1. Catrin Froehlich
Kathmandu
C
orporate Social Responsibility
(CSR) is about balancing all stake-
holders’ needs and interests in
economically, socially and environ-
mentally sustainable ways. Cus-
tomers are obviously the first priori-
ty. Good customer service, you will
say, is just good business sense. And
you are right, but how often do you
find excellent
customer ser-
vice in Nepal?
And how of-
ten do compa-
nies link it
with society’s
interest?
Let us look
at one excep-
tional case:
Pro Biotech
Industries Pvt Ltd, a leader in the
agriculture and animal husbandry
sector, has been conducting free
trainings for poultry farmers for two
years. So far 20 trainings have been
conducted. In these trainings farm-
ers learn about farming manage-
ment, biosecurity and how to pre-
vent poultry diseases. Of course,
these trainings promote a strong link
between the company and its cus-
tomers and thereby promote sales
and customer loyalty. On the other
hand, it increases the security of
poultry businesses and their income.
It promotes education and liveli-
hoods in rural areas and even con-
tributes to the development of wider
communities.
Similarly, pharmaceutical compa-
nies provide health camps in rural
areas or produce educational materi-
al for schools or public offices.
Again, it promotes their brands and
sales. But at the same time, people
learn how to prevent diseases.
There is much more scopes in CSR
down the supply chain. To name just
a few: Banks could provide financial
literacy trainings. Remittance com-
panies could produce and distribute
information
material for
work mi-
grants to save
them from
ugly experi-
ences. Auto-
mobile deal-
ers could edu-
cate about the
need for fre-
quent ser-
vices to avoid increased petrol con-
sumption and reduce the health haz-
ards of emissions. Construction
companies could inform about earth-
quake resistance or energy efficien-
cy of different building material.
Each company has its own target
group and its own core strength.
Thinking outside the traditional
ways of customer service can some-
times lead to win-win solutions,
which have an impact even beyond
just sales and customer loyalty. Ag-
gregated efforts of many businesses
in this regard might actually even in-
crease ‘private sector-loyalty.’
(The author is a CSR expert at Na-
tional Business Initiative and can be
contacted at info@nbinepal.org.np)
Customer service —
more than just good
business sense
responsiblebusiness