After publishing the book in August 2006, I have closely looked at the progress of the book, to see if it is a success in itself. To date, through the book, I have trained more than ten companies and individuals, ranging from Internet Cafes, Internet Service Providers, Web Developers, Students, Marketers, Churches, Pastors, and Entrepreneurs, who have bought a copy of the eBook.
The book has sold approximately 25 copies, of which a Website, Training, and Web Consultancy have been born out of "each" Copy. I am currently working as a Consultant with Innov8 - The Motivation Company, where amongst other goals, one of them is to assist the company add on to the ".CO.ZW" sphere, two more websites and blogs, in the ".COM" sphere. Innov8 will be launching www.innov8motivation.com and www.innov8bookshop.com, in October 2007, which are transaction enabled, giving people the ability to buy books and pay for workshop online, using the eTranzact platform.
One of the other exciting results of this book has been the Youth Encounter Online Project, that begun in September 2006. The YEO Project comprises of a Newsletter, a Website, and an eGroup. The eGroup has approximately 500 Zimbabwean Youth and Twenty-somethings, from Zimbabwe, Australia, United Kingdom, Zambia, New Zealand, South Africa, Botswana, just to name a few, who chat online. This is a healthy platform for counsel and an opportunity to advertise products and services.
Innov8 - The Motivation Company also has a vibrant eGroup, a result of ASuccessfulWebsite eBook, called Motiva8ed. This group consists of more than 1500 people, from all parts of the world who are customers and readers of Innov8 publications and motivational literature. This group has allowed the company to have good Customer Relationship Management, generating buying traffic in all their outlets.
I believe that this the ASuccessfulWebiste eBook has begun a wildfire in the ".CO.ZW" web sphere, which will help in building a strong economy, as Zimbabwe begins to reform, for African Dominion.
written by Oscar Manduku, AUTHOR
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
Zimbabwe Internet Facilities Needed
Zimbabwe does not have sufficient numbers of the following facilities, capable of securing consumer confidence:
Online Transaction Processing Systems. By this I refer to a simple software application that allows web consumers to purchase goods or services over the Internet, without the use of bank notes. These are more transaction oriented than credit rating oriented. I know of one such innovation, through the Zimbabwe Association of Inventors. One of our members developed an electronic wallet, which is currently going under scrutiny with our Reserve Bank. This product is not a duplication of western technology, but a literal new innovation. When it passes the test, it will transform eCommerce in Zimbabwe.
Online Credit Rating. We are one of the few Literate countries which have not been affected or bulldozed by Visa or Master Card, in our credit rating systems. I believe that this is a good thing because it enables the birthing of our own credit rating processing Systems.
The good news is that Credit Rating will not be difficult to implement in Zimbabwe because many banks, offer some form of credit rating. Howbeit Uniswitch or Zimswitch take this further to become our own versions of VISA and MasterCard. Believe me, we poised for great heights as a nation. Insurance companies may also venture into this business, in partnership with banks, and Uniswitch.
Information Portals. Does it not strike you that we are very educated, yet do not have many information portals in our Cyberspace. Out of the existing portals, many have foreign styles, not necessarily relevant to the Zimbabwean Web Consumers. Zimbabweans behave differently from Tswanas, Zulus, English, Portuguese, French, or Chinese. Do we not have Behavioral Marketing Consultants in our midst, which are able to advise us as we build these portals?
I believe we have the potential to do greater than what we have done, only if we look within ourselves, and around us. A very simple allegory for an Information Portal is our very own Waterholes in the wild. An Information Portal can be likened unto a Waterhole in the wilderness of Zimbabwe. All animals throng to it at specific hours. They come to drink, quenching their thirst. It is a place for interaction with other creatures. At the Waterhole, there are Predators and Prey, there are Parents and Children, and there are Critics and Supporters. This is what you can create your Information portal to be, a place where you can contain all such people, and make money.
Free Services. Thanks to websites like Ygm.co.zw, yo.co.zw, and fbnet.co.zw one of the cries of my heart has been answered. Zimbabwe now has its own answer to Yahoo.com I believe, with enormous potential. Free services, especially email are very beneficial for a nation in Cyberspace, because they provide a reference point for the physical businesses, where enquirers can visit when offline. The more we have free services, the greater chance we have of establishing in consumers’ minds this wonderful world of technology. Free service websites provide alternatives for consumers as they browse the Internet. The more alternatives, the healthier competition is, and results in increased Internet usage. There are businesses which need platforms to market themselves, and free services websites offer a good platform.
Online Transaction Processing Systems. By this I refer to a simple software application that allows web consumers to purchase goods or services over the Internet, without the use of bank notes. These are more transaction oriented than credit rating oriented. I know of one such innovation, through the Zimbabwe Association of Inventors. One of our members developed an electronic wallet, which is currently going under scrutiny with our Reserve Bank. This product is not a duplication of western technology, but a literal new innovation. When it passes the test, it will transform eCommerce in Zimbabwe.
Online Credit Rating. We are one of the few Literate countries which have not been affected or bulldozed by Visa or Master Card, in our credit rating systems. I believe that this is a good thing because it enables the birthing of our own credit rating processing Systems.
The good news is that Credit Rating will not be difficult to implement in Zimbabwe because many banks, offer some form of credit rating. Howbeit Uniswitch or Zimswitch take this further to become our own versions of VISA and MasterCard. Believe me, we poised for great heights as a nation. Insurance companies may also venture into this business, in partnership with banks, and Uniswitch.
Information Portals. Does it not strike you that we are very educated, yet do not have many information portals in our Cyberspace. Out of the existing portals, many have foreign styles, not necessarily relevant to the Zimbabwean Web Consumers. Zimbabweans behave differently from Tswanas, Zulus, English, Portuguese, French, or Chinese. Do we not have Behavioral Marketing Consultants in our midst, which are able to advise us as we build these portals?
I believe we have the potential to do greater than what we have done, only if we look within ourselves, and around us. A very simple allegory for an Information Portal is our very own Waterholes in the wild. An Information Portal can be likened unto a Waterhole in the wilderness of Zimbabwe. All animals throng to it at specific hours. They come to drink, quenching their thirst. It is a place for interaction with other creatures. At the Waterhole, there are Predators and Prey, there are Parents and Children, and there are Critics and Supporters. This is what you can create your Information portal to be, a place where you can contain all such people, and make money.
Free Services. Thanks to websites like Ygm.co.zw, yo.co.zw, and fbnet.co.zw one of the cries of my heart has been answered. Zimbabwe now has its own answer to Yahoo.com I believe, with enormous potential. Free services, especially email are very beneficial for a nation in Cyberspace, because they provide a reference point for the physical businesses, where enquirers can visit when offline. The more we have free services, the greater chance we have of establishing in consumers’ minds this wonderful world of technology. Free service websites provide alternatives for consumers as they browse the Internet. The more alternatives, the healthier competition is, and results in increased Internet usage. There are businesses which need platforms to market themselves, and free services websites offer a good platform.
GPRS & 3G BUSINESS CAPABILITIES IN ZIMBABWE
To understand the potential of GPRS or 3G, we need to know what mCommerce and Mobile Entertainment are. Mobile Entertainment refers to entertainment related activities performed by end users over a mobile network and using mobile equipment such as handsets. This can include things like mobile games, media content consumption such as icons, ringtones, music, images or movie clips, chat and information services on relevant entertainment events. Examples of mCommerce in Zimbabwe are eTranzact’s Banking Services, and Kingdom/CABS’ Banking Services.
Mobile data communication services over the mobile network such as mobile games playing, wireless music downloading, mobile phone TV playing, Mobile 2 Phone Novel reading, and so on, these services are impacting the traditional entertainment industry and attracting telecommunication operators’ clients. Mobile Entertainment is bring a new challenge to both telecommunication industry and entertainment industry, that is, in the near future, telecommunication operators must enable themselves to hold more mobile network users and more entertainment customers on a large scale.
Mobile data communication services over the mobile network such as mobile games playing, wireless music downloading, mobile phone TV playing, Mobile 2 Phone Novel reading, and so on, these services are impacting the traditional entertainment industry and attracting telecommunication operators’ clients. Mobile Entertainment is bring a new challenge to both telecommunication industry and entertainment industry, that is, in the near future, telecommunication operators must enable themselves to hold more mobile network users and more entertainment customers on a large scale.
Property Websites in Zimbabwe, and Opportunities Available
Database Driven
Most of them are database driven, making it difficult for each entry to be found by search engines like google.com. Most use Cold Fusion, a technology not easily accessible by Google scripts. Google uses Perl. The difference is that Perl dumps information on every query (Client Driven), yet Cold Fusion keeps everything on the server on which the query is being requested (Server Driven).
What has influence these web publications
• Mindsets
o People only read from newspaper classifieds only.
o Who would want to invest in a vibrant website?
o It’s Zimbabwe anywhere!
• Lack of understanding of marketing in cyberspace.
• More of a presence issue, for corporate image issue.
The Technologies Used
Most of the websites were developed by WebDev and Design@7. WedDev is strong on Wed Development (the Database side), hence their sites have that orientation. Design@7 is strong with Graphics, hence their sites have that orientation. Some other sites were developed by small companies, which seem not to understand websites or Internet at all.
Opportunities
What is not fully utilised • Titles – Search Engines maximise on website titles. If you search “real estate in Zimbabwe, or homes, or property” with Google, the results will not immediately produce the above websites.
• Newsletters – Only one website had a newsletter link, where one could sign up for a newsletter. It has been two weeks now, I am still waiting for the newsletter.
• News and Information – Only one website has Newsflashes, but only has one story. Zimbabweans love news. They go on the Internet to look for news of anything, especially Obsessives and Bare Necessities, which are the two target audiences.
• Photography – Each website poorly captivates the properties in question. Their photography is very insufficient
What do consumers want?I believe that the above websites are not really addressing what the consumers want, and some are underutilising their tools.
• Target consumer groups should be understood. There are only two target groups – Obsessives and Bare Necessities. I am an Obsessive, I just want to be notified or given information in good time, of properties available, preferably earlier than other people. Learn how these tow behave.
• Sufficient information to make a decision.
• Seeing the beauty of the property (or worth), commensurate the price. Consumers want to feel good about each transaction.
• A non-technical website.
Most of them are database driven, making it difficult for each entry to be found by search engines like google.com. Most use Cold Fusion, a technology not easily accessible by Google scripts. Google uses Perl. The difference is that Perl dumps information on every query (Client Driven), yet Cold Fusion keeps everything on the server on which the query is being requested (Server Driven).
What has influence these web publications
• Mindsets
o People only read from newspaper classifieds only.
o Who would want to invest in a vibrant website?
o It’s Zimbabwe anywhere!
• Lack of understanding of marketing in cyberspace.
• More of a presence issue, for corporate image issue.
The Technologies Used
Most of the websites were developed by WebDev and Design@7. WedDev is strong on Wed Development (the Database side), hence their sites have that orientation. Design@7 is strong with Graphics, hence their sites have that orientation. Some other sites were developed by small companies, which seem not to understand websites or Internet at all.
Opportunities
What is not fully utilised • Titles – Search Engines maximise on website titles. If you search “real estate in Zimbabwe, or homes, or property” with Google, the results will not immediately produce the above websites.
• Newsletters – Only one website had a newsletter link, where one could sign up for a newsletter. It has been two weeks now, I am still waiting for the newsletter.
• News and Information – Only one website has Newsflashes, but only has one story. Zimbabweans love news. They go on the Internet to look for news of anything, especially Obsessives and Bare Necessities, which are the two target audiences.
• Photography – Each website poorly captivates the properties in question. Their photography is very insufficient
What do consumers want?I believe that the above websites are not really addressing what the consumers want, and some are underutilising their tools.
• Target consumer groups should be understood. There are only two target groups – Obsessives and Bare Necessities. I am an Obsessive, I just want to be notified or given information in good time, of properties available, preferably earlier than other people. Learn how these tow behave.
• Sufficient information to make a decision.
• Seeing the beauty of the property (or worth), commensurate the price. Consumers want to feel good about each transaction.
• A non-technical website.
Friday, March 21, 2008
The need for Internet Training in Zimbabwe
Internet in Zimbabwe is at the second phase of boom, as the first phase ended in 2000, with the entry of mobile technology in Zimbabwe. As GSM grew and begun to influence commerce around the orld, Zimbabwe was ending its introductory age of internet and online business. The greatest achievements companies did were going online with websites. The second age of Zimbabwean internet advancement came with the introduction of online banking with CABS, Kingdom, and other banks. The entry of eTransact consolidated the industry's online business initiatives.
The second age of internet boom in Zimbabwe is also characterised by the mushrooming of Internet Cafes, Cheaper technology and access costs for consumers, and inlfuence of Zimbabwean families in the Daispora. All this has brought a fresh start of internet business, as may businesses in Zimbabwe are now going online in order to sell products and services.
With the introduction of every technology wave there is always need for equipping industry players with relevant tools and knowledge in order for effective business communication.
The second age of internet boom in Zimbabwe is also characterised by the mushrooming of Internet Cafes, Cheaper technology and access costs for consumers, and inlfuence of Zimbabwean families in the Daispora. All this has brought a fresh start of internet business, as may businesses in Zimbabwe are now going online in order to sell products and services.
With the introduction of every technology wave there is always need for equipping industry players with relevant tools and knowledge in order for effective business communication.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)