MFC Members’ news: KMF (Kazakhstan) improves customer communication

KMF is a microfinance organization operating in Kazakhstan with portfolio consisting of 220 567 active clients. KMF provides microfinance services for micro, small and agro business across coutry, including rural areas. The rapid growth of the Company and the long-term goal to increase the loan officers’ productivity urged to seek new horizons for communications.

KMF introduced its own Call Center in 2015. Operators provide consultations to the existing and potential borrowers not only by phone, but also on using special chat room, WhatsApp and social media accounts. Since 2015, the Call Center staff grew from 3 to12 employees; the number of incoming inquiries has increased from 403 to 10,000 per month.

At first, customers, especially the repeat ones, did not particularly understand the benefits of the Call Center. They found it weird to call and fill out an application over the phone, or to write online in order to get answers to their questions. Now more than 62% of all inquiries come from repeat customers. The work of Call Center significantly increased the productivity of loan officers – client applications received from any source of the Call Center (phone-call, website, etc.) immediately go into the loan officer’ tablets and they can start working with the client.

Next step was introducing personal account on KMFs’ website in November 2017. It is a section of the corporate website intended for existing and potential borrowers, who may effect many operations online that required going to KMF office before.

The idea of creating a personal account came from customers and staff within during the Client Day – an annual event when each client has an opportunity to make suggestions for improving the quality of service. This project was started in 2016 having the final goal of equipping KMF borrowers with the opportunity to interact with the Company online.

KMF personnel are sure that thousands of borrowers will appreciate the personal account and it will deliver benefits for both sides: saving customers from the need to travel to the Company’s offices and saving KMF staff time spends on information processing.