Why 70% Of Digital Transformations Fail

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Why 70% Of Digital Transformations Fail

Prior to the pandemic, digital transformation was likely a top goal for many companies, but for a handful, it was not.

However, businesses seeking to flourish and remain relevant in a changing world have been forced to refocus their efforts and prioritize transformation.

The days of digital transformation being a distant goal are long gone. Businesses have had to speed up the digitization of their operations, customer services, and product development in order to keep up with changing consumer needs.

Despite the fact that the majority of organizations think that digital transformation is essential, over 70% of digital transformation efforts fail.

So, the question is clear: what can you do to ensure your digital transformation is effective?

Digital transformation or digital stagnation?

Even though more than 80% of companies plan to accelerate their company’s digital transformation:

70% of digital transformation falls short, most often due to resistance from employees
Only 16% of employees think their digital transformations have improved performance and are sustainable

Of the $1.3trn that was spent on digital transformation, $900bn went to waste

So, why is this important to you? Because the outcomes of a failed digital transformation are:

  • Wasted investment
  • Misplaced resources
  • Poor customer experience
  • Frustrating employee experience

Digital transformation falls short because of one, or more, of the following five factors:

1. Lack of unifying strategy:

The addition of new technology is merely one aspect of digital transformation. While technology is crucial for digital transformation success, it must be guided by a long-term strategy that directs the organization and its investments.

According to a McKinsey report, businesses with these key factors in place are three times more likely to report successful digital transformation:

  • A vision that links digital technologies to overall business goals and objectives
  • Clear outcomes and goals alongside a timeline and a roadmap
  • Defined project scope and outlining responsible parties

2. Lack of organizational buy-in

Still, even a clear plan and all the right tools mean nothing if the organisation isn’t aligned in moving toward the final destination together.

  • 35% of employees found the most common obstacle for digital transformation was their CEO
  • 46% of IT directors surveyed said a lack of executive buy-in is a leading barrier to transformation
  • 70% of digital transformation efforts fail, most often due to resistance from employees

Organizational alignment must start at the top and work its way down. If any part of the organization does not recognize the value of digital transformation, change will fail to take hold.

To convince the rest of the team, it’s necessary to demonstrate the benefits of changing their processes, experience, and goals.

3. Siloed technology

If strategy is the map that guides businesses to their final destination of digital transformation, technology serves as the vehicle that transports them there. However, as businesses add systems and applications, their technology stack becomes entangled, resulting in fragmented user experiences and wasted resources.

  • According to Forrester, the number one technical challenge facing digital experience leaders is inadequate integration with back-end systems
  • Over 59% of survey respondents cite outdated and legacy infrastructure and tools as a barrier to successful transformation
  • 80% of legacy technologies prevent digital transformation

What should have been a catalyst for change is now preventing businesses from implementing any meaningful change. To disentangle this mess, organizations should invest in a connective foundation, such as a digital experience platform (DXP), to unify legacy systems, existing databases, and third-party systems into a single platform.

The true power of a DXP is its ability to integrate with a variety of existing legacy and adjacent technologies in order to provide a unified, continuous, and optimised experience.

4. Poor data management

With great data comes great responsibility, yet 85% of businesses are failing to effectively leverage data to power their digital transformation initiatives. Not only do disparate technologies waste resources and slow organizations, but they also create data silos. Because data is locked away in disconnected systems and applications, business leaders are unable to access and manage it across their organizations. Siloed data prevents digital transformation by:

Preventing in-depth data analysis – when the majority of time needs to be spent gathering data, businesses have to first perform time-consuming manual work in order to collect and standardise data before any meaningful insights can be derived

Limiting the view of data across departments – data that is stored across different databases not only leads to inconsistent data but also duplicates work across the organization

Hinting at larger silos at hand – Siloed data is often a symptom of a workplace that operates in organizational silos. This kind of company culture where departments function individually and don’t collaborate hinders digital transformation at a wider organizational level

5. Limited technologies

Even if businesses are successful in initiating digital transformation programmes, the technologies they deploy to do this are frequently unable to scale and grow with the organization.

As many as 78% of organizations struggle to properly expand their digital transformation programmes and achieve the desired return on their digital investment. Due to the fact that many businesses are limited in scope, their digital transformation frequently fizzles out.

Instead, businesses need to look for holistic, organization-wide solutions that can build towards a long-term, sustainable strategy.

Making digital transformation a success

As technologies advance and client needs shift, businesses must be adaptable and deliberate in their approach to transformation. With a guiding strategy, connective tools, and a cohesive workforce, you can assist your organisation in operating more efficiently and providing superior customer service.

Kwik Delivery Unveils Football Legend Jay Jay Okocha and Power Biker-lady Fehinty as its Brand Ambassadors

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Kwik Delivery Unveils Football Legend Jay Jay Okocha and Power Biker-lady Fehinty as its Brand Ambassadors

Kwik Delivery is a fast-growing technology company enabling Nigerian businesses and merchants to sell online, deliver to their customers and get paid in a simple, fast and reliable manner through a smartphone app

French-Nigerian technology startup Kwik Delivery is excited and proud to unveil today its two brand ambassadors, Nigerian football legend Jay Jay OKOCHA and power biker-lady FEHINTY.

“Since its launch in 2019 in Lagos, Kwik Delivery has become synonymous with swiftness, efficiency, passion, innovation and drive. Kwik Delivery is all about enabling Nigerians to succeed in their business endeavors and to win.” declares Jay Jay OKOCHA. “All qualities and virtues in which my fans and I fully recognize and that I can proudly defend as Kwik’s brand ambassador.

“As a biker, I am constantly challenging myself to take be more creative and break new grounds, so I am proud to be associated with a company like Kwik Delivery which has consistently shown its commitment to innovation, service delivery and excellence through its many packages for Nigerian businesses” declares FEHINTY.

Kwik Delivery is a fast-growing technology company enabling Nigerian businesses and merchants to sell online, deliver to their customers and get paid in a simple, fast and reliable manner through a smartphone app. It counts close to a thousand delivery partners and over 70,000 B2B customers. The company currently covers Lagos and Abuja and offers its customers to book bikes, vans and trucks within metropolitan areas.

“We are extremely proud to unveil these two brand ambassadors and we know that they will carry high Kwik Delivery’s values of passion and breaking new grounds” declares Romain POIROT-LELLIG, Founder & CEO of Kwik Delivery. “This is a particularly happy day for us and we will soon make other announcements that will build on this momentum.”

Kwik Delivery is the trading name of Africa Delivery Technologies SAS. The Kwik Delivery app is available on iOS (https://apple.co/3DAMNFI) and Android (https://bit.ly/2WxdPgV) as well as on www.Kwik.Delivery.

Get The Most Out Of Your Agency Relationship. Plan Now For A Better 2022

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Get The Most Out Of Your Agency Relationship. Plan Now For A Better 2022

Here’s how CMOs can work with their agency partners to drive results, and forge mutually beneficial relationships with motivated teams on both sides.

In the honeymoon period after a pitch is won, teams love the excitement that comes with the new creative challenge and the potential to make an impact, and brands are all too happy to get caught up in the boundless energy that comes with a new relationship.

However, it’s easy to get caught up in the first flush of a new relationship and neglect doing the work required to lay the foundations for the relationship going forward.

Ultimately all agencies want to succeed and deliver great work for their clients, however, a key part of the relationship’s success lies in the practical approach taken by both parties from the outset.

To truly become the partner and trusted advisor that is so often spoken of, agencies need to ask the right questions, they need to be curious and they need to have one eye on the future long-term growth of their clients. In line with this, brands should trust their agencies, sharing not just their marketing goals, but also their broader business strategies and challenges.

This is particularly true in this age of digital where there has been a massive shift in focus and in the budget to leverage technology’s capabilities, and where the reliance on digital now extends far beyond the marketing department.

Making the right choice, based on the right criteria

One of the major causes of poor relationships lies in our procurement process. Far too often the traditional race-to-the-bottom way of deciding on procurement immediately places brands at a disadvantage.

Get The Most Out Of Your Agency Relationship. Plan Now For A Better 2022-Brand Spur Nigeria
Get The Most Out Of Your Agency Relationship. Plan Now For A Better 2022-Brand Spur Nigeria

In this environment, agencies are forced to compromise on the quality of their work as they turn to junior staff in order to deliver on budget. This is a disaster, particularly for digital teams where skills are often underestimated and the appropriate ones never come cheap.

The best way to overcome this is for brands and agencies to agree on what the problem is that they are mutually trying to solve. By re-framing the narrative when appointing the agency and moving the focus away from how cheaply the agency can come in on the scope of work, the chances of success are infinitely higher.

In this regard, it is important for the marketing leaders and the procurement department to work closely to ensure they are sympatico in regard to what is required of the agency. They should work together to draw up the brief, and they should also consider the importance of chemistry sessions to assess the potential for real collaboration, or real conflict.

This will go a long way to ensuring the best agency for the job is appointed and give both parties the best chance of success – as well as a good working relationship.

Commit it to writing

At the outset brands and agencies also need to do a few things if they want to lay the foundation for a happy, healthy and successful partnership.

The concept of a partnership charter should be considered, where both parties come together to workshop their shared vision for success, and to then agree and document the practical expectations and requirements needed to achieve this. The idea was first put forward in The Harvard Business Review and has since gained support from both global brands and agencies.

Taking the time to understand how your new partner likes to work at the beginning of a relationship is critical. While there always has to be some compromise, it makes no sense for the brand (or the agency) to issue a diktat on how the working relationship will proceed.

Its success should be based on shared responsibilities, shared data and information, and an agreed way of working, with regular checks and honest conversations to ensure that the partnership and the shared vision for success remain on track.

This charter will set the foundations for a healthy partnership that ensures mutual respect, trust and collaboration, and the creation of an environment where all teams are motivated, passionate and strive to do great work.

Defining the partnership mentality before you enter 2022

As brands begin their planning process for 2022, now is the time for CMOs to reflect on the relationship with their agencies. Given the pressure on marketing budgets as well as on agencies to profitably and successfully deliver on brands’ targets, it makes sense that a more considered partnership approach be adopted to ensure that both parties’ interests are aired, acknowledged and central to what success looks like

In short, innovative, award winning work can be achieved when teams collaborate and support one another, working in a partnership that benefits everyone.

BMW Group Launches The Re:Bmw Circular Lab

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BMW Group Launches The Re:Bmw Circular Lab

The BMW Group is launching its new communication and experience platform “RE:BMW Circular Lab”.

The RE: BMW Circular Lab is an invitation to accompany the BMW Group on its journey of transformation into a circular economy. The RE: BMW Circular Lab focuses on circular thinking and awareness of new, sustainable courses of action. The BMW Group aims to use the RE:BMW Circular Lab to raise awareness of circularity: circular rather than linear. Rethinking the entire process. Reducing what can be reduced, and reusing what can be maximally reused.

Communication and experience platform for enhanced dialogue, cooperation and new perspectives

The newly created communication and experience platform RE:BMW Circular Lab is a hybrid experience for every user. Its aim is to communicate the BMW Group’s development as a sustainable organisation in a manner that is transparent, interactive and accessible to all.

Numerous features and exciting, informative storytelling offer an authentic insight into the BMW Group’s progress towards holistic product development, the responsible use of resources, and its transformation into a circular economy.

BMW Group Launches The Re:Bmw Circular Lab-Brand Spur Nigeria
BMW Group Launches The Re:Bmw Circular Lab-Brand Spur Nigeria

On this path, the BMW Group is guided by four basic principles: RE:THINK, RE:DUCE, RE: USE and RE: CYCLE. The BMW Group uses the RE:BMW Circular Lab to tell the story of its transformation on the basis of these principles; however, the platform is also an invitation to collaborate and participate in the discussion.

To underscore the joy of discovering new perspectives together, the RE:BMW Circular Lab invites everyone to walk this path and shape the future collectively. Special emphasis is placed on interactivity and dialogue: users can attend analog and digital workshops and use social media to experience the BMW Group’s transformation into a circular economy in a variety of ways. At the same time, insights into topics such as circular economy and circular design aim to provide exciting ideas for personal action.

Four guiding principles: RE:THINK, RE:DUCE, RE:USE and RE:CYCLE
An overview of the four principles of circular economy:

RE:THINK – We keep circularity in mind during all our deliberations.

The key principles are RE:DUCING, RE:USING and RE:CYCLING throughout the process and far beyond: new materials, new technologies, new processes and above all new ideas. We have to rethink all our activities within the BMW Group and beyond.

RE:DUCE – Using less to achieve more, wherever and however we can.

This opens up enormous creative scope for ideas and possibilities. Imagine a new premium segment for the future, with new materials, different components and flexible combinations. The art is to leave things out without compromising on the driving experience.

RE:USE – Extending the use of our products for as long as we can.

We extend and expand the value, possible applications and use of our products by means of modernisation, digital functions and many other options. New mobility concepts will provide an interior that can be used in a variety of ways: for work meetings, for gatherings with friends, and as an additional living room. And, naturally, to drive from A to B. What is important is daily use and how we can inspire our customers every day.

RE:CYCLE – Keeping resources in circulation for as long as we can.

BMW Group Launches The Re:Bmw Circular Lab-Brand Spur Nigeria
BMW Group Launches The Re:Bmw Circular Lab-Brand Spur Nigeria

Using as many unmixed mono-materials as possible. Using materials that are already in circulation, such as recycled plastic, recycled aluminum and recycled steel. Detachable connections are essential for easy dismantling. Being able to separate materials more easily makes it easier to recycle them. What is important is the environmental footprint of our products and our business operations as a whole.

Have fun discovering circularity with the CIRCULAR HEROES

The BMW Group is fundamentally resetting its design strategy with circular design, which focuses on circularity throughout the design process and far beyond. “Circular design is all about creating more with less; fewer resources, more emotion,” says Adrian van Hooydonk, Senior Vice President of BMW Group Design, explaining the fascination of circular design.

The principles of circular design are brought to life in a playful manner by the CIRCULAR HEROES, four sustainable characters created by Milanese architect and designer Patricia Urquiola who are constantly exploring the possibilities of design, shape, materials and colour. “Every time I work with BMW, I learn something new about mobility and the possibilities it offers, but this particular project is one-of-a-kind. I had the opportunity to experiment, work with utopian models and even venture beyond design boundaries,” says designer Patricia Urquiola, talking about her work on CIRCULAR HEROES. As each CIRCULAR HERO represents the various types of the bond between parts and materials, each of them has their own specific approach.

BMW Group Launches The Re:Bmw Circular Lab-Brand Spur Nigeria
BMW Group Launches The Re:Bmw Circular Lab-Brand Spur Nigeria

The BMW Group understands the RE:BMW Circular Lab as an invitation to join it on the circular path and shape the future – with the goal of discovering new perspectives together.

At the occasion of  IAA Mobility in Munich the RE:BMW Circular Lab will be presented at the BMW Group Open Space (Max-Joseph-Platz, Munich). Visitors are invited to join interactive workshops.

Discover the RE:BMW Circular Lab now: www.bmw.com/circular-lab

RE:BMW Circular Lab

The BMW Group is pioneering the development of a circular economy and efficient resource management. With the RE:BMW CIRCULAR LAB, the BMW Group shares an authentic insight into the company’s contribution towards holistic product development, the careful use of resources, and the transformation towards a circular economy.

The platform is also an invitation for collaboration and exchange: the RE:BMW CIRCULAR LAB invites everyone to take the journey with us to shape the future because it is about the joy of discovering new perspectives together.

Nigeria’s Courier Operators Kick Against Unfriendly terms in The Postal Reforms Bill

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Nigeria’s Courier Operators Kick Against Unfriendly terms in The Postal Reforms Bill

It’s no longer news that the postal reforms bill has reached 2nd reading at the National Assembly.

Reacting to the postal reforms bill, the Nigeria International Air Courier Association (NIACA) and Association of Nigerian Courier Operators (ANCO) have issued a joint statement distancing themselves from the bill which they say has not addressed their concerns as it does not capture their representation during the public hearings and meetings at different levels of government.

The joint press briefing by NIACA and ANCO which drew representation from international and national courier operators as well as the media was necessitated by the need for them to clearly declare their stand on the postal reforms bill currently being passed by the law makers.

They are appealing to the government to rethink the bill as they believe that such would compound the unending circle of problems already bedeviling the industry.

They complained about declining margins due to cost of doing business, poor infrastructure, cost of funds, FOREX rate, power and security among other challenges stifling the industry. Urging government to consider the peculiarity of the environment in discharging regulatory tactics.

L-R: Mr. Dayo (Legal Adviser), Mr. Michael Umoh (COO at UPS), Mr. Shola Obabori (MD Fedex), Mr. Muyiwa Adesiyoju (MD DHL), Mr. Okey Uba (Chairman ANCO), Mr. Oladipo Akinyele (Chairman NIACA), Mrs. Tolu Omamadaga (Gen Sec ANCO), Mr. Toyin Adeojo (ANCO Treasurer).

Among the major gray areas in the bill are:

  1. Mandating courier operators to remit 2% of their annual turnover to the government. With declining margins and running cost, this law would definitely run courier operators out of business and lead to massive job loss within the industry. They further stated that operators are willing to work with best practice where 1% of net profit is remitted annually or the government can introduce 2% postal contribution which would be borne by consignor.

 

  1. Issues of exclusivity for NIPOST to handle consignments weighing upto 1kg. They urge the government put into consideration safe and efficient logistics as well as maintain a level playing field to allow for competition and not monopolize that aspect of the business.

 

  1. Licensing: They argued that it is unfair for government to cancel the licence of existing operators on the grounds of reform and urged government to consider recertification in order to keep them in business.

 

  1. Stamp duty: Considering the nature of their business could be voluminous. A digital approach would make compliance alot easier and a more efficient system.

NIACA and ANCO reiterated that the agitation to improve and better the industry has been a long standing battle and that as far as engaging government is concerned the associations have been very present and open to dialogue. Whereas they have written several letters and had countless meetings without much impact, they are hoping that the government can go back to the drawing board and embrace ideas that would encourage inclusion and favorable market conditions for all stakeholders.

 

Building Inclusion At Scale, One Nudge At A Time

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Building Inclusion At Scale, One Nudge At A Time

How do you activate allies and build a more inclusive organization? It’s a tough question. The most well-intentioned colleagues may not know which day-to-day behaviors can make a real difference, and even those who do may forget to act in inclusive ways when it really matters.

A couple of years ago, we decided to tackle this head-on at McKinsey. We designed a program to help prompt individual behavioral change on a large scale.

We started by defining a set of inclusive micro-habits, or small recurring behaviors, that our colleagues could easily demonstrate without having to learn new skills.

To do this, we reviewed the literature on inclusion and belonging, including a study authored by Amy Edmondson, Novartis Professor of Leadership and Management at Harvard Business School. We also drew on tactical insights from organizational behavior and neuroscience research, such as Tiny Habits by Stanford Behavior Design Lab founder BJ Fogg. And to make sure the behaviors resonated in our specific environment, we crowd-sourced suggestions and ideas from our own colleagues.

The effort yielded a list of tangible micro-habits that we put to work through a new opt-in program called Inclusion Nudges.

Built on insights from the groundbreaking research of Cass Sunstein and Richard Thaler, who have just published their latest insights on the tactic in Nudge: The Final Edition, our nudges are short, timely, insightful prompts that combine serious research with memorable stories or visuals that activate inclusive behaviors and make them stick.

For example, in a nudge called, “Be somebody’s best advocate,” we encouraged colleagues to amplify the work, ideas, and leadership of others, even if (or especially when) they’re not present. It featured the image of an airplane flying a banner celebrating a colleague’s good work. Elsewhere, in a nudge called “Giving credit where credit is due,” we shared the story of Ada Lovelace and other women in STEM whose contributions had been overlooked to memorably illustrate the cost of non-inclusive culture.

What we’ve learned

We’re conscious that we’re not alone in this effort to use nudging to drive organizational culture change, and we’re eager to share what we’ve learned so far. To those looking to launch a similar program, we recommend focusing on three pillars:

Select behaviors to nudge that are:

  • Supported by research and/or backed by themes in employees’ lived experiences
  • Concrete and actionable in team settings
  • Timely and synchronized with the organizational calendar (e.g. promotion announcements), the external calendar (e.g. holidays), or individuals’ calendars (e.g., a meeting on their Outlook calendar).
  • Responsive to emergent needs, such as crises, sudden shifts in ways of working, news events, and other pivotal moments.

Craft messaging that is:

  • Succinct!
  • Engaging, fun to read, and likely to elicit an emotional response that builds conviction and helps with follow through
  • Tailored to your organization’s context and relevant across geographies, roles, tenures, identities
  • Combines storytelling with data to cater to different learning styles

Build an audience by:

  • Developing colleague champions, who are enthusiastic about the program and create buzz about it through word of mouth.
  • Focusing on local outreach, such as a network of office inclusion captains, to drive sign ups and provide input on how to make nudges most relevant in their contexts

A program built on those three pillars will provide your team with opportunities to be strategic, innovate, and improve the program over time. Most recently, we’ve used these pillars to inform our approach to a new app created in partnership with McKinsey’s Inspire Individuals team, which specializes in enabling individuals to deliver organizational change at scale through the latest in advanced analytics, digital technology, and behavioral science.

The nudges app helps us achieve mass personalization at scale by offering a long tail of learning in “bite-sized” engagement (just a few minutes per week) in addition to the nudges sent by email. The app also allows us to sync with users’ Outlook calendars to enhance the relevance and timeliness of reminders to practice inclusive behaviors.

Progress and what’s next

While we know there’s no single answer to building more inclusive spaces at work and beyond, the feedback we’ve received so far on the Inclusion Nudges program has been overwhelmingly positive. In a recent participant survey, about 80 percent of respondents said the nudges have directly helped them act in more inclusive ways.

These numbers are supported by what we hear from our colleagues in our day to day work. One firm leader recently told us the nudges were a highlight of her day: “I love them—LOVE THEM—because they are focused, bite sized, and digestible. I sent them to my team, and incorporate them into my life.”

We know from our research and own experience that the gains diversity promises are only achieved in tandem with an inclusive environment. Nudging our colleagues to turn good intentions into inclusive actions is a powerful step toward culture change that matters.

The team would like to thank Stefan Sierra, Jacqueline Brassey, Catherine Loerke, and Michael Tappel, as well as the McKinsey Inspire Individuals Team for their collaboration on this work.

 

Abiola Akinbiyi Appointed First Nigerian Commissioner In Australia

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Abiola Akinbiyi Appointed First Nigerian Commissioner In Australia

A Nigerian national Abiola Akinbiyi has been appointed as the first Nigerian community representative commissioner of the Victorian Multicultural Commission in Australia.

Akinbiyi’s appointment was announced alongside other appointees by Minister for Multicultural Affairs Ros Spence, the Premier of Victoria, of the Australian Labour Party.

Each commissioner is recognized for their skills and life experience championing cultural and religious diversity across Victoria.

Akinbiyi, an award-winning entrepreneur, community leader, and advocate hails from Ibadan in Oyo State, Western Nigeria, and holds a bachelor’s degree in Pure and Applied Mathematics from Ladoke Akintola University of Science & Technology, Ogbomoso, and also a B.Sc in Nursing.

She is also a graduate of the African Leadership Development Program (Leadership Victoria) where she was nominated for Women in Leadership and Entrepreneur of the year 2018 by African Media Australia.

She is also the winner of the 2018 Business and Entrepreneurship (Afro Shine Award ), also by African Media Australia.

NIDCOM Boss, Abike Dabiri-Erewa Send Congratulates Abiola Akinbiyi

In a congratulatory message on Sunday, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM) Abike Dabiri-Erewa said that Akinbiyi’s appointment was proof of her leadership skills and passion towards women and youth empowerment.

She urged her not to relent in her service to humanity but to remain focused and strive to achieve more in the service of mankind.

Mazda Financial Services Extend Relief Material Hurricane Ida Victims

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Mazda Financial Services Extend Relief Material Hurricane Ida Victims

Mazda Financial Services (MFS) announced it is offering payment relief options to its customers affected by Hurricane Ida, which made landfall in Louisiana on Sunday and has been moving across the southern United States.

This broad outreach includes any Mazda Financial Services customer in the designated disaster areas.

Mazda Financial Services cares about the safety and well-being of its customers and wants to help those suffering from this natural disaster. Impacted lease and finance customers residing in the affected area may be eligible to take advantage of several payment relief options, some of which include:

  • extensions and lease deferred payments;
  • redirecting billing statements; and
  • arranging phone or online payments.

Customers who would like to discuss their account options are encouraged to contact MFS by calling 866-693-2332 or through email using the Mail Center function after logging into MazdaFinancialServices.com.

We extend our heartfelt thoughts to those affected by this storm.

About Mazda Financial Services

Mazda Financial Services offers automotive finance, lease and wholesaler dealer financing products, and services to Mazda dealers and customers in the U.S. Mazda Financial Services also offers insurance products through Mazda Protection Products (MPP).

The trade name “Mazda Financial Services” and the Mazda and Mazda Financial Services logos are owned by Mazda Motor Corporation (“Mazda”) or its affiliates and are licensed to Toyota Motor Credit Corporation (“TMCC”).

Retail installment and lease accounts are owned by TMCC and Toyota Lease Trust. Mazda is solely responsible for its products and services and for promotional statements about them and is not affiliated with TMCC or its affiliates.

Quick and Quintessential Planning Guide to a Successful Business Event

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Quick and Quintessential Planning Guide to a Successful Business Event

Businesses grow based on successful and continuous relationships. In order to have good relationships in business events are a mandatory activity. The event may vary based on its purpose and the number of people expected. However, the processes of organizing a successful event remain very similar. The process can be summarized into, research, design, planning, coordination, and evaluation. Breaking it into bits simplifies the job and makes it easier to share tasks so that the organizing can be quicker and more effective.

During research you need to find out about your audience, design entails actualizing the ideas you get when researching and bringing them to reality. Planning involves booking venues and advertising the event. This involves using different avenues such as pavement signs to ensure the message reaches the desired audience effectively. Coordination involves putting all the ideas and activities together so that the event can happen. Afterward, you will need an evaluation to analyze the success of the event. Discussed below are some tips that will enable you to quickly plan an event that will remain memorable to your attendees.

  • Know the reason for the event

Every event has a specific purpose and as the organizer, you should have clear goals on what you intend to achieve with the event. Once you are sure of your intentions with the event it makes it easier to fulfill and streamline your priorities so as to know the kind of event you will have and to make the event as meaningful and engaging to your liking.

  • Setting a budget

The event you are planning on having should always be within a reasonable budget. Knowing how much money you will be working with allows you to set limits and know the size and type of event you can manage. In your given budget always set aside an emergency budget that can cater for things when there are sudden changes that may pop up. Set your priorities straight and spend more money on the essentials and the rest can be used to fund luxuries. Never skimp on food and beverages and always take into account those with special dietary needs.

  • Come up with a timeline

Most of the timelines provided to set up the events are usually very short. However, the main reason for breaking the event planning process into bits is to ensure that the tasks can be completed in the shortest time possible. Come up with a checklist of all the things that should be accomplished in the given time and ensure the most important activities are completed first and the tiny details left for the end. Always ensure that everyone completes their tasks on time in order to meet all the required deadlines.

  • Know your audience

Since this is a business event you should have a good idea of who to expect at the event and make sure all plans are relevant to the audience. This includes knowing the number of people attending and their respective positions, such as company executives, managers, clients, business partners, or even community members.

  • Choose a topic

By now you already have a clue on who your audience is and the objective of the event. It, therefore, gives you a clue on what your theme and format for the event will be. Create opportunities for your audience to have fun and learn at the same time. Incorporate out-of-the-norm games and guest speakers that can allow people to have fun while interacting to ensure a platform for networking, creating memories, and having fun.

  • Select a location

The perfect location for your event will bring all your ideas to life. Even though it is very tempting to pick a location before the other aspects of the event are done, always remember to complete the above activities first and find a venue that fulfills your vision. The location is key to attendance. Ensure the location is convenient and makes the customer comfortable.

  • Plan for the day

All the personnel that will be needed for the event must be notified in advance and be prepared for the event. This includes caterers, photographers, and technicians. This ensures everything flows as planned and reduces the chance of mishaps.

  • Advertise

For people to come to your event, they must know about it. What other way to better do this than advertising our event? This can be done by sending invitations or even doing posters. You should therefore analyze your event and pick the method that works best for you.

  • Celebrate and evaluate the success

It is everyone’s goal that their events happen without any hitches and I hope yours does the same. Afterward, you will need to tie up loose ends by completing final payments and reconciling finances. Also, don’t forget to gather feedback that can be used for follow up.

Conclusion

Events are an important aspect of any organization. They help in building healthy relationships which ensure healthy business and business practices among individuals and companies.

France Works With African Partners To Deliver 10 Million Vaccines To Africa

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France Works With African Partners To Deliver 10 Million Vaccines To Africa

African Union Member States will receive an additional 10 million doses of Astra Zeneca and Pfizer COVID-19 vaccines over the next three months through a new partnership between the French government and the African Union.

The vaccines will be allocated and distributed by the initiative known as the Africa Vaccine Acquisition Trust (AVAT) and the COVAX global vaccine initiative.

The AVAT initiative was set up as a pooled procurement mechanism for the African Union Member States to be able to buy enough vaccines for at least 50% of their needs. The AVAT works closely with the COVAX initiative, which seeks to provide the other 50% through donations.

AVAT is managed on behalf of the African Union Member States by an alliance of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), as well as the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank), which also provides the funding for the acquisition of vaccines. AVAT has already acquired enough vaccines for African countries to vaccinate 400 million people, or one-third of the African population, by September next year, at a cost of $3 billion, supported by an innovative partnership with the World Bank.

Since the beginning of the pandemic, President Macron of France has been a powerful advocate in support of Africa’s need to have equitable access to vaccines and was the first leader to welcome and acknowledge the efforts of the African Union Member States to build institutions like AVAT.

He has met several times with the African Union’s leadership and has also traveled to South Africa where the French development agency Proparco is helping to expand Africa’s largest vaccine manufacturing facility. France will also contribute to the WHO-supported Hub, which will enable mRNA vaccines technology transfer to the African continent.

The French government has also been a strong advocate of vaccine sharing in the fight against COVID-19 in order to accelerate global vaccination rates and ensure equitable access to safe and efficacious immunization against COVID-19. In April of this year, France became the first country to share doses with COVAX, a global vaccine initiative managed by CEPI, Gavi, WHO, and UNICEF. Through its new partnership with AVAT, the French government will add to these efforts and advance its commitment of sharing at least 60 million doses before the end of 2021.

His Excellency Cyril Ramaphosa, President of the Republic of South Africa and African Union COVID-19 Champion, said: “The donation by the French Republic of 10 million COVID-19 vaccine doses to the African continent is a clear and welcome demonstration of human solidarity and political cooperation at a time the world needs this most.

A safer and healthier Africa is a prerequisite for a safer and healthier world. I commend President Macron and the government and people of France for this important contribution to our continent’s fight against illness and against the unfortunate and avoidable reality of unequal access to vaccines in many regions of the world, including Africa.”

His Excellency Emmanual Macron, President of the French Republic, said: “The solution to the pandemic will only come from strong cooperation, between multilateral, regional and national actors. Based on our solid partnership with the African Union, I want us to build together on the expertise and the political legitimacy of African leaders.

Thus 10 million doses of Astra Zeneca and Pfizer vaccines will be donated by the French people to the African Union, who will decide on their allocation, in coordination with COVAX. This demonstrates my will, as President of France, to stand shoulder to shoulder with African people and face the pandemic together.”

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