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Retail Chain barons Should Conspire and Salvage Nakumatt
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Trailblazing Optiven Group CEO George Wachiuri is now the Best Entrepreneur – Africa 2017 – Diaspora Entertainment Awards & Recognition (D.E.A.R) awards. The D.E.A.R Awards honor individuals and entities for their relentless efforts, through their specific fields, in furthering the development, sustainable growth and unity of Africans in the diaspora. This year’s event happened on September 2, at Sheraton Hotel, Irving, Texas – United States of America.Photo Courtesy
Retail Chains barons Should Conspire and Salvage Nakumatt
Kenya’s ailing supermarket chain, Nakumatt’s downturn has sent shock-waves not only in theminds of those who believed in its initial great expansion, but even more squarely to its royalcustomers who are now frantically trying to fill in the obvious gap.These customers must now be missing a number of experiences that they used to get from this 3decades old supermarket chain. Here are a few things that come top of the mind:1. Customer experience: The service at Nakumatt was certainly impeccable: From thesmiling, smart-looking and friendly staff to the ambience, almost everything aboutshopping at Nakumatt was amazing. Anytime that you shopped there, your goods wereassorted, packed well in the car and the staff didn’t behave as if they were expecting a tip.2. Ample Space: The space at most of the Nakumatt branches was as ample as a footballarena. The children loved it all. As you shopped, the kids had a chance to be all over theplace enjoying themselves. This was a major plus for parent shoppers.3. Emotional connection with the Brand: Nakumatt was the E.A (East Africa) top brandand a giant chain. It came out as a sense of pride to many. Not so long ago, I was inRwanda and just appreciated the elephant symbol, and I felt a sense of pride in me, justbeing a Kenyan. The blue color symbolized freedom, imagination, expansiveness andstability. Customers will certainly miss this color blue!4. A cog in Regional Economy: As of December 2015 Nakumatt had nearly 65 stores inthe African Great Lakes region including; Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania and Rwanda. Itemployed over 5,500, and had gross annual revenue in excess of US$450 million. Thiswas a symbol of abundance. Indeed, as its tag-line went, if you needed it, you werealways assured that you would get it! You could tell the relaxed experience as peopleenjoyed shopping.5. The Malls Connection: There seem to have been a symbiotic relationship between themany Malls that have been mushrooming in Nairobi and other cities across the region andthis chain – Nakumatt.Some notable branches that gelled so well with the respective host malls includedNakumatt Mega, Nakumatt Junction, Nakumatt Ukay, Nakumatt West Gate, NakumattPrestige, Nakumatt Galleria, Nakumatt Lifestyle, Nakumatt TRM and Nakumatt GardenCity Mall In the process, the chain has played a significant role in the urban developmentin this regard. Other brand name stores, banks, international eateries, theatres must havebeen sure beneficiaries just seating next to these stores.There must be a certain silent cry in the hearts of as many Nakumatt customers. They all seem tobe silently mumbling a common prayer: “can the retail chains gods conspire somewhere and justbring our Nakumatt back?”George Wachiuri is an Entrepreneur, Philanthropist, Motivational Speaker and the CEO,Optiven Group. To get more details on how you can invest with Optiven Ltd.
