adminTHE founder and chief executive officer of Inclusive Financial Services, Dr Gerald Zhou, received honours at the recently held Megafest Business Awards after scooping the Chief Executive Officer of the Year (Southern Region) Award.
The astute businessman, who has in the past been voted Zimbabwe National Chamber of Commerce Businessman of the Year (Southern Region) and Megafest Businessman of the Year, said it was a humbling honour to be awarded such an accolade.
Dr Zhou attributed his success to the institution’s well-trained and client-centric members of staff.
He said the organisation would continue to nurture its staff to give exceptional services and grow the business.
Dr Zhou said instead of complaining about low business uptake as a result of the unfriendly economic environment prevailing in the country at the moment, businesses should look at the alignment of staff members to the mission and values of the organisation.
He said businesses should improve the quality of service given to the organisation’s clients, listen to them and configure products to provide real solutions.
This is the recipe which Inclusive Financial Services is using to grow — providing an array of microfinance products across the country.
The leading microfinance institution has received awards before, including the Megafest Most Outstanding Organisation of the Year Award and Business Excellence Award.
Founded in 2012, the organisation has continued to grow in leaps and bounds and rapidly become one of the most progressive microfinance institutions in the country.
Inclusive Financial Services focuses on rural microfinance, forming a web of agriculture value chains to assist smallholder farmers with various inputs for crop and livestock production.
The organisation has also become a dominant financier for female entrepreneurs targeting to support them with loans.
Inclusive Financial Services has heavily invested in understanding women business so much that most of the loans given to women are reasonably priced and at times non-secured.
The microfinance institution also lends to youths who are involved in various entrepreneurship programmes across the country.
Inclusive Financial Services also offers asset financing, micro-insurance and green micro-financing.
The institution has an impressive branch network which covers Hwange, Bulawayo, Gwanda, Zvishavane, Gweru, Kwekwe, Masvingo, Chiredzi and Mutare.
Online Reporter