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Diaspora Matters

Reduce Festive Season Cash Robbery Risks

Cash Robberies

We have now entered the last leg of the year with less than 7 weeks till 2023 comes to an end. Crime is expected to increase in line with increased spending and traffic around the country. Criminals usually increase their pace during this period and this week we witnessed an action packed movie style robbery in Southerton, Harare. A businessman lost a substantial amount of money but thanks to a dash board (dashcam) camera which recorded the robbery, the police swiftly moved in and arrested the culprits in hours!

Here are a list of areas our members are supposed to take great caution

Vehicle Purchases: A lot of vehicle purchase transactions do take place during the festive season. Criminals hang around garages ready to pounce. Move from one garage to the next making inquiries and you would have broadcasted to the public that you have cash.

Vehicle Sales: In a cash economy where most of it is kept at home–every vehicle sale is resulting in the cash being kept at home. And vehicle registration books in most cases provides evidence of the exact location where the cash is to be kept. Assess the costs of bank charges against the total loss of the funds including injury to you and family members. Last year many lost funds this way with sometimes hijacking taking place before the seller reaches home.

Residential Stands Transactions: Similar to the vehicle transactions noted above-avoid carrying huge amounts of cash to purchase stands or even sales. Avoid travelling long distances and be wary of sudden changes in venues for transactions. You are safer dealing with registered institutions including lawyers.

Bank Deposits and Withdrawals: Do not be predictable on your movements to banks-avoid predictable patterns that makes tracking you easier for criminals. The Southerton robbery could have been avoided had the businessman used Cash In Transit vehicle services.

Home Transactions: Avoid conducting transactions at home by inviting strangers to buy or selling to them. It makes it easy to identify targets by criminals. Rather, conduct transactions away from your home.

Advertising on social media could also send a signal that someone has cash or will soon have it. Therefor be in trusted forums and also think twice before posting. Fake Proof of Payments (POPs) expected to increase too and therefore verify, verify transactions before releasing goods. Be wary of big orders before your closing period.

We expect sophistication from criminals including targeting back to school transactions. Homes should not be left alone during the festive season and avoid night travelling.

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Diaspora Matters

The Role of Digital Communities in Digital Marketing

Luwy

How did Mereki rise to be an open air entertainment space of choice in Harare? Well back in the last 80s, the late former chairman of Dynamos, Mr Nhekairo used to host after match parties for Dembare supporters at the Warren Park D joint. Scores of fans warmed up the place helping to popularize it in the process. With time no after matches were held but the ground work had been completed as fans continued to trek to the place thereby boosting the brand. Later on the place became open to non soccer fans and as they say, the rest is history!

Many open air venues have been opened around the capital city but Mereki remains the first and last word when it comes to open air entertainment. The same model is captured in our 2020 and 2022 books when we featured how Mr Low launched a pub in Rimuka (2020 Business Opportunities for Zimbabweans Book) and How Tinashe did set up a thriving pub in Mufakose (2022 Business Opportunities for Zimbabweans Book).

Build a community around your brand by constantly engaging and supporting them. There is need for community ownership. Silently set up a business and mind your own business, then clients likely to take longer to switch to you especially when you offer what already exists from current players.

Dear reader,

Welcome to the same Nhekairo Concept being used in the digital space. You should not walk alone in business, rather; be an active participant in the digital community. And one of our leading members is Luwy Kay Kusemwa of LC Shipping and her company set up in 2018 has risen to become the best Runner in Zimbabwe which specializes in China Imports to Zimbabwe services.

Luwy is well networked, and has a big forum made up of clients. She is part and parcel of them and this also includes ZBIN. References become easier to get when you have thousands of clients speaking positively about your brand. Every time inquiries on Buying and Shipping from China crop up, be sure that her crew will bid for her.

Of course to reach her level takes quite a lot of effort and time, but the results are coming. So this is advanced digital marketing where simply operating as a lone ranger wont cut it. Digital Marketing now needs inclusion of digital communities.

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