Africa.
• With an estimated 10,000 MW of geothermal, Kenya is home to Africa’s largest wind power project Lake Turkana Wind Power Project.
• Investing in renewable and environmental conservation is not just good for the environment but is also good business practice.

Why prospects of flower farms don’t look so rosy

Unfavourable conditions are holding back floriculture from reaching its potential. file photo | nmg 

By BERNARDINE MUTANU

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By MACHARIA MWANGI

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Summary

• Horticulture is going through lean times thanks to a wide range of hurdles like climate change and lack of sound policies.
• Official figures show that Kenya recorded an increase of 12 per cent total export earnings from horticulture in 2016.
• Flowers form the largest volume of exported agricultural products and currently contributes 33 per cent of the sector’s share of GDP. This means that floriculture alone has the highest number of job opportunities in horticulture.

Banks warned on inaccurate borrowers data

Central Bank of Kenya chairman Jairus Mohammed Nyaoga. FILE PHOTO | NMG 

By BRIAN NGUGI

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Summary

• CBK chairman says complaints over inaccurate listings by customers if not well handled poses significant reputational risks to the firms.
• Alternative dispute resolution is critical where the complaints cannot be resolved amicably with customers.
• Banks found to be abusing the credit information system risk fines of up to Sh1 million.

Kenya Pipeline leakage fix averts fuel shortage

Kenya Pipeline Company managing director Joe Sang. FILE PHOTO | NMG 

By EDWIN OKOTH

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Summary

• Kenya Pipeline Company said the leakage, reported around the Outering Road near Taj Mall was quickly detected and repaired on Friday.
• The firm is expected to complete a new 20-inch pipeline by end of July to replace the leakage-prone line.
• The new line flowing about 1 million litres of fuel per hour is expected to boost  flow rate to about 1.9 million liters per hour by 2023.