TANZANIA HOSTS FIRST-EVER CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE CONFERENCE TO ADVANCE ECONOMIC AGENDA

Managing Director of Real Interactiv Inc. - Caroline Maajabu Mbaga, speaks to participants at the conference.

Historic gathering positions customer experience as key driver for Tanzania's economic transformation

Dar es Salaam, May 10, 2025: The inaugural Annual Customer Experience Conference, hosted by Real Interactiv Inc. in partnership with CX Academy Africa, successfully convened on May 9, 2025 at Hyatt Regency Hotel, sparking a transformative national conversation about customer experience as Tanzania's next economic frontier. The landmark event brought together more than 100 C-suite executives and public sector leaders from Tanzania's most influential organizations, including Vodacom, CRDB Bank, NBC Bank, Equity Bank, KCB, TANESCO, Helios, Strategis Insurance, Bumaco Insurance, Engie Mobisol, ZIC Takful and NSSF, to establish customer-centric strategies as fundamental to national growth.

The conference opened with powerful keynote addresses from globally recognized CX pioneers. Mandisa Makubalo, Founder and CEO of South Africa's Unlimited Experiences Group, captivated attendees with her presentation "The Voice of the Voiceless Customer," demonstrating how authentic customer understanding drives market leadership across African economies. Her insights were complemented by Jonathan Daniels, Managing Director of UK-based CX Centric, who delivered a compelling analysis of global customer-centricity trends and their specific applications for Tanzanian businesses seeking competitive advantage.

A conference highlight was CRDB Bank, Yolanda Uriyo, Head of Customer Experience as one of the sponsors, delivery of an inspiring keynote address titled "Customer Experience as Tanzania's Engine for Growth and Differentiation." With compelling examples from CRDB's transformation journey, Uriyo galvanized the audience by demonstrating how customer-centric strategies had directly contributed to the bank's market leadership and financial performance. "In today's competitive landscape, customer experience isn't just about satisfaction - it's our most powerful engine for sustainable growth and meaningful differentiation," Uriyo declared.

A pivotal moment occurred during the fireside chat "Customer Experience as a National Economic Catalyst," moderated by Caroline Maajabu Mbaga, Managing Director of Real Interactiv Inc. The discussion featured Tanzania Tourist Board Director General Ephraim Mafuru, who articulated how exceptional visitor experiences directly contribute to Tanzania's tourism sector, which accounts for nearly one-fifth of the nation's GDP. "Every interaction - from airport arrivals to hotel stays - represents either an opportunity to enhance Tanzania's global reputation or a risk to our economic potential," Mafuru emphasized. His perspective was reinforced by Felix John, Investment Promotion Manager at Tanzania Investment Center, who presented compelling data showing that investor decisions increasingly prioritize service quality alongside traditional economic factors.

The conference's practical sessions saw Tanzanian business leaders share real-world implementations of CX excellence. Vodacom's Customer Experience Operations Director Harriete Lwakatare and G4S Tanzania General Manager Imelda Lutebinga led an engaging panel on embedding customer-centric cultures within large organizations, while Dorothy Ndazi, Partner at Hilton Law Group, provided crucial guidance on balancing personalized experiences with data protection requirements.

David Makoha, Country Manager for IPSOS Tanzania, grounded the discussions in empirical evidence, presenting research demonstrating that Tanzanian companies with mature CX programs outperform sector averages by significant margins. These insights were put into practice during interactive workshops where cross-industry teams collaborated on customer journey mapping exercises under the guidance of international experts.

As the conference concluded, organizers announced several strategic initiatives to maintain momentum, including the establishment of annual Tanzania CX Innovation Awards and quarterly leadership roundtables. A complimentary resource toolkit, "50 Practical Ways to Elevate Customer Experience," was released to all attendees and made available for public download.

"This conference has fundamentally sparked a movement in Tanzania's business landscape," said Caroline Maajabu Mbaga in her closing remarks. "We've moved beyond debating the importance of customer experience to actively shaping its implementation across our economy." The sentiment was widely shared among participants, with one banking executive noting, "Today's discussions proved that superior customer experience isn't just good practice - it's Tanzania's pathway to economic leadership."

About the Organizers:

Real Interactiv Inc. is a leading Tanzanian consultancy specializing in customer experience transformation and strategic communications. Through its partnership with CX Academy Africa, the organization drives Customer Experience excellence initiatives across East Africa's business ecosystem.

Editor's Note:

For additional information about Tanzania's customer experience landscape or speaker background details, please contact the media relations team.

Contact:

Karine Marealle
Communications Manager, Real Interactiv Inc.
Phone: +255 761 531494
Email: info@realinteractiv.co.tz