THE SERVICE MAG ISSUE 2

HERE COMES ANOTHER EDITION OF THE SERVICE MAG

http://newtimes.co.rw/index.php?issue=14305&article=3821&week=26

Thursday 19th of August, 2010
WEEKLY » Business Times » Here comes another ‘service magazine’
-->
Here comes another ‘service magazine’ By Sandra idossou

For those who don’t know” “The Service Mag”, is a free quarterly magazine in English, French and Kinyarwanda distributed to service people in Rwanda.

It is distributed in hotels, restaurants, banks, hospitals, ministries, travel agencies, embassies and many more service providers both in the private and public sectors.

The main objective of ‘The Service Mag’ is to sensitize and educate both service providers and customers. The magazine has articles on Customer Service, Human Resources, Sales, Personal Development, Grooming and many other more.

The fact that the magazine is written in a simple language and filled with many attractive images makes the reading interesting for both top managers and the small clerk.

The first edition was launched in April 2010 with 5000 copies distributed freely all over the country including all provinces up-country. Education is one of the important ideologies I wholeheartedly believe in.

Education as we know encompasses teaching and learning specific skills. It is something less tangible but more profound: the imparting of knowledge. And that is the reason the motto of the Service Mag is based on Sir Francis Bacon’s famous quote “Knowledge is Power”.

The issues concerning poor customer service in Rwanda is often caused by the lack of exposure or knowledge. Many behave the way they do because they do not even know what is expected of them.

Good customer service is also not the sole responsibility of certain companies alone. If we want service delivery to improve, we should all be ready take concrete actions and be collectively responsible.

The Second issue of The Service Mag that will be launched this Wednesday June 30th 2010 is once again a compilation of several educational articles.

This new issue has a focus on The Public Sector as many still think that customer service concerns only the private sector. Watch out for the two interviews and see what is being done in public institutions.

This issue also has a new column called “where we’ve been to…and how we were treated” where customers share with readers their positive and negatives experiences or simply what they are expecting from service providers.

I must admit here that at several occasions, The Service Mag team had wanted to stop the project at the lack of support from many organizations. For those who do not know, each edition needs the financial support of local companies so that it can be made free to readers.

Writing here about the challenges in getting this support will require several long chapters that you may not want to know. But the fact here is that it is very discouraging and demotivational.
Thanks to the fifteen organizations that have made this issue possible, you can have your free copy from Wednesday June 30th 2010.

sandra.idossou@sheiconsulting.com

BREAKING THE LANGUAGE BARRIER

ANOTHER LESSON FROM CHINA


http://newtimes.co.rw/index.php?issue=14298&article=3763&week=25

Breaking the language barrier in service industry - another lesson from China

By Sandra idossou

Just like millions of people in the world, I watched the opening of the Shanghai World Expo 2010 on TV. The event was attended by several world leaders and dignitaries. It was a great show with spectacular fireworks. This year’s World Expo gives opportunity to 189 countries to showcase in their national pavilions several aspects of their countries including art, design, technology, architecture, culture, international trade and tourism.

As this mega event happens every two years in a new country, we decided while we were in China in May to go and visit it. We booked a flight directly from our hotel in Ghandzoug from a receptionist who could not speak English.

We were amazed at the effort she made to ensure our booking as we also could not speak the Cantonese language. She used a translation software on her computer and all we had to do was to type in English our request and this was translated in her language.

When we boarded our domestic flight communication was of course made in Mandarin but the air hostess came directly to us and said in English that if we needed anything, we could call her as she was the only one who spoke English on the flight.

Even though language might seem a barrier in China, we found all these alternatives solutions as great means of communication to foreigners. Comparing this to what we usually see in our countries there are probably a couple of things we could learn.

In Rwanda, many times we often blame the poor customer service to the language barrier. Yes, the issue of the language is so serious that it needs to be tackled very seriously both in the private and public institutions.

In a Restaurant in Kigali, when we told the waiter that we couldn’t speak Kinyarwanda, he simply disappeared as if he was going to call someone else who could speak either French or English. But we waited for 20 minutes and this waiter never showed up again. Angry, we decided to leave but on our way, we saw him standing at the counter.

The language was probably a barrier for him and he never tried to find an alternative solution to understand our request.

I have also been to meetings where people speak Kinyarwanda all throughout even when they know foreigners are part of the audience. In most cases, there isn’t even a slightest courtesy in translating some of the main points of the meeting.

In today’s economic environment where Rwanda is opened to the world, your columnist thinks that urgent efforts should be done on the language issue. People in the service sectors should try to understand at least just some few words in English.

The customer is not expecting them to be perfectly fluent. In China for instance, I realized that almost in every shop, there was always at least one person who could try some sorts of English.
Communication is definitely key to a good service delivery.

If a sales person is unable to understand the request of the customer, how can he/ she provide good service? If you are a business owner or a manager, please put at your front desk people who can have basic knowledge of English.

Still as a manager, in case you have contact people who find it difficult to communicate with customers in foreign languages, please translate the following tricks in Kinyarwanda for them:

1. Be patient

It is not the fault of the customer or yours not to understand each other’s language. Don’t be frustrated. Be calm. Patience will help you figure out the request of the customer.

2. Look pleasant

Do not be blocked. Do not run or shy away. Rather Smile! Let your face and your body language send the message that, despite the communication barrier, you want to help.
3. Use visuals and be creative

A picture is indeed worth 1000 words. In a restaurant in China, the waiter had to draw a fish for us to understand. So use pencil and paper, maps, calculators - any prop that might help facilitate communication. Use signs, voice, hands and your whole body language to send out messages.

4. Involve other people

Don’t just stand there and say you do not understand. Call someone else who can help!Throughout my entire stay in China, there were, of course negatives experiences as well. By deciding to share only the positives ones throughout these last four weeks, your columnist sincerely hopes that we can all draw lessons from what has probably been part of the secrets behind China’s development today

sidossou@theservicemag.com

PART 3 : The power of a smile, another lesson from China

Read the link


http://newtimes.co.rw/index.php?issue=14291&article=3699&week=24

PART 3 : The power of a smile, another lesson from China By Sandra idossou

There is this famous Chinese proverb which goes … “A man who cannot smile should not open a shop”. During my two weeks visit to China (which I have written about in two parts of my previous columns) I was impressed when came across this proverb. I couldn’t help but notice that it is not only a saying but it is actually put in practice as it is part of the culture well integrated in business relationships in China.

In all the interactions I had with the Chinese service delivery people, they were smiling almost all the time. The smiling gesture showed the warmth and indicated that people were always happy to meet you. Even though speaking the language was very often a challenge, their smiles could just compensate.

These interactions in China made me wonder why this could not happen back home in Rwandan. Many times when one enters a shop or an office in Kigali, a smile is visibly the most missing ingredient. And this is quite strange because people outside their working environment are quite friendly.

I must confess that one of the things I appreciate in watching the Rwandan traditional dance is the big smile the dancers keep all the time. Curious about that, I asked friends what could be the reason and I was told that the first thing these dancers learn is how to portray a smile. They are actually taught how to smile even before they learn the first steps of the dance.

A smile has such a powerful effect on people that it is not only for traditional dances that it should be thought. If you are a business owner or a manager reading this piece now, you need to take time to explain to your front line staff the importance of Smile for your business.

Just like the Rwandan dancers are thought to smile, you should put time in training your team members to always wear a smile.

Make them know that they have the key to the success of your business. Do not just put anyone in a front-line job. Recruit people who are friendly and have the ability of creating positive interactions with customers.

Your front-line employees are essentially the ambassadors of your organizations as they have the opportunity to interact with customers on a face to face basis and help promote and represent your company and all the people working there.

One of my most profound experiences in China was the visit to the big shopping malls and markets. The sales people were most at times standing right at the entrance of their shops with such beautiful smiles. This of course was just to attract customers enter those shops.

There is no need to say that a first contact with a smile always creates a positive first impression. It is also said that a smile can cause boundaries to melt, hearts to warm up, and distances to reduce. Why then can’t we smile more often in our business?

As contact people, let’s note that without a smile, our attire is incomplete. A smile makes us look approachable. And that is why smiling should not be an option but rather an integral part of our jobs if we deal daily with customers.

Of course, smiling is not a standalone factor. It is definitely linked to internal motivation. As a manager or a supervisor, you need to treat your staff well and they will be able to keep the smile. A simple form of motivating your team members to keep the smile is to be the example yourself.

Live by what you preach. Greet your team members with a smile in the morning and they will be able to do the same with customers. Remember your staff is human just like your customers.

“A smile is a gentle curved line that sets a lot of things straight” says another Chinese Proverb. Another one says “Behave toward everyone as if receiving a guest” With all these Chinese proverbs on business relationships, your columnist understood better the secrets behind China’s growth today.

sidossou@theservicemag.com

Service Delivery in China. essons to learn part2

SERVICE DELIVERY IN CHINA......THINGS TO LEARN

http://www.newtimes.co.rw/index.php?issue=14284&article=3626&week=23

Lessons to learn from China’s service delivery

By Sandra idossou

“Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome to Guangzhou International Airport. The local time is 2.45 pm and the outside temperature is 22°”. This was the sentence I have been waiting for all while on the plane. Service onboard was excellent.

The journey had been long and I had tried all this while trying to forget my horrible transit experience in Nairobi. Yes Kenya Airways is doing its best in being “The Pride of Africa” but there are still lots that need to be improved upon; especially when one is in transit.

Well, my first contact with the Chinese immigration at the Guangzhou g airport was quick and without any problem…..oh no, this isn’t really true because the scanning machine just bugged when our turn arrived.

But within two minutes; the officer solved it. And this was his comment while giving us back our passports. “Sorry for having kept you waiting for so long. Please accept our apologies. Enjoy your visit in China”.

Wow….a policeman apologizing for a delay of 2 minutes … I had never seen that elsewhere before. Immigration people are not always the friendliest people at airports. But I guess these Chinese have undergone much training and know how to create first positive impressions to visitors.

Another lesson to learn in China was the speed of service. Your columnist was more than impressed. Right from the airport, I understood that ‘time is money’ means a lot for the Chinese.
Everyone is almost running. People are so fast that coming from Rwanda where we are used to the contrary; adjusting to the speed of service even as customers became a challenge.

Even when they are eating, they do this with such speed that one wonders how they manage not to get chocked. For instance, the Shanghai’s spanking-new Maglev (magnetic levitation) train is the world’s fastest and most futuristic passenger line in the world. And believe you me, this 245mph train was constructed only in four years.

China is today known for its phenomenal growth not only because of the many reforms that have been put in place by government and the private business community but also because of the fact that Chinese are great workers. They are very focused on their work. They work for hours and have just few days of vacation.

Talking about being focused, there is even a ban on the famous social network “Facebook” for instance. While in China, I could not access my blogs. Many might think these are signs of lack of freedom but your columnist considers this as a way of making people remain focused on their work.

For developing countries like ours, we need to spend our precious time on more productive things. Do not take me wrong dear reader. I am not against Facebook as I am also a user of many social and professional networks such as Viadeo, LinkedIn, Xing, Twitter and Facebook but I think we simply spend too much of time on them.

Just look at most offices in town. People are connected on these social websites and spend less time on the real job for which they are paid. Some time back, an employee asked me to wait while he was busy chatting on yahoo messenger with friends.

Workers across the country are collectively wasting huge amounts of company time these social networking sites. Research suggests that every day in every Australian company for instance, an average of one hour is being lost to the “underground intranet.

According to an employment law firm in Peninsula, 233 million hours are lost every month as a result of employees “wasting time” on social networking. And this is probably the same in Rwanda and in Africa in general.

A lesson we could learn from China is to become more productive with our time. Now is the right time to build our carriers and our nation if we want to become one day a great nation like China.

sidossou@theservicemag.com

Service Delivery in China. Lessons to learn Part 1

Service delivery in China: Lessons to learn part 1

By Sandra idossou

Sitting at this hour of the day at the Shanghai International airport in China, I am wondering how China managed to become the centre of the world looking at the numerous passengers who are travelling.

I am actually part of these passengers waiting to embark on my fourteen- hour flight back to Kigali.

For your information, The Shanghai Airport is one of the busiest airports in the world. It attracted 31.9 million passengers in 2009 and there are actually many other big international airports in China all as busy as this one.

I couldn’t imagine that two weeks after touring China, I will be filled with so many positive service experiences.The reason is simple. I came to China with many stereotypes. Yes, we all have many stereotypes on China.

Many of us only know China as the country with the biggest population in the world. Some also know China for its propaganda ideological and communist scenarios throughout Mao’s years or for its numerous restaurants in every part of the world.

As an African, I had always imagined China as the country of counterfeit looking at the thousand of cheap products and gadgets that have invaded our markets. In fact there is even a joke that everything cheap or non-durable must come from China.

But the fact is that all these are stereotypes. What most of us know comes from either Chinese movies full of Kung Fu or news brought to us by biased media houses in Europe or America or for few of us, from history classes in school.


Your columnist has encountered many accurate, absurd, sometimes very degrading and insulting à-priory of China. And that is the main reason why I agreed to the invitation of Mr Idossou to visit this unknown great country that is becoming one of the greatest in the world.

My journey to China started with my visit to the Embassy of China in Kigali. I was amazed by the level of service I received from this old-fashioned woman who must been working there before your columnist was probably born.

When I came out from the embassy, I just said customer service must be real in China or the country knows how to attract visitors.

As an avid passionate traveler, your columnist has been to different embassies to request for visas. And it is unfortunate to see the poor customer care we receive in most embassies.

We are more often treated as “beggars” going to fill our pockets with the gold lying on the streets of these countries. Just look for instance at the queues in the sun in front of most embassies in Kigali. This is a degrading non-human treatment to people that need to be looked into by whoever should be responsible for this.


Coming back to this first experience with the China Embassy in Kigali, I got mentally prepared to appreciate China. After bringing the necessary required documents, I got the visa within 5 days and was offered very informative documentations on China.


Dear readers, right from the Kenya Airways flight, to my transit in Nairobi, the first contact with the Chinese Immigration, the experiences with the taxi drivers, my visits to Guangzhou and to the Word Expo 2010 in Shanghai, your columnist had so many rich service experiences that she has decided to share them with you.



From all that I have heard before, China may have its fair share of customer service nightmares but many people unanimously agree on the fact that service delivery has positively improved because of certain measures that have been taken by both the government and the striving Chinese business community.

My goal in sharing with you my experiences in the next editions is only to give you an overview of service delivery in China. There are probably many things we can learn from China. Looking forward to taking you through my service experiences in China.

The author is a customer service consultant working in Rwanda.

sandra.idossou@sheiconsulting.com
www.sheiconsulting.com

http://newtimes.co.rw/index.php?issue=14277&article=3573&week=22

RESPONDING TO MAILS IS A BUSINESS ETIQUETTE

COURTESY OF RESPONGING TO CORRESPONDENCES

WEEKLY » Business Times » CUSTOMER CARE: Business etiquette of responding to correspondences is still an Issue

CUSTOMER CARE: Business etiquette of responding to correspondences is still an Issue By Sandra idossou


Ever since I have been a columnist, I have noticed that there are some articles that attract quite a number of responses from readers.

The article titled: “Business Etiquette in Responding to Mails and Correspondence” that was published two weeks ago has been one of the few that has drawn many comments and suggestions.

I have found the comments so interesting that I have decided to share some with you. Through the many emails I received, I realised that this practice of not returning calls or responding to official correspondences is still an issue for business relationships. I must admit that when I decided to write that article, I initially thought that I was the only one suffering from this until I received the numerous comments. By analysing the comments; I realised this issue affects the both public and private institution as well retailers and big corporate organisations.
Here are few comments

“What you said on the culture of not returning emails and calls is spot on. It’s like one huge conspiracy of frustration. People ask you to invest in Rwanda and when it is time for them to respond to your mails and letters; there is a total silence.

This practice has become an inherent part of the culture in which no one wants to be responsible. For organisations or businesses that want to be more service-oriented, they need more than just a vision or slogan. Responding to correspondences has got to be integrated into both the culture and daily operations” wrote Salha.

Celia’s mail reads: “This habit of not responding to correspondences is a real national issue because it concerns everyone…even me. We tend not to respond because responding means being responsible in writing one’s decision or opinion.

The problem here is that at most times, we do not want to be accountable for what we write, so we would rather not respond by writing.”
“There‘s a Rwandan culture of not being able to say NO to a request.

The reason why many people do not respond to letters is that when the answer to the request is a negative one, one finds it difficult to say so… people will rather keep silent until the person actually understands that the response is a negative one; it is our culture” says Helene.

Jean’s email read “Rwandans do not like writing. Writing means being committed. And being committed means being responsible. The issue is that no one wants to be responsible.

That is why no one takes time to respond. People are always afraid of what might come out or how their writing can be used. And you will be surprised to note that is seen from top levels down to junior staff level; from government agencies or ministries down to district levels”

Well dear readers, in today’s business environment, if we want to stand out from the crowd and be more professional and competitive as a nation, we need to adopt international business etiquette. Responding to letters is not a favour we are doing to correspondents but rather a minimum business requirement.

Let’s act responsibly and avoid hiding behind our screens, telephones or desks. One of the things we can do to build good relationships with our customers is to always be ready to respond to their mails,SMS’ and other official letters.Thank you all once again for your support, feedback, suggestion and contribution to this column.

The author is a customer service consultant working in Rwanda

sandra.idossou@sheiconsulting.com

www.sheiconsulting.com

http://newtimes.co.rw/index.php?issue=14274&article=3528&week=21

Consumer's Association is needed

http://newtimes.co.rw/index.php?issue=14267&article=3478&week=20

WEEKLY » Business Times » CUSTOMER CARE: Knowing your consumer’s rights is priority
-->
CUSTOMER CARE: Knowing your consumer’s rights is priority

By Sandra idossou

Last week there was a this story of a customer who went to buy a phone in one of the retail shops in town. After getting home, she realized that the telephone was faulty so she decided to look at the guarantee notice on the product.

Surprisingly the guarantee was actually for 2 days for an expensive product. She then took it back the next day to the sales person only to be told that she could not be reimbursed. The dealers were quite rude and almost threw her out of the shop.

This revokes one famous quote by Erwin Frand which says, “Every company’s greatest assets are its customers, because without customers there is no company.”

Your columnist sometimes wonders if service people are aware of this. One also wonders if service people acknowledge the fact that the customer/consumer pays their salaries.

That is a fact. The question here one would want to ask: Do we as customers know our importance? Do we know that when we pay for certain services and products, we are supposed to request for the best of them? Do we know our rights?

As customers, we all need to know that we have rights. Goods and products we buy should always be in a satisfactory condition. They should be ‘defect free’ and fit for the purpose they were intended for when we received them.

This goes as well for the services and products we purchase. When we pay Rwf10,000 for medical consultation, the service should be worth the bargain. When we go to a hair saloon or to a automobile garage for services, the money should fit the bill.

In some developed countries, customers are entitled to return a faulty good and get a refund if items do not meet the basic criteria stated on the notice or on the advert.

In the US for instance, consumers had little protection in the world marketplace before President John F. Kennedy, on March 15, 1962, put forth the “Consumer Bill of Rights”.

This was done to help consumers understand their rights and responsibilities. In 1985, eight basic consumer rights were adopted by the United Nations’ Assembly, which resulted in consumers having stronger consumer protection policies worldwide. March 15 is now declared as World Consumer Rights Day!

As consumers, our original basic rights are:

1. The right to choose
2. The right to safety
3. The right to be informed
4. The right to be heard



If goods we buy are faulty, we should not keep quiet. That is even why it is important to keep receipts. We should take them back and request for a refund.

The law stipulates that we return items within a reasonable time. This can vary but we should be able to take goods home and try them out. If there is a fault, it is important to complain as soon as possible.

We know how things happen in Rwanda and in most Africa countries where the consumers have nowhere to go and complain in case a retailer refuses a refund.

Rwanda Utilities Regulatory Agency (RURA) has a mission of regulating certain public utilities including, telecommunications, electricity, water, sanitation, gas and transportation. From the information I gathered your columnist has the impression that any complaint that does not fall under these 4 categories cannot be handled by them.

This is why there is a need in Rwanda for a real consumer’s protection association to help and educate both service providers and consumers.

sandra.idossou@sheiconsulting.com

Business Etiquette of Respondait to correspondences

http://newtimes.co.rw/index.php?issue=14256&article=3428&week=19

CUSTOMER CARE: The etiquette of returning calls and responding to mail

By Sandra idossou

Have you been waiting for a response to a letter you sent three months ago to an administration, ministry or to private company? Is your request for an appointment yet to receive any feedback after waiting for 2 months?

Your columnist has experienced all the above and has had enough of it and can’t accept it anymore. I find this practice intolerably rude. I have tried to convince myself that people do not respond to correspondences because they are busy.

But the fact of the matter is that even if we are all busy, responding to correspondences is part of business ethics. No matter how busy one is, responding to official letters, mails, calls, and text messages is part of our duties as business people.

Many of you reading this article are probably part of the cause of my mood today. There are actually so many business people who have gotten used not to responding to correspondences. I do not want to give names here because you know yourselves.

Just like you, your business correspondents are busy people with professional obligations. Most times they just need a simple acknowledgement from you. Responding to their correspondences shows your good and professional manners.

Simply said; it is unbelievably rude not to respond in a week; month and even 6 months to an official correspondence.

The lack of responding to correspondence does not mean that you are busy; but rather it shows that you are disorganized, unmannered and overwhelmed.

In professional relationships; it is a good etiquette to respond quickly to a letter or email. Even if you are very busy and will not be able to properly address the request, a simple response to acknowledge receipt and assure the sender that you will shortly respond properly is courteous and an example of professionalism.

I acknowledge that we are all busy with meetings, deadlines and important issues that need our urgent attention. I also recognize that sometimes we receive too many requests.

But still, business people need to understand that it is a common courtesy to respond to correspondences. It is a minimum ethical standard we should set for ourselves to respond in a timely fashion manner; whether an email, a telephone message, a text message or a letter....

A friend here told me that when after several follow ups; there is still no response, then it means the response to whatever the request was is negative. But then, why this can’t be written? Why running around the bush?

Why can’t people be responsible enough to write a response?

It’s a fact that the written word is often so much more powerful than the spoken word. If your corresponded sent a letter; just have the courtesy to reply back in a written format.

If it is a message by mail or text message; just answer no matter the response. In normal business etiquette, you should answer a letter within no more than 5 working days. If your goal is to attract business or build working professional relationships, not returning messages or hibernating behind closed doors won’t win you many takers.

Set aside a specific time of the day to return calls and address correspondence so as to keep them from snowballing. Most often, after lunch or towards the end of the day is the best time to respond.

Doing so can enhance your reputation, exhibit your professionalism and possibly pave the way for good reputation, new contracts, orders and deals.

sandra.idossou@sheiconsulting.com

Should we accept "Rwandan" or "African Time"?

http://www.newtimes.co.rw/index.php?issue=14249&article=3379&week=18

WEEKLY » Business Times » CUSTOMER CARE: by Sandra idossou
-->
CUSTOMER CARE: by Sandra idossou


Should we accept the ‘Rwandan time’ or ‘African Time’?

“Time is free, but it’s priceless. You can’t own it, but you can use it. You can’t keep it, but you can send it. Once you’ve lost it, you can never get it back” says Harvey Mackay, an American author and inspirational speaker.

In Rwanda and in most African countries many of us have comforted ourselves in the idea that keeping time cannot be respected in Africa.

The issue of punctuality and time management is a pertinent one. Most people are late for almost every appointment. No function starts on time and the excuse I often hear is “this is Rwandan time” or “this is African time”.

I must admit that I hate this excuse as it turns out to degrade our values and our culture. I have never read anywhere that Africans can’t be civilized enough to respect time keeping.

I am an African and I hate to be late. I hate being at functions that do not start on time. I hate having to waste my precious time waiting for people to turn up late.

Time is always time and should be accorded the same value regardless of the place. Why can’t we be on time? Why can’t we respect deadlines? Why can’t we respect people we give them appointments?

The on-line Wikipedia says, “African time is a colloquial term used to describe a perceived cultural tendency, in some parts of Africa, toward a more relaxed attitude to time. This is sometimes used in a pejorative sense, about tardiness in appointments, meetings and events”

“The term is also sometimes used to describe the more leisurely, relaxed and less rigorously scheduled lifestyle found in these countries, especially as opposed to the more hectic, clock-bound pace of daily life in Western countries.”

Time is a precious thing and any minute wasted implies a loss on productivity and thus other implications which might be financial.

Punctuality is the habit of doing things exactly in time. Punctuality is common courtesy. Being punctual should be part and parcel of a person’s attitude.

I am simply hoping for days when lateness can make people lose business, sales or even cost some their jobs. I am hoping for days when people arriving late will realize that the meetings and functions have been done without their presence.

If you are always late, it shows that you are lazy disorganized, not focused, indiscipline, unreliable, uncommitted, inconsistent, sluggish and have an “I-don’t-care-attitude”.
Africa, in spite of her rich resources still remains poor because of the way we deal wit time. Time doesn’t mean money for Africans. So how can we be rich when we do not consider our precious time?

Rwandans and Africans in general need to learn time management and punctuality. It is high time Africans realize that keeping time does not only show respect but it also tells a lot about a person’s integrity.

sandra.idossou@sheiconsulting.com

Poor Customer Service is also the fault of Customers

http://newtimes.co.rw/index.php?issue=14242&article=3342&week=17

WEEKLY » Business Times » CUSTOMER CARE: Improvement of a bad service comes with positive criticism
-->
CUSTOMER CARE: Improvement of a bad service comes with positive criticism

By Sandra idossou

Recently, we were doing a customer satisfaction survey for one of our clients and approached several of our client’s customers to collect feedback on the services rendered.

Many customers made constructive suggestions, however one of them abstained from making any comments. He said, “I don’t want the staff who served me to have problems with the management, so I’ll prefer not say anything”.

Apparently this man had received very poor services but felt talking about it could earn the staff sanctions. How can we expect service to improve if we do not want to complain of things that go wrong?

Failure to criticize a bad service is not a gesture of kindness but rather lack of responsibility. If you do not complain, it means you are satisfied with the service you receive. It means the bad service is acceptable. It means the staff doesn’t have to change or improve anything.

These days as a lot of effort is being done in improving service delivery in Rwanda, many customers need to know that they also have a big responsibility in service improvement.

Good customer service does NOT fall solely on the hands of the service provider but also on the customer/consumer as well. When as a customer you notice poor service, it is your duty to express your disapproval.

Many of us are quicker in criticizing poor performance especially among our friends and relatives. Unfortunately, this doesn’t change anything. The service people concerned should be the ones to know your feelings about their services

And when service is also good; we should compliment as well. That is how the staff knows that they are on the right path and that they should keep it up. When you compliment, it is like you are giving a tap on the back of the staff.

When the service provider goes beyond the call of duty to make our experience an enjoyable one; we should learn to appreciate them. You will be surprised to know how a simple “Thank You” or a Smile can motivate employees.

Let’s be generous and express our gratitude for the great service we receive. Sometimes, we could even go a step further and contact the management of that organization to let them know how happy we are with their services.As customer service is a two-way relationship; let’s remember this.

Customers: Do not be silent. Please express your opinion about poor, mediocre and excellent services you receive. Provide feedback, give your suggestions because without these, the organization cannot positively grow in the right direction.

Service Provider: Listen to your customers and put into effect many of their suggestions. Offer good customer service and your customers will become your ambassadors.

Sandra.idossou@sheiconsulting.com

THERE ARE DAYS I DO NOT FEEL LIKE SMILING

Read with this link

http://newtimes.co.rw/index.php?issue=14240&article=3291&week=16


WEEKLY » Business Times » CUSTOMER CARE: Attracting people through our smiles
-->
CUSTOMER CARE: Attracting people through our smiles
By Sandra idossou

There are days I hate going to work, especially when I feel moody, depressed and less motivated. I am in a job where I need to pretend to be friendly. As I write this article I wasn’t in the mood of smiling and being positive towards customers.


As a service provider, I am constantly in direct contact with clients. The main objective of my job is to satisfy them and I understand the importance of satisfying them.

Customer satisfaction is quite relevant in this business. We need to be cheerful and enthusiastic in any kind of interaction we have with out clients.

I am supposed to work five days a week, from 7 am until 4 pm. However I still can’t remember the last time I went home before 6pm. Because of the nature of this business, I find myself struggling to get a 30 minutes lunch break.


I am not complaining, because I love my job. I work with a travel agency, a hotel, a bank, telecom company, a hospital, a filling station, a government institution, the supermarket next door, a bar, market, a hair saloon and so many others.

The issue I am trying to raise is that despite the hassle I am still meant to be HAPPY and CHEERFUL every other day. That is where we earn a living.

Last week when a customer with a bad odor entered my office, but I still showed a big smile. Sometimes customers do not even respond to my greetings but I still have to continue to be professional and friendly so that they can return and do business with us.

Sometimes when I wake up I am not in a good mood. This is probably due to the personal issues some including my the house rent, my children, my in-laws, my husband, the house boy, my past, the ambiance with my boss and many worries.

However after dressing up I try not to carry the same mood to work. I deploy the actor’s trick of separating one’s personal emotions and the role that one has to play.

In this business we are like actors, preachers, singers, doctors, pilots etc … who need to have a border line between their real personal problems and the role they have to play once on stage.

Our minds are like bank accounts. We can deposit in them positive thoughts, good ideas, pleasant experiences and they will yield in positive mindset and inevitably to positive behaviors.


Some mornings I feel moody because of the negative thoughts I have allowed my spirit to embrace. Being someone who deals with clients I don’t find this easy because I need to find joy in the job and be proud of it everyday no matter my own personal issues.

Yes, sometimes the customer is wrong, sometimes he is mean and rude. Sometimes he even tells lies and drives me crazy. But my job as a service person is to be so skillful that even in such instances I am still able to show professionalism and friendliness.

I have to behave like an actor performing on a stage. When I do not really feel like smiling or simply being friendly, I need to act “as if” everything was alright. Obviously, it takes a great performance to swallow one’s personal problems and give a good service.

As an actor, I understand that the spectator has paid for the “show” and the “performance” must be a good one.Let’s think appreciate the power and opportunity that rest in our hands. We are lucky to be in a job where we can easily market ourselves.

Let’s find joy in what we do. With continuous positive attitudes; we can attract great relationships and people to our lives through our friendliness and smiles.

sandra.idossou@sheiconsulting.com

http://newtimes.co.rw/index.php?issue=14240&article=3291&week=16

THE DAY I SPENT 6 HOURS IN A DISTRICT OFFICE

http://newtimes.co.rw/index.php?issue=14221&article=3194&week=14


WEEKLY » Business Times » CUSTOMER CARE: When I spent six hours in a district office

CUSTOMER CARE: When I spent six hours in a district officeBy Sandra idossou


For those who know me, you must be wondering how I survived this. Well, you will be surprised because instead of getting mad about this long wait; I rather felt so bad for the service providers I met on March 30, 2010 at the district office of Nyarugenge and at the bank.

I needed to renew my visa and was told at the Immigration Office to get a local tax receipt called “patente”. Since I didn’t know that I needed this “patente” for a visa, I didn’t pay for it at the time I was clearing my annual taxes at the beginning of March 2010.

When I arrived at this district, I first thought that something had happened. There were hundreds of people queuing. First, I panicked before realizing that the big crowd was there because it was the deadline for tax payments.

I simply can’t understand why people just wait till the last day to pay taxes they know they have to pay anyway.

People were fighting to get numbers in order to be part of the queues. The security guard was overwhelmed by aggressive people who all wanted to skip the long queues.

As I had no alternative because I needed to renew my visa; I calmly queued for two good hours. I was so relieved when my turn finally came.

But this was for a short while because the angry, exhausted and furious lady in that office asked me to produce a copy of my 2009 receipt before she could issue a new one for me.

Well; I had no idea at all where I had kept the old one. I never knew that I needed it. Last year, I used it just for the renewal of my visa.

I couldn’t understand why a big district office such as the Nyarugenge one could not have a computerized system where they could retrace all payments.

Obviously, this lady had no time for explanations. She got angry again when I asked her what I should do as I didn’t have the old one. I was frustrated to realize that I had just wasted two good hours in the heat for nothing.

Then I decided to look for the Executive Secretary to explain to him my predicament. The wait was still there because many people will just skip and enter the room without following the queue.

But I was impressed when I finally met a professional person who listened and found a solution for me together with one of his staff.

After the “Patente” issue was finally solved, I was faced with another ordeal. Apparently; I was supposed to pay another monthly tax called “Taxe de Nettoyage” meaning a Cleaning tax of 10,000.

I am one of the people who appreciate the cleanliness of the city and would have loved to participate but unfortunately; I never heard about this before.

Even though the queue was becoming bigger and wilder as the heat became unbearable in this office that wasn’t planned to receive hundreds of people at ago, the same gentleman took time to explain this new tax issue.

He even offered me a brochure of all the different types of taxes to be paid at the district levels but unfortunately everything was written entirely in Kinyarwanda.

After spending in all more than six hours between the district office and the bank; I think something needs to be done and some people need to be more responsible.Solutions should be found for the long waiting moments in most public institutions.

My friends told me that I needed just to send someone there to do the queuing for me.
Everyone says that is how things happen and my experience was not an exception.

But should we just keep quiet and accept this type of service in our public institutions? Well; I didn’t know the simple operation of paying a “Patente” will take me six hours. Moreover; this has helped me to understand better service in certain public institutions.

And whether this queuing was done by someone else or by myself, it’s still a waste of time…and a waste of time means a waste of productivity not only for the individual but also for the nation as a whole.

The morale of my ordeal is on three aspects.First, I think people should be advised to pay their taxes earlier instead of waiting for the last minute.

Probably a lot more of education needs to be done again by districts and by Rwandan Revenue Authority (RRA). Another suggestion could also be to have different deadlines for different tax payments.

I know people in certain banks who worked until 3am on March 30 and 31. I was also made to pay penalties on taxes I could have gladly paid before if the information had been disseminated in English.

Customer service is not only about people but also about systems. Important documents should also be in English or on official websites.
I also felt extremely sorry for the staff at the district office that had to manually write hundreds of receipt in a day.

We are in a modern time today and having to fill the same form for hundreds of people is archaic. A computerized system could be much simpler and make the staff lives easier.

Martin Luther King Jr says that “Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.” So let’s talk about these issues so that solutions can be found for the development of our country.

The author is a customer service consultant working in Rwanda

www.sheiconsulting.comsandra.idossou@sheiconsulting.com

KNOWLEDGE IS POWER

http://newtimes.co.rw/index.php?issue=14214&article=3148&week=13

CUSTOMER CARE: Knowledge is PowerBy Sandra idossou

“Knowledge is power” was originally said by Francis Bacon, an English philosopher, statesman, scientist, lawyer, jurist and an author.

This quote implies that with knowledge or education one’s potential or abilities in life will certainly increase. This quote has always taught me that knowledge is the only way to upgrade one’s performance.

I have always known the power of reading and its implication on one’s knowledge. Reading opens up one’s mind and horizons. Reading is the surest way of getting more knowledge on things I do not know. Have you heard of this proverb which says that you should “Beware of the man of one book?”

It is possible that in the quote above, Bacon was paraphrasing Proverbs 24:5: “A wise man has great power, and a man of knowledge increases strength.”

As a trainer; I know the power of knowledge. I often see the excitement on the faces of participants after attending training sessions. They get rejuvenated, they seem new, they understand better what is expected of them and above all they feel empowered.

Definitely customer service still remains a big challenge in Rwanda both in the public and private institutions. According to a research body here in Rwanda, the country’s GDP could increase to $40 million by 2012 if service delivery is improved.

This is a fact. If service providers improve on their systems and their ways of treating customers, they will see a real positive impact on their business.

Service is all about dealing with customers. It boils down to the attitude of the staff. We all know that the state of professionalism of people in the service industry here is just undergoing development and the skills gap in the country is so high.

But should we just sit and complain about the lack of skills of service people? Should we comfort ourselves into thinking that good service is not possible in Rwanda?

Are we just waiting for a miracle to happen? Should we continue thinking that service improvement is a sole responsibility of government?

Good service delivery is achievable here too. Simply put, we can reach the level of service we are expecting if we help service providers by educating and sensitizing them on its importance for their businesses.

In order to participate in giving the necessary knowledge to service people here, an educative magazine, “The Service Mag” has just been launched. It published in English with some articles in French and Kinyarwanda.

It’s simple, colorful and also has an interactive website. It’s been done by a team of people from 11 different countries.
Because of wanting to encourage reading, the magazines are given freely to people - at least for the first editions. The magazines are free because they have actually been sponsored by local companies in Rwanda.
Educating service people is part of our social corporate responsibilities as companies. Changing mindset and attitude is a collective responsibility.

Just check on www.theservicemag.com and get yourself updated on what is expected on you as a service provider. Learn ways of improving your services. Learn how to “wow” your customers. Learn how to satisfy your customers and grow your business.

This is probably time to call on for more sponsorships of the magazine from all organizations both private and public. In the future; the magazine plans to become bi-monthly, circulating 8,000 copies with many more educational articles.

Let’s not just sit and complain. Let’s take actions now. Let’s all sustain the project of educating both service providers and customers.

Erasmus, a Dutch Renaissance humanist and a famous theologian says that “The main hope of a nation lies in the proper education of its youth”. If we want service delivery to change in Rwanda; we need to educate the youth now.

John Fitzgerald Kennedy also says that “In a time of turbulence and change, it is more true than ever that knowledge is power”. In today’s economic turbulence; this is the right time to educate service people.

The Motto of The Service Mag is “Knowledge Is Power”. So let’s all be part of the education process and get the people of this country soar through customer service, as they have done elsewhere.

The author is a customer service consultant working in Rwanda

sandra.idossou@sheiconsulting.com

The Launching of the Service Mag

http://allafrica.com/stories/201003250071.html

The Service Mag

387 people from all sectors of business attended the Launch Ceremony of the Service Mag at the Serena Hotel on Thursday March 25th.

The objective of this free quarterly magazine is to educate and sensitize service people both from the public and provate institutions.

The magazine is in simple English with specific articles in French and Kinyarwanda.

The 48-page-magazine was made possible by the contribution of people from 11 different nationalities and by the kind sponsorship of 15 companies:

Diamond

Caisse Sociale du Rwanda

Ecobank

Platinum

BCR

Inyange Industries

Bralirwa

Sulfo

Serena Hotels

Rwandair

Shei & Enz Consulting

Gold

Fina Bank

BRD

DHL

Kenya Airways

Bronze

Tele10

Ocir Cafe

The ceremony was graced by Clare Akamnazi; the Deputy CEO of the Rwanda Development Board in Charge of Business Operations. and Services.

After the unveiling; guests were offered free copies of the Magazine.

The event was a very funny and humoristic evening with the sketches of Herve and Lilian who were the MC's.

Let's Embrace "The Service Mag"

http://newtimes.co.rw/index.php?issue=14207&article=3102&week=12

CUSTOMER CARE: Let’s all embrace “The Service Magazine”

By Sandra idossou

It is not news that customer service is still a challenge both in private and public institutions. Many service providers have still not been able to find the exact way of improving their services to customers. As customers, we are still waiting for the time where the service people will respect us and give us the services they have promised. As a trainer, I believe that people behave the way they do because they have not be taught. Many still do not understand the importance of a customer to their businesses. Others still think that the customer has no option and will continue to patronize their services. If we want service delivery to improve, we need more than just talk and debate. We need to take concrete actions that will help people providers. Even though there have been a number of initiatives here and there, the service gap is still high, which means that there is need to do more. Many people still do not have access to either trainings or the customer care handbooks. It is for this reason that with the sponsorships of fifteen companies in Rwanda, a free quarterly magazine titled “The Service Mag” will be launched at the end of the month. Creating and maintaining a positive attitude is the most efficient and low-cost investment one can make in order to change their life. A positive attitude is a habit and must be learned through repetition and conscious effort on your part. A positive attitude is not dependent upon your genetic composition. It depends upon your decision to face your world with enthusiasm and to create a positive environment Sir Francis Bacon, an English author, courtier and philosopher is famous for his famous quote “Knowledge Is Power” Actually, attitude is the driving force in our life and without the right attitude, our llives become directionless. The starting point is to believe that you can change. If you don’t believe it, then you won’t do it. I’m not asking you to think it’s going to be easy or an overnight thing. The hardest clients that I have to deal with are ones that lack commitment and/or belief because most of my time is spent working on those issues and they are seldom the ones that prompted the contact. The magazine will be largely distributed among all service providers in Rwanda from taxi driver, down to waiters, to hospitals, to ministries and to all service outlets. The main objective of the magazine is to sensitize everyone on service and offer basic education on what needs to be done. We are all collectively responsible for the service image of Rwanda and we just can’t sit and wait for a miracle to happen. The well designed and very attractive magazine will be printed in 5000 copies and distributed throughout the country. It will also be published on an interactive website. Segments such as the Human Resources, Hospitality, Quality, Sales, Marketing, Taxes, Communication, Attitudes, Motivation, Lifestyle, Tourism, Hygiene, Personal Development, Branding, Grooming and many more topics will be tacled. The 48-pages magazine will be written in simple English with some articles in Kinyarwanda and French to be able to attract the diverse readership. As the magazine will be free to readers, it will therefore need the contribution of many corporate and private organizations. The publication cist for the first edition was borne by the kind sponsorship of fifteen companies. We are hereby kindly requesting your partnership to make this magazine a successful one for the benefit of business owners, for people in the service industry but generally for Rwanda as a whole. We would like to invite business owners to be part of this magazine. We will appreciate their sponsorships so as to offer this magazine free to everyone in the service industry. Also, we would like to welcome your customer service experiences with our readers. And lastly, do write to us and give us your feedback after reading this first edition that will be launched on March 25, 2010. sandra.idossou@sheiconsulting.com

Building a Strong Relationship with Customers

http://newtimes.co.rw/index.php?issue=14200&article=3052&week=11

CUSTOMER CARE: Building a relationship can attract more clientele

By Sandra idossou

I am writing this article from Nairobi where I traveled to carry out a print job for the Service Magazine that is soon to be launched. Before arriving here, I had in my possession three different price quotations with approximately the same rates except for one which was slightly higher than the other. I arrived at the airport at about 6 am and I was welcomed by Jane, one of the company’s marketing staff. She had a big smile which gave me less reason to worry about the odd hour of the day. When we arrived at the premises of her place of work, she gave me a tour of the factory and introduced me to almost everyone. Jane helped me go to the bank, organize my other appointments, found people to help me and offered to drive me back to the hotel. She almost became part of our team. The company Jane represents deals with bigger contracts than my small order. The Director said something very interesting about their concept of customer service. “Customer service is all about relationships, it’s not about the money. If our customers have good relationships with us, we are sure that we will have good businesses in the future with them.” Customer service is really not about prices. This company was actually the one with the higher prices but we decided to work with them because of the trust we had in them. A company’s rates or prices might be higher but if customers see the value of an offer, they will have no reservation in buying your services. Companies should not fool themselves into thinking that all that customers look for are low prices . It is no secret that a strong relationship with a customer is the key element in the success of a company. Below are some key actions that will create that stronger relationship with your customers. Care about your customers Care is an important element in creating good relationships with your customers. You need to care about the needs of your customers, what they like, who they are etc. If you do not care, a customer can tell. Care also implies empathy. Dr Maya Angelou said that, “people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” Show care and you can be sure that your customers will not forget that. Go the extra mile Be helpful even if there’s no immediate profit in it. Whatever the extra step may be, if you want to provide good customer service, take it. Your customers might not say so to you, but people always notice when you make an extra effort. To give real service you must add something which cannot be bought or measured with money and that is sincerity and integrity says Douglas Adams. Build trust Trust will be one of the strongest things you can do in order to build a better relationship with your customer. The reason is that people will buy from someone they trust. When you trust someone, you know you are getting a good product, at a good price, and that they care enough to help if there were problems. Listen If you listen to your customer, you w ill build a stronger an d better relationship. Anyone can talk but it takes a wise person to listen. Take time to listen and understand. Do not jump into conclusions or assumptions. Every customer is different and so are his/her needs. Customer service is all about relationships. You need to take time to create emotional relationships with your customers. In my case, will you be surprised if I say that I’ll definitely recommend Jane’s company to anyone who wants professional and quality printing in Nairobi? And this is exactly what good relationships with your customers can do, free advertisement for you and your company. The author is a customer service consultant working in Rwanda. www.sheiconsulting.com

WHO IS YOUR BOSS?

CUSTOMER CARE: Who is your boss?

By Sandra idossou

Sam Walton, an American great entrepreneur and the founder of the Wal-Mart stores in USA once said “There is only one boss.The customer. And he can fire everybody in the company from the chairman on down, simply by spending his money somewhere else”. I would like to share this quote with all the service people today. For me, this quote should be a pre requisite known to every contact person both in the private and public sectors. Many at times; we tend to forget the importance of Costumers. We see them as a “burden”, an “extra job” or even an “interruption” in our work. We also see them as small, unimportant, ugly, unattractive and insignificant. But the truth here is that whether that costumer is a driver, a director, a cleaner etc…, he/she is still important to our businesses. You are in that business of yours because that “small and unattractive” costumer has decided to patronize your shop. This Customer is actually the one who pays your salaries. You owe him/her your lifestyle, our car everything you are able to buy. When you enter some shops in town; the look you are given as a customer simply says “why did you come here?” or “Why didn’t you go and bother the people in the next shop?” Your boss may be that manager who pays your salary but what you need to know is that your salary does not come from your manager’s pockets. It comes from the CUSTOMER. The person you consider your boss and to whom you give the most of respect is just handling the money the “real boss” leaves behind for you. He is also paid by the customer. The costumer is actually the one who signs your paycheck and who ultimately is your boss. Some time ago, I was sitting in front of a service person when his immediate manager called him. He simply left without uttering a word of apology and I had to wait there for more than 15mn has his comment when he came back? “That was the boss who called me; he doesn’t like to be kept on hold”. I have often seen service people neglecting customers in front of them and showing more respect and care to their supervisors and managers. We also see lots of discrimination in the way customers are treated. Many customers are given value depending on their dress code, their statutes, the big cars they drive. Many are belittle because of their physical appearance. Have you already experienced the discrimination made towards you because you were black, small, thin etc. This is what happened to some friends who went two weeks ago to the Akagera Motors in town to inquire about their new cars. The sales agent just looked down on them and asked them if they think you could buy a car there? He even went to the extent of asking them to go and look for the small second-hand Toyotas in town. If you are a manager, take some time and ask your employees who pays their salaries? Well, you are likely to get answers like “the company, the manager, the accounts department etc. But how many of your employees will realize that, it is the “Customer who pays their Salary! If you are a service person, remember that if you do not show care and attention to the customers who patronize your products and services; they will simply go elsewhere to spend their money. Your costumers are the ones who decide whether your business is going to succeed or fail. In your next interaction with customers, think of them as “the boss.” You don’t have to call them that, but it will help put your relationship in perspective and will help foster a better customer-focused attitude The author is a costumer service consultant working in Rwanda. sandra.idossou@sheiconsulting.com

http://newtimes.co.rw/index.php?issue=14193&article=3008&week=10

Time Should Mean Money in Rwanda as well

http://newtimes.co.rw/index.php?issue=14186&article=2965&week=09

CUSTOMER CARE: Time should mean money in Rwanda as well

By Sandra idossou

As I start writing this article, I know for sure that many will dislike what they are about to read. I’m probably going to shock you but believe me dear readers, this has to come out. I have been in an “Enough is Enough” mood for these past weeks that I simply can’t keep quiet anymore on this particular subject. No matter how sensitive certain issues might seem; we need to talk about them so as to improve on them. I’ll not go by two roads….this ordeal of slow service delivery is just driving me nuts. People are simply to slow. It looks like service many have their whole time in doing certain things that should be done quickly. Just imagine the time one has to spend in queues in most banks here to access one’s money; an average of one hour in most cases; whereas in some parts of the world, these are operations that take less than two minutes. Look at the manner in which the cashiers carry themselves; they walk or sit nonchalantly as if hey are forced to be there. When they finally take your check, it takes them an eternity to serve you. They need to get an authorization from their supervisors who most at times are nowhere to be found. Service providers should understand that we do not come to their companies to watch television. We have our own television sets at home and our reason for coming in there is to be served quickly so that we can attend to other urgent matters. Believe me; putting in a television in your shop doesn’t reduce the amount of wasted time I spend in there. But this issue of speed in service delivery does not only concern the banks. This is a critical one cross sectors; from the private to the public; from big to small organizations. These last few weeks for instance, I wrote to several institutions about a project I’m working n at the moment. There are just few who take time to respond to correspondences. And when I call for an update, people simply do not understand why I have to “hurry” them. And this is after a three weeks’ wait. I think Timeliness in Rwanda is a public matter of urgency. As the world continues to speed up, customers have today less time than ever to deal with slow service providers. The majority of customers want fast services. They want their service delivery to take the minimum amount of time possible. Customers want service providers they can depend upon; or who simply can deliver when they say they will. Most of us today hate having to wait and we are no more as patient as before. And that is why we want people in the service industry to be fast. We do not appreciate those who drag their feet; who take hours to respond to a quick question simply because they are afraid of taking responsibility. Customers require today that you deal with their demand in a timely fashion manner. As a service provider, be proactive; give to your customers undivided attention and concentration. And when you are walking, show some enthusiasm. Show you are alive. Do not sit in that chair as if you were bored, hungry, tired etc. Remember your non verbal communication sends tones of messages. Service should not stop or slow down because it has rained. Remember that “Time is free, but it’s priceless. You can’t own it, but you can use it. You can’t keep it, but you can spend it. Once you’ve lost it, you can never get it back” says Harvey Mackay; one of America’s most popular and entertaining business and motivational speakers. Timeliness is not a customer satisfaction issue that can be swept under the rug even in Rwanda. I do not agree with people who say that being slow is a Rwandan culture. It is simply an old habit we have got used to and that needs to change today. www.sandra.idossou@sheiconsulting.com The author is a customer service consultant working in Rwanda