Cape Town - A brand is an intangible asset which forms the cornerstone of what makes and keeps customers buying and investors investing, according to Zeona Jacobs, director of marketing and corporate affairs at the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE).
In the view of Jacobs, the JSE, for example, is a trusted brand that is as much a part of the creation of Johannesburg as the gold rush of 1887 - a symbol of growth and prosperity during this new boom.
"Fast forward to where we are today, an era where the digital evolution has surpassed and disrupted anything we could have imagined 30 years ago and brands having not escaped the impact of digitisation and its disruption," said Jacobs.
The pace of change in which all brands are operating continues to accelerate at an alarming rate.
"Brands have been created and destroyed in this digital era...customer experience is more critical than ever in this new world."
What struck Jacobs is the importance of understanding the real expectations of today’s connected customer. With the level of disruption that digitisation brings, the quality of brand engagement and the speed at which they respond can be the make or break of a brand.
From a JSE perspective, gone are the days of the "outcry" on the trading floor where one could touch, see and engage face-to-face with customers.
"Our engagements today are purely electronic with the majority of market activity stemming from algorithmic trading. Technological developments (processing power and networks) over the last decades have made it possible for financial markets to take advantage of advances in artificial intelligence, which has led to the substantial trade volumes that we have seen across exchanges," said Jacobs.
"While we celebrate our 130th anniversary this year and continue to have a central and crucial role to play in the economy of SA, we need to remain relevant in the hearts and minds of our stakeholders. We need to use technology and the platforms it provides to not only operate a trusted market but to engage, learn and co-create with our customers and partners, taking this goodwill to greater heights. It is about creating a JSE that is fit for the future. And that future is now."
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