Comments on: Getting to Client-Centric Solutions: A Three-Part Strategy

By: ajit jhangiani

ajit jhangiani — Thu, 10 Jul 2014 17:54:02 +0000

Great points Alexia, and indeed a much needed push in the right direction. You are very much on point. If not an imposition, would it be possible to include pertinent examples of how how specific strategies went from product orientation to customer centric orientation? Sometimes it helps people to follow the examples set by others rather than converting (good) theory into practise? How does one change cognitive processes, behaviors, beliefs, customs?

By: George

George — Fri, 08 Mar 2013 10:47:27 +0000

All, great to follow this read. I like it. I would, like John, take from all camps or strategies or prongs. Financial inclusion can have many approaches that factor in the core function of getting to the better side of poverty for the beneficiaries. My experience from the ground is that there are a range of areas or gaps that need to be addressed before sustainability is achieved. This is the goal in the long run. Literacy, heath, technical services, knowledge sharing, credit, value chaining, markets, ICT, governance, organizational and institutional structures, awareness creation among others. I am listening……………..

By: John Gitau

John Gitau — Fri, 08 Mar 2013 07:41:44 +0000

Alexia, I like your thought provoking post. It is an attempt to harmonize strategies for an accelerated financial inclusion vision achievement. However, from where you sit and the role you are playing in this agenda, you can’t afford to anathematize financial inclusion vision achievement diversity in strategy represented by camps. Any antipathy to camps is espousing a zero sum game. Diversity is as good as a balanced diet to the body with so many organs each with different nutrients needs.

It is with this in mind that I want to join your camp that supports a three pronged strategy to faster financial inclusion. The good thing about your camp is that it is borrowing the good from the other camps and jettisoning the molasses. Now, anybody who is against us in the new camp that incorporates beautiful beliefs and strategies from the other camps is anti financial inclusion. I declare myself the Public Relation officer of our camp and my first announcement to all other camps is this: ” We are borrowing all good ideas, beliefs and strategies that can help accelerate financial inclusion. We promise that we shall save them safely, insure them against risk and finally invest them for maximum yield, which is financial inclusion for all by 2020. We shall appreciate if you can send them in digital format for “spot” incorporation into our system. You will get real time confirmation of receipt. Thank you”

Alexia, light touch intended!

By: Monique Cohen

Monique Cohen — Thu, 07 Mar 2013 14:46:37 +0000

Very nice blog Alexia.
I would suggest that until know most of the product development in microfinance has been functionally based – what does one need and then how to determine the attributes of the prodccts e.g. housing loan, education loans. Transaction based products respond to a different set of questions including:
• How do customers manage money?
• Customer behavior – how do people survive with cash?
• How do people spend money?
• When and why do they need lump sums?
This perspective becomes all the more important when we focus on Branchless Banking. Cash flow practices bring to light products that may not make sense for bricks and mortar banking but do for electronic banking e.g. small but frequent intrahousehold cash gifts. Please contact me directly for further information.