By Francis

Copyright thebftonline

By J. N. Halm

The technology revolution presents Ghanaian entrepreneurs with unprecedented opportunities to embed customer-centricity into their business models. Mobile penetration in Ghana exceeds 100%.

A total of 38.3 million cellular mobile connections were active in Ghana in early 2025, with this figure equivalent to 110 per cent of the total population. In other words, there are more mobile phones than there are human beings in this country.

In addition, internet usage continues to grow, and digital payment systems are becoming mainstream. These tools provide the foundation for customer-centric innovation that was unimaginable just a decade ago.

But technology alone is not the answer. As I have emphasised countless times in this column, technology is merely a tool. And a tool oftentimes is only as good as the one in whose hands the tool is found. The real transformation happens when entrepreneurs develop a genuine understanding of their customers’ journeys, pain points, and aspirations.

Learning from Global Pioneers

Amazon did not become the world’s most customer-centric company by accident. Jeff Bezos built the entire organisation around a simple principle: start with the customer and work backwards. Every decision, from product development to logistics, is evaluated through the lens of customer impact.

Closer to home, South African retailer Woolworths transformed from a struggling department store into a premium brand by obsessively focusing on customer experience. They did not just improve their products; they reimagined every touchpoint in the customer journey.

For Ghanaian entrepreneurs, these examples demonstrate that customer-centricity is not just about being nice to customers—it is a comprehensive business strategy that can drive sustainable competitive advantage.

The SME Opportunity

Small and Medium Enterprises represent the backbone of Ghana’s economy, accounting for approximately 70% of GDP and 85% of employment. Yet most SMEs operate with limited resources, making strategic focus even more critical. In my experience as someone who manages a business hub, I have seen firsthand the resource challenges that small business owners and start-up entrepreneurs face in this country.

Oftentimes, the amount of money that some entrepreneurs need to scale up to the next level is the same amount that some rich folks spend on the weekends. In fact, I have heard of some spending money on a single wine bottle that could buy a single piece of equipment for an artisanal entrepreneur that would change the individual’s business for good.

The beauty of customer-centric entrepreneurship is that it does not require massive capital investment—it requires a fundamental shift in mindset. A small restaurant in Osu does not need a million-dollar renovation to become customer-centric. It needs to understand why customers choose to dine there, what experiences they value most, and how to consistently deliver those experiences.

The research from Oman specifically noted that this approach would particularly benefit SMEs in strategy planning. For Ghanaian SMEs, customer-centricity offers a pathway to compete effectively against larger, resource-rich competitors by delivering superior customer experiences.

Building the Framework

Transitioning to customer-centric entrepreneurship requires a structured approach. Based on the research insights and successful global practices, Ghanaian businesses should focus on three fundamental pillars:

First, develop deep customer insights. This goes beyond basic demographics to understand customer motivations, behaviours, and unmet needs. Many Ghanaian businesses make assumptions about their customers without conducting systematic research. Invest in understanding your customers as thoroughly as you understand your products. As far as I am concerned, the lack of a culture of proper research is one of the banes of entrepreneurship in this country. It is as if we Ghanaians are afraid of research.

The average Ghanaian entrepreneur tends to believe that research is a waste of resources. Ask an upcoming small business owner or entrepreneur to pull out the data that is backing their belief that their product or service offering would do well on the market, and they will look at you as if you have asked the most annoying question. The individual knows the exact market or location he or she intends to send the products to. However, this person has not even spent half an hour at the same market, asking questions and observing how similar competing products are doing on the market.

Second, align organisational culture with customer values. Every employee, from the CEO to the security guard, should understand how their role impacts customer experience. This cultural transformation often proves more challenging than any technological upgrade, but it is absolutely essential for authentic customer-centricity.

Third, leverage technology strategically. The digital tools available today—from customer relationship management systems to social media analytics—provide unprecedented visibility into customer preferences and behaviours. However, technology should amplify human insights, not replace them.

The Competitive Advantage

Ghana’s business landscape is becoming increasingly competitive. International retailers are establishing local presence, e-commerce platforms are disrupting traditional commerce, and customer expectations are rising rapidly. In this environment, operational efficiency alone will not guarantee survival.

Customer-centric businesses create what economists call “switching costs”—customers become so satisfied with the experience that changing to a competitor becomes inconvenient or undesirable. This creates sustainable competitive advantages that cannot be easily replicated through price competition alone.

Moreover, customer-centric businesses tend to be more resilient during economic downturns. When customers feel genuinely valued and understood, they are more likely to remain loyal even when faced with cheaper alternatives. This is what I refer to as “customers going to war for the business they are in love with”. Customers, however, only do that when they feel they have a “stake” in the fortunes of the business.

The Path Forward

The research from Oman concluded that organisations can drive growth through business process improvement that attracts more customers and builds stronger business-customer relationships. This insight provides a roadmap for Ghanaian entrepreneurs.

Start by mapping your current customer journey from initial awareness through post-purchase support. Identify pain points and moments of delight. Then systematically redesign processes to minimise friction and maximise value creation.

Invest in building customer feedback mechanisms that provide ongoing insights into evolving customer needs and preferences. Many Ghanaian businesses collect customer feedback sporadically or only when problems arise. Customer-centric organisations make feedback collection a continuous, systematic process.

Finally, measure what matters. Traditional business metrics like revenue and profit remain important, but add customer-centric metrics like Net Promoter Score, customer lifetime value, and retention rates. These metrics provide early indicators of business health and growth potential.

The Innovation Multiplier

The most exciting aspect of customer-centric entrepreneurship is its multiplication effect on innovation. When businesses truly understand their customers, they discover innovation opportunities that are not visible from a product-centric perspective. Customers will willingly give these businesses the blueprint on how to serve them.

Uber did not innovate transportation technology—they innovated the customer experience of getting from point A to point B. Airbnb did not revolutionise real estate—they reimagined the customer experience of travel accommodation.

For Ghanaian entrepreneurs, this perspective opens infinite possibilities. What customer experiences in Ghana are currently suboptimal? What needs remain unmet or poorly served? These questions point toward the next generation of breakthrough businesses.

A National Imperative

Ghana’s vision of becoming a middle-income country depends significantly on the success of our entrepreneurs. Customer-centric entrepreneurship is not just a business strategy—it is an economic development strategy that can accelerate Ghana’s transformation.

When Ghanaian businesses excel at understanding and serving customers, they do not just create local success stories—they build the foundation for regional and global expansion. Customer-centricity translates across markets because it is fundamentally about human understanding.

The research from Oman demonstrated that this approach remains largely unexplored in emerging markets, presenting Ghana with a first-mover advantage. The entrepreneurs who embrace customer-centricity now will be positioning themselves at the forefront of Ghana’s next economic revolution.

The question is not whether Ghana should embrace customer-centric entrepreneurship. The question is whether we can afford not to. In an increasingly connected and competitive world, the businesses that survive and thrive will be those that make customers the centre of everything they do.

The revolution starts with a simple shift in perspective: from building businesses that serve customers to building businesses that exist for customers. That shift changes everything.