In business, as in life, relationships can lead to a world of opportunity. One good connection can lead to advancement in your career, and a fateful meeting can mark a lifetime of fruitful collaboration. You never know who will lead you to new and better horizons.

That is the essence of a relationship. It is something that Digital For Africa not only understands on a molecular level. Customer first, second, third and always. Crack that code, and you have mastered the secrets of the universe. When one acknowledges the power of relationships, they will go to every extent to nurture, sustain and improve them. The more you do this, the more your business will thrive.

Start by getting to know your customer.

To know a person, you have to pay attention to what they are paying attention to. Where do they go? What do they like? Who are they talking to? When do they need you?

The answers are embedded in data. Everything you’ve ever wanted to know about every interaction with your customer is there. You just have to know where to look and what it means. Digital For Africa unearths that meaning and deciphers it for you. They utilize software that gives an accurate picture of data that can be segmented. Remember: knowledge is only power if applied correctly.

The most effective way to use that knowledge is to properly manage your relationships. How efficient is your Customer Relationship Management (CRM)?  If you’re not clear on what CRM is, don’t worry. That’s something Digital For Africa can help with, as well.

Early on, they discovered an information gap the size of Mount Kenya in the digital space. Students who graduate from IT and Computer Science related courses are still not equipped to enter the job market. There are a number of reasons for this. For one, the curriculum is not evolving to address the needs of the industry. Archaic programming languages like Pascal and Visual Basic are still being taught, while proficiency in Python, JavaScript and Ruby are sought after. In an effort to close this gap, Digital For Africa has become a knowledge centre for various courses in the digital space.

Apart from improving your interaction with CRMs, data analysis, and reporting, they also build mobile apps and websites that meet customer needs to the letter. User Experience Design (UXD) is topmost in their priorities when designing any product. Your customers must get to where they want to go in the most functional and appealing route possible. Form always follows function.

It’s always about the customer and their relationship with you. That is Digital For Africa’s number one priority.

By Barbara Jebet, a content strategist, and brand storyteller.