By putting customer engagement at the centre of the Route to Market, the customer experience will be enhanced, and customers themselves will drive demand, rather than those further up the chain pushing products down.

Significant enhancements have been made to the FIELDForce. These include security improvements as well as the inclusion of an invoice value discount engine and a buy one, get one free (BOGOF) engine.

Many fintech’s and start-ups have developed highly innovative solutions but markets are still cash-based by choice, because cashless payment solutions as not everyone sees the value in a cash-free economy, and therein lies the greater risk.

Before introducing a cashless payment system, the first thing is to focus on educating business owners to ensure they operate successfully.

An omnichannel strategy should focus not necessarily on technology, but on making it easier to engage with customers, ultimately making it easier to trade.

A mind shift is needed for sustainable growth and development. We need to become more altruistic in the way we approach the channel – it is not about pushing product, but about creating community support.

An omnichannel approach, supported by appropriate technology, can help to streamline retail sales channels, improve the overall experience and drive economic growth.

Mobile technology solutions can help these traders not only move more toward a more advanced trading market place, but also help them to become increasingly self-sustainable, spreading this into the communities at large.

Spazas are at the heart of South Africa’s economy and they have massive power to create sustainable economic growth and development. Sustainable growth and development need a mind shift.

There is no one-size-fits-all approach to such a diverse market, but seamless integration and consistent messaging is critical in removing communication as a friction point in the supply chain.