THE TIPS FOR THE MANAGER: UBURYO 10

Transcription

Issue 2: June - August 2010
SERVICEMAG
THE
MARY
BAINE
ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW TO IMPROVE YOUR SERVICES
COMMISSIONER GENERAL,
RWANDA REVENUE AUTHORITY
on Good Customer Service in Rwanda
“It may not take a day or even a year
but we will get there!”
TIPS FOR THE
MANAGER:
How to ensure your business
delivers exceptional service
L’ENVERS DU SERVICE
Le quotidien d’un employé
UBURYO 10
Budansanzwe mu guha
umukiriya servisi nziza
PLUS
Our readers tell
where they hav
e bee
and how they w n
ere
treated
FREE
COPY
Gira
Ubupfura
P
Publisher’s Note
W
Welcome to the second issue of the Service Mag, your magazine. It’s been over three
months now since the first edition was launched. The launching ceremony was a
colourful gathering that brought together people from different sectors of the service
industry. Thanks again to the fifteen companies that sponsored it. We thank you all
for your generous comments and suggestions. They have helped us make this issue
even better than the first.
Who says good service delivery is the sole responsibility of the private sector? Service
delivery is an issue of national concern and every sector of the economy is doing
its best. In this issue we have interviewed Mary Baine, Rwanda Revenue Authority’s
Commissioner General. She shares RRA’s experience in improving customer service
and advises customers and managers to keep at it. For her, excellent customer
service in Rwanda is only a matter of time if this effort is maintained.
Amin Gafaranga, the Rwanda Development Board (RDB)s Branding Manager tells us
what has been put in place in the public service. So yes; if you are working in a public
institution, this issue is for you.
Financial institutions have been criticized a lot for long queues; dysfunctional ATM
machines; unprofessionalism of the staff etc… But what needs to be said is also the
effort that this sector is putting in to change this. Governor François Kanimba of the
Central Bank of Rwanda shares his opinion on the importance of customer service in
the financial institutions of Rwanda.
And your usual column “Have your say” plus ‘Where we have been…how we were
treated” where many customers share their experiences and express their feelings
and perceptions about what is important for service delivery. The new thing is that we
have decided to give the names of these places customers have been to. In case you
see the name of your company cited either positively or negatively, do not take this
personal. The only reason is to create awareness and sensitize. We hereby invite you
all to contribute to these columns.
Service delivery in Rwanda can only change if we all put in an effort to adopt positive
daily attitudes. Read the two articles on the need of change. Change is a long
process. Change will need a lot of education and sensitization from all of us. After
reading this magazine, do not add it to the pile of reading materials on your desk.
Please share it with people around you. They are either service providers or simply
customers. And the change we are talking about needs the implication of both the
customer and the service provider. Remember “Knowledge is Power”
Published By Shei & Enz Consulting
P.O.Box 3425 Kigali Rwanda
www.sheiconsulting.com
The opinions expressed in The
ServiceMag and The ServiceMag
Online do not necessarily reflect
those of the editor, publishers or
their agents.
Even though getting sponsors for this edition has again been a real challenge, we
would like to thank sincerely all those who made this edition possible; on your behalf
the 15 sponsors and 16 contributors.
Enjoy the reading.
Sandra Idossou
Publisher
What’s where?
Publisher
Sandra Idossou
[email protected]
Design & Layout
Julius Kwame
Phone +250 722 111 222
[email protected]
Editor English
Aryantungyisa Otiti
[email protected]
Editor French
Diana Ramarohetra
[email protected]
Kinyarwanda Translator
Gaspard Habarurema
[email protected]
Contributors
Governor Francois Kanimba, Linda
Pophal ,Bea Umwiza, Denise
Umunyana, Efua Hagen, Eva
Gakara, Hubert Rutage Ruzibiza,
Ipar, Juliet Mbabazi, Kofi Hagan,
Lena Militisi, Ezechiel Ouedraogo,
Chantal da Silveira, Françoise
Mukashyaka & Saul Butera
Sponsors
Diamond
Rwanda Development Board,
Rwanda Revenue Authority,
Cogebanque
Gold
Rwandair, Kenya Airways, Kobil,
Electrogaz, ATC Rwanda, Akagera
Paints, Rwanda Civil Aviation
Authority, PSI, Bralirwa, Shei & Enz
Consulting
Silver
Fina Bank, Engen
Photography
Adam Scotti
[email protected]
Articles and contributions are
welcome. If you would like to share
your positive or negative customer
service experience for our readers
to learn from, or a tip that has
helped you to serve your customers
better please send it to
[email protected]
www.theservicemag.com
FEATURES
Issue 2 June-August 2010
10 Things For Effective Customer Service
Training 06
Give It Time! Interview With Mary Baine
(Cover Interview) 08
The Value Of Coaching 14
Why Your Attitude Matters 15
Successful Company Interiors 16
Service Delivery Within Financial
Institutions 18
Kigali international airport Achieving
Customer Service Excellence 22
22
Customer Service: Root Causes Versus
Symptoms 24
INTERVIEWS/PROFILES
16
Service In The Public Sector
(interview with Amin Gafaranga} 26
READER INTERACTION
Uko bafata igihe mu Rwanda no muri
Afurika”? 31
Courtesy Of Returning Calls! 33
Queuing, touching and shaking hands!
Learning a new culture! 34
NEWS
Qu’est-ce qui tue votre image? 36
Bralirwa Spearheads Professional
Careers For Fresh Graduates 37
HAVE YOUR SAY
Where We Have Been & How We
Were Treated! 38
40
Abakiriya na bo bashobora kugira
uruhare mu itangwa rya serivisi mbi 42
Improving Employee Attitude 44
Vous Avez Dit Gestion De Plainte 47
Le Quotidien D’un Employé 48
Uburyo 10 Budasanzwe Mu Guha
Umukiriya Serivisi Nziza 50
PICTORIAL 51
CARTOON 54
Macali: Mbega serivisi!
26
YourMail
C O U R R I E R S D E S L E C T E U R S , U R U B U G A R W ’A B A S O M Y I
I saw your magazine the first time at the
Bourbon coffee at UTC. At first, I thought
I had to pay for it. But the waiter told
me it was free. Then I rapidly glanced
through it and I loved everything I read.
Keep it up. And please make it more
accessible. - Victor from Sweden
Mfite inyota yo kongera gusoma nimero
ya kabiri y’iki gitabo cyanyu. Inyandiko
mwanditsemo ziracukumbuye kandi
zitanga ubutumwa buduhugura.
Twifuzaga ko mwashaka ahantu mu
mujyi umuntu yashakira iki gitabo
cyanyu. - James Uwuneza
Quand un agent est entré dans ma
petite quincaillerie à Butare pour me
remettre votre magazine, j’ai été d’abord
réticent parce que je m’attendais à ce
qu’il me fasse payer. Mais quand il m’a
expliqué que c’est gratuit parce que
ça été sponsorisé par les entreprises
locales, j’ai été très touché. Je voudrais
donc par le biais de votre magazine
remercier, au nom de tous vos lecteurs,
vos 15 sponsors. Merci de participer à
l’éducation de toute la population
Jacques Kayitessi
Congrats to the service mag team. Keep
it up. The quality of the print is great.
Magda
in the cartoon. Can you please put more
articles concerning service at health
sectors? - Victoire
At the beginning; I didn’t know where to
get a copy of your magazine so I went
on internet and just googled. I was
impressed by the interactive website.
When I finally got the hard copy; I noticed
that all the content was also on your
website. Can you please communicate
more on your website. I’m sure that are
many people who could learn lots from
it.
I learnt 3 things from the Serena MD’s
interview. “recruiting people with the
right attitude, giving them good training,
and strict supervision”
Je suis réceptionniste dans un ministère
de la place. Pourriez vous, s’il vous
plaît, distribuer votre magazine à tous
les fonctionnaires ? Ils offrent souvent
un mauvais service parce que personne
n’a pris le temps de leur expliquer ce
qu’ils doivent faire. Merci pour votre
contribution dans la sensibilisation du
personnel travaillant dans le secteur
privé et public.
I loved the cartoon in Kinyarwanda
especially concerning the service at the
hospital. I am a nurse and found myself
Nitwa Cynthia nkora muri cyber café iri
Nyabugogo. Mushobora kujya mushyira
inyandiko nyinshi mu Kinyarwanda?
Ndabona ibyanditsemo ari byiza,
ntegerezanyije ubwuzu indi nimero
izasohoka. Murakoze mugire akazi keza.
Write to us
e-Mail
[email protected]
Connect with us on
I
Things for
Effective
Customer
Service
Training
It may come as a surprise to learn that
the most important people are your
employees. Customers come second.
Without qualified and well-trained
employees committed to strong
customer service all of your efforts
to please customers will be fruitless.
Customer service training has become a
popular way for service organizations to
provide employees with the information
they need to meet customer needs.
It should not, however, be considered
a one-time or annual event. Customer
service training is an ongoing process
that needs to be incorporated into the
organization’s culture and way of doing
business.
Good customer service training will be
based on the needs of your organization
as well as the skill level of your
employees. Following are some key
elements in ensuring that your customer
service training efforts get results.
1) Start with the end in mind.
What do you want to accomplish with
your customer service training efforts?
Your answer will be unique to your
6
The SERVICEMAG June - August 2010
By Linda Pophal
business, the product or service you
provide and the type of customer you
serve. For example, if you run a dry
cleaning business, your expectation may
be that customers are greeted promptly
when they come into your store, that
clothing is cleaned to their specifications
and that any problems or issues are
resolved according to prescribed
policies/practices that have been clearly
communicated to customers.
If you run a consulting business your
customer service expectations may
include lengthy interactions with clients
to clearly determine their needs,
identified check-points throughout the
consulting process, etc. Regardless of
the specifics, you need to have a clear
idea of the end results you’re looking for.
Then you can use these results to help
direct the focus of your customer service
training efforts.
2) Define success.
Employees need to have clear
expectations; they want to succeed,
but they need to know what success
“looks like” and how you will be judging
their efforts. Based on the objectives
you identified, quantify as best you can
measures of customer service success.
Provide these measures to employees
as the goals they will be charged with
obtaining.
3) Communicate your expectations.
Be specific. Don’t assume that
employees know what you expect in
terms of service. Be specific and make
sure you “catch them early.” A new
employee’s orientation is the time
to let them know what your service
expectations are.
4) Provide the tools that employees
need to serve your customers.
Employees need tools, and need to
know how to use those tools, to serve
customers effectively. For example, if
employees don’t have access to e-mail
they may be hampered in communicating
effectively with their customers. Or, if a
graphic designer doesn’t have the latest
software and appropriate hardware, he
or she may not be able to provide high
quality or timely turnaround to clients.
A cell phone may be a critical tool for
a sales person who is frequently away
from his or her desk.
5) Let employees know their limits.
Your employees need to know your
policies and practices with regard to
satisfying customers and responding to
complaints. The more flexibility you’re
able to offer and the more clearly you
communicate these guidelines, the
better able employees will be to meet
customer needs. Customers benefit,
too, when employees are able to resolve
situations “on the spot” instead of having
to “talk to my manager.”
6) Gather Common Situations and
Scenarios To Use As Examples.
Your customer service training should
be “real.” Examples gathered from the
real life experience if your employees
can help to highlight bad/good/better/
best examples of working with clients
and customers. Involve employees in
providing training. Enlist the aid of your
most service-successful employees in
training and coaching others.
7) Role play common challenging
situations.
Provide employees with an opportunity
to “practice” their responses then, when
a “real situation” occurs they will have a
higher comfort level about their ability to
respond effectively.
Your staff
will watch
not only
how you
interact with
customers,
but what
you say
about your
customers.
8) Encourage employees to talk to their
“worst nightmare” customers.
Customers who are most demanding,
complain the loudest or who are
hardest to please can be a rich source
of information in your customer service
improvement efforts. After all, if you can
please these “tough customers” you
should be able to consistently delight
your average customers.
Behind the complaints and the demands
you’ll often find very valid points and
issues that you can use to improve
service. Resist the urge to “ignore” the
tough customers; consider them your
best resource for good information on
service improvement.
9) Share failures - celebrate successes.
Don’t just focus on successes. Don’t
just point out failures. You need a good
balance of both failure and success
stories to build a strong service culture.
Staff can learn from their own failures as
well as the failures of others. Treat each
failure not as an opportunity to “punish”
staff, but as an opportunity to learn. Why
did the failure occur? What could be
done differently next time to avoid such
a failure? What lessons might other staff
learn to avoid these issues?
Similarly, take time to celebrate your
successes and to share these success
examples with all employees. Sometimes
the best “customer service training” for
staff can be a good debriefing of either a
positive or negative customer situation.
These debriefings can also be good
opportunities for role playing.
10) The Most Effective Training? The
Example You Set.
Your staff will watch not only how
you interact with customers, but
what you say about your customers.
If your attitude toward customers is
disparaging, this sends a very strong,
negative, message to employees. Make
sure you’re being a strong role model both in word and deed.
Compiled by the CEO of Strategic
Communications, a marketing and
communication consultancy firm.
Quote
“We see our customers as invited
guests to a party, and we are the
hosts. It’s our job every day to
make every important aspect of
the customer experience a little bit
better”.
Jeff Bezos Founder Amazon.com
7
GIVE IT TIME!
I N T E R V IE W W IT H MA R Y BAINE
By A.K. Otiti
When it comes to achieving good
customer service in Rwanda, Mary Baine,
Commissioner General (CG), Rwanda
Revenue Authority (RRA) says KEEP UP
THE EFFORT! “It may not take a day, it
might not even take a year but if we keep
at it, we will get there.”
8
P
A
H O T O G R A
D A M S C O
P H Y
T T i
9
Mary Baine has worked for the Rwanda
Revenue Authority for about 19 years,
the last four of which she has served
as Commissioner General. She enjoys
the fact that her job gives her the
opportunity to meet many people and be
able to resolve problems both at national
and at the level of individual businesses.
Such a position requires a certain caliber
of personality. It is little wonder then that
Ms. Baine is a hardworking woman who
values integrity and selflessness above
all.
As Head of RRA, her main duties include
overseeing the core functions of the
institution which include collecting
government revenue and accounting
for it; articulating policies that facilitate
trade and advising government on
taxation policies.
Rwanda Revenue Authority employs
close to 1,000 people. It is also the
Commissioner General’s responsibility
to oversee the staff and handle issues to
do with staff development and capacity
development; to ensure that staff
members are well equipped to manage
their day to day roles.
As Commissioner General, Ms. Baine
feels privileged to be one of those
contributing to weaning Rwanda from
foreign aid. “As a tax administration we
have grown from a time when we were
collecting only 15% of our revenue to last
year when we were able to collect 52% of
the revenues that go into financing our
national budget” she says. “My dream is
for us to go up to 100% and whether I am
here or not I will feel very proud to have
been part of that history.”
Although many may not regard
Rwanda Revenue Authority as a service
organization, the Commissioner General
says she sees RRA primarily as a
service provider. “People do not consider
taxation as a service and they often see
us as taking away from them rather
than serving them,” Mary Baine says,
“however, we are providing a service
because we are helping members of
society meet their obligations.”
10 The SERVICEMAG June - August 2010
She explains that there is a social
contract between the state and the
citizens, which contract stipulates that
the tax payer meets their obligation by
paying taxes and the state puts those
taxes to use by directing them into
different development projects. Since
the tax administration facilitates this
contract, it is providing a service to the
state and its citizens.
With such a huge staff, how easy is it
to ensure that each of them is doing
their part and offering good customer
service? Not easy, the CG admits, but
the Authority has put in place some
measures to encourage all to offer good
customer service and deter those who
would lean to poor service. She explains
that before anybody starts working for
RRA, they go through training, part of
which training is on customer care.
The Commissioner General explains that
since it is already difficult for people to
part with their money in form of taxes, it
is imperative for tax officers to make it
as easy as possible for the tax payer by
providing exceptional customer service.
This training prepares them to do so.
After the initial training, staff members
then sign a performance contract and
part of this is related to customer care.
“That means that we monitor how they
behave towards customers and this is
going to have an impact on how they
are rated.” Everybody wants a good
rating since promotion and further
training opportunities are based on
one’s rating, Ms. Baine explains. Every
RRA employee is therefore aware that in
spite of the difficulty of offering a service
such as taxation, they should maintain
professionalism in the way they deal with
tax payers, whether the tax payers are
irate or pleasant. In addition to training
and performance ratings, there are
punitive measures for those who will
not comply. The Commissioner General
points out that she and her management
team are very firm on that and there
have even been dismissals as a result of
poor customer service.
Asked if she is happy with the quality
of customer service RRA offers, the CG
admits that despite all the efforts put
in place, they still have a long way to
go. Considering that this is a sensitive
service and that customers may not
always understand, it requires an extra
dose of patience to offer exceptional
service. “I can tell you we have made
very huge strides in terms of improving
customer care but I am still not very
happy” she says. “I know we have not
arrived and I know there is a still lot
we can do.” She is confident however
that though the journey may be long,
since they have come this far, they will
make it all the way with more effort and
concerted team work.
Service providers and
businesses have also
got to be proactive
about getting feedback
from clients and
customers in order to
improve their services.
When it comes to fighting poor customer
service, one of the challenges is that
people who receive poor services do not
complain, neither do they demand for
better services. Service providers and
businesses have also got to be proactive
about getting feedback from clients and
customers in order to improve their
services. RRA has put some feelers
out to make sure they get to know how
their customers rate their service and
Ms. Baine shares how RRA does this.
Every year, RRA carries out a taxpayer
satisfaction survey. In addition, through
P
A
H O T O G R A
D A M S C O
P H Y
T T i
11
In a typical
Rwandan
household, when
visitors come
they are very well
received. If you
can receive guests
very well at home,
then why do you
have an attitude at
work?”
the year, the Authority also holds
outreach programmes and tax clinics
at which tax payers are free to ask any
questions and make comments on the
quality of service RRA offers. Tax payers
are also free to make comments over the
radio and other than that, the CG herself
receives many calls from people either
complaining or giving her information on
services her staff provides.
No doubt there is always a need to
change mindsets when it comes to
fighting corruption and poor service.
This is never easy and although RRA has
achieved a measure of success, it has
not been easy, as the CG reveals.
In her opinion, the internal factors are
easier to deal with than the external.
Internally, corporate culture, training,
monitoring and punitive measures have
a way of reigning in officers so that
they clearly understand that they must
provide good customer care. Ms. Baine
advises managers to ensure that their
staff receive training in customer care,
understand the corporate culture and
understand that there are consequences
for noncompliance. “We recruit from
the same Rwandan public that is having
problems with customer care,” she says,
“therefore those people come in with the
same problems out there and we should
not assume that if we keep talking about
it, it will just happen.” “Some people
just do not know better and they need to
be taught,” she emphasizes. She adds
that there should be no compromise
on discipline and those who do not
comply should be subjected to the
consequences. “It is important to put
punitive measures in place and make
them clearly understood so that staff are
aware that if you do not play by the rules,
there are repercussions.” Sometimes
that calls for a heavy hand, the CG
warns.
Nonetheless, the external factors are
more difficult to deal with. In RRA’s
experience, for example, there hasn’t
been a major tax paying culture
in Rwanda so it has required a lot
of hard work on the part of the tax
administration to change this mindset
and go a step further to help people
appreciate the service. Ms. Baine adds,
though, that one thing that RRA has
done and which other managers should
do to ensure excellent customer service
is appreciate those who do well. “It is
important to reward those who do well
because people will emulate those
who are winners.” RRA also rewards
the taxpayers who do well and this
contributes to changing the mindset
towards taxation.
A lot has been said in Rwanda to defend
the poor state of customer service – ‘it
is not in our culture, we are not exposed,
businesses have very little competition.’
Ms. Baine discounts these as mere
excuses. “In my opinion I do not think
poor customer service is a cultural issue
because in a typical Rwandan household,
when visitors come they are very well
received. If you can receive guests very
well at home, then why do you have an
attitude at work?” she wonders.
“Secondly,” she adds, “in the Rwandan
culture, we are supposed to be very
courteous to strangers, make them feel
comfortable, help them as much as we
can, that is part of our culture. In this
case culture would dictate that we treat
the people we serve at work and in our
business with the greatest respect.”
In regard to exposure, Ms. Baine admits
that people often hide their ignorance,
poor self esteem or lack of confidence
behind some very rude behavior and
if they do not know better they may be
rude and unpleasant while exposure
helps people to learn, become confident
and therefore behave appropriately.
Being a prominent figure in a small
place like Kigali, almost everybody
knows who she is and often people will
go an extra mile to ensure that she
receives excellent service. However
the CG has learned that whenever she
receives poor service she should respond
to it instead of just being frustrated. “If
someone treats me badly, I tell them
and irrespective of their response, I feel
I have done my duty.”In many cases she
will go ahead and notify the manager
to make the necessary changes. “Every
manager wants his/her business to be
offering the best service and even if they
put up an act when we complain, they
will deal with the complaint” Ms. Baine
asserts.
She advises that all customers should
adopt this response mechanism. “We
cannot complain enough,” she says, “if
we accept poor service quietly, we will
keep getting it.” “On the other hand, if we
say no, we shall not accept to be treated
like this, someone is going to change. It
is important for us to set standards of
the service we expect and will accept. If
we don’t, people take things for granted
and poor service will continue. “
Lastly, the CG advises all managers and
customers to appreciate good service
as much as we complain about poor
service. “If an employee who is offering a
good service is complimented for it, not
only does this raise their morale and self
esteem, but they also influence others
and this will build a fortified culture of
good customer service” she concludes.
[email protected]
Superfect
TheE-Class Coupé, It deserves a whole new language.
If not now, When?
Visit us today at Gikondo, Kigali
B.P. 2983, Kigali, Rwanda
Tel: 0788300330, 0788301188
E-mail [email protected], [email protected]
www.atcrwanda.com
A.T.C - Rwanda s.a
Auto Transport Company
13
THE VALUE OF
COACHING
By Kofi Hagan
In today’s business world, one overlooks customer care at one’s own peril. Satisfied customers are the
lifeblood of successful businesses. Therefore if you want your business to be successful, you do well to
invest in customer care. As important as customers are to a business, employees cannot be overlooked
and this category too requires an investment. Sound employee care is sound customer care.
Twenty years ago, most people had
not heard of Life Coaching or Business
Coaching. Today the terrain is changing
fast and coaching is being credited with
extraordinary achievements of personal
fulfilment, success and business
transformation.
The International Coaching Federation,
the largest coaching alliance and quality
control body describes coaches as:
“Professional coaches provide an
ongoing partnership designed to help
clients produce fulfilling results in
their personal and professional lives.
Coaches help people improve their
performances and enhance the quality
of their lives.
Coaches are trained to listen, to observe
and to customize their approach to
individual client needs. They seek to
elicit solutions and strategies from
the client; they believe the client is
naturally creative and resourceful.
The coach’s job is to provide support
to enhance the skills, resources, and
creativity that the client already has.”
(ICF website, 2006)
Coaching blends business, psychology,
sports and spirituality concepts. It
is unique, however, in its ability to
support clients to build their ideal life.
Its origins enable coaches to work with
clients on a variety of experiences and
situations. A coach can be a cheerleader
to a struggling or discouraged client,
an advocate to a vulnerable staff, an
accountability partner to a client who
needs help to stick to his commitments
and a truth teller to the client strangely
gifted with misinterpretations of the
times.
Coaching Models Customer Care
Of course, a coach knows the financial
value of a client who has had a great
experience. For most coaches though,
the money comes second. They are by
nature and training interested in the
well being of their clients, whether they
are individuals or businesses.
Individuals, who experience this
considerate handling and respect
almost always show the same to others,
be they customers or fellow employees.
In addition to the modelling that so
naturally takes place when a coach
works with an employee of a business,
coaching can focus on customer
relations and care and consequently
provide skills in this regard.
In practice, during coaching, a client
identifies goals for which he or she
receives support to accomplish.
Customer care may be one of them.
Where this is the case, the client, by
considering and responding to powerful
questions from the coach, enters into
a deep inner experience which may
transform his perception of and attitude
to the customer. In response, the latter
makes changes in his or her own
attitude with the possibility of becoming
a lifetime buyer.
Coaches believe that most of the
solution being sought is resident in the
client. In this regard, the coach‘s focus
is on asking essential questions that
help the one being coached to carry
out an internal search and assemble
the answers ready for review and
application. In other words, the coach
facilitates access to information or
greater consciousness and in so doing
helps the client to understand his life,
circumstances, desires and behaviour
better, and subsequently to decide what
changes he would like to make.
The above is a perfect example of the
attitude business employees must have
toward the customer. The customer
is not only right, as the saying goes,
but knows the characteristics of the
service or product he is looking for. Your
responsibility is to provide a genuine,
timely and friendly facilitation that
result in unqualified satisfaction and an
indelible imprint of your business on his
mind.
Lastly, the coach helps his client to
establish steps that will bring him
results and consolidate his chances
of success by helping his client to be
accountable.
The dramatic difference coaching
makes in the lives of individuals and
businesses has sparked the rapid
growth of the industry. Not only does it
have the potential to transform entire
businesses, but also, it can provide
awareness and skills that turn the first
time customer into a lifetime buyer.
[email protected]
WHY YOUR
ATTITUDE MATTERS
By Denise Umunyana
When it comes to customer service,
attitude is everything. Skills are learned
but no one can teach you how to be
nice. A good attitude and a pleasant
persona have got to be developed by
an individual through his/her own free
will. Unfortunately, bad attitudes spread
like viruses. I can hardly complete
a conversation with anyone without
hearing a story about bad service, which
usually stems from an employee’s
negative attitude.
How can employees develop a positive
attitude? I would say the place to start
is in the heart - examine your motives.
Ask yourself: What is the intended goal
of your actions? What will I gain from
having a customer pay for my attitude
problems? What effect will my bad
attitude and resultant actions have on
the people I serve and work with? What
kind of reaction do I expect? How else
could I look at this situation? What can
I learn here? How would I solve this
situation if I were in the manager or in
the customer’s position?
Managing character, temperament or
people’s attitude is just as critical and
often more challenging than managing
talent. When you think about it, a bad
attitude shows up in negative behavior.
Though it is easy to blame an employee
for having a bad attitude towards
customers and co-workers, we shouldn’t
understate some of the elements
which cause such behavior. Does the
employee have a clear job description?
Has the employee undergone a proper
induction process? Is there a clear
line of communication between the
management and the staff? Does the
company provide sufficient and adequate
working conditions for employees to
perform to the best of their abilities?
Change is another aspect that creates
insecurity and often results in a poor
attitude from employees. Randolph
Harrison, Coopers & Lybrand’s principal
and national leader for organization
effectiveness & development in Chicago
says however, “people do not have a
negative reaction to change; they have a
negative reaction to the punishing effect
of change, which is uncertainty.”
The best tool to curb negativity and low
morale is in-depth, straightforward
communication. Employers need to be
truthful about how changes will affect
employees.
When communicating with employees,
they need to clearly define the areas
where certainty exists and discuss
the areas of uncertainty rather than
brushing the issue under the carpet. In
addition, there needs to be a functional
recognition and reward system for high
performing employees.
If you are managing an employee with
a “bad attitude,” concentrate on the
specific causes of this behavior. Your role
is to ensure that your employee feels
that he/she is part and parcel of your
organization. An employee has to feel
emotionally connected to the institution
he/she represents. As such, his/her
loyalty and integrity will be reflected in
the work place.
As an employee, it is advisable that you
select a job you think you will enjoy.
Do not run for a position simply for the
pay check. Your performance in the
work place should yield to customer
and employer’s satisfaction. You should
always know that, as an employee,
you represent your entire institution.
Consequently, your attitude will be a
reflection of, not only what people think
of you, but also their perception of your
institution.
Therefore, attitude does matter; and it
may be as critical as natural intelligence.
[email protected]
15
SUCCESSFUL
COMPANY
INTERIORS:
WHAT’S THE
SECRET?
By Efua Hagan
Office design speaks volumes and customers are bound
to form impressions of your business based on it. These
impressions will determine if they will use your services
and return or go elsewhere. Successful company design
will contribute to making your business lucrative by
acting as a magnet that draws in an increased number
of customers. So how do you get it right?
P H O T O G R A P H Y
G O O G L E I M A G E S
Your company’s exterior should reflect
its interior
Let’s start with the very first impression.
Successful office design ensures that the
exterior is inviting and attractive because
the outside of any company automatically
communicates to customers what to
expect on the inside.
One evening a friend and I passed a well
lit sign outside an office building. The
light, however, exposed all the rust and
dirt that had accumulated on the sign
over time and we couldn’t help but notice
how dirty and unattractive it was. My
friend remarked on how unwelcoming
the sign was and confessed she wouldn’t
feel comfortable using that company’s
services.
A dirty and rusty sign simply won’t speak
well about any company’s interior, and
an unattractive sign will do a company
more harm than good. Unfortunately this
is a reality that many company owners
neglect.
Natural light is important
Successful office design also takes into
account the comfort of the employees.
In addition to looking visually appealing
to customers, it should provide a
comfortable and practical working
environment for company employees.
P H O T O G R A P H Y
G O O G L E I M A G E S
Some time back I had a job, and the
room I worked in was absolutely
non- inspiring to say the least. The
days seemed longer and I got home
feeling drained. This was mainly due
to the fact that there was not enough
natural light coming into the building
and the one bulb fixed in the ceiling
had low voltage power so it didn’t help
the situation. Consequently my eyes
suffered too because I was continuously
straining them. Working in such an office
environment can make dealing with
customers a challenge on its own.
There is a sense of wellbeing, freshness
and newness of energy that comes with
natural light, and when an office lacks
it, this is bound to have an emotional
and physical toll on the service providers
working in it. This can affect the quality
of service they offer.
Indoor plants improve customer
service indirectly
Many people spend a lot of time indoors
during working hours. For this reason,
they encounter symptoms such as
headaches, fatigue, nausea, sore eyes,
and loss or lack of concentration from
harmful pollutants that get trapped
inside buildings. The simple addition of
interior plants is a natural way to help
remove these pollutants significantly.
Because plants absorb carbon dioxide
and release oxygen they have been
proven to filter and purify the air leading
to a significant reduction of symptoms
caused by polluted air.
Do not hesitate to elevate the level of
freshness in your office by incorporating
indoor plants. The increased oxygen will
refresh both the air and the employees
and increase concentration and
productivity and consequently have an
impact on the quality of customer care.
In addition, indoor plants are decorative
and brighten up the office.
Use colour to distinguish your company
from others
Colour can be used to increase
your employees’ working energy, to
fuel creativity, or to create a warm
atmosphere that is welcoming to clients.
The colour you choose to use in your
company can make a difference to the
success of the business. Colour has the
ability to make your business stand out
distinctively and call out to customers.
The beautiful thing about colour is its
limitless options and design possibilities.
and emotions different colours elicit
from us which affect the way we behave.
Good company design is mindful of the
effect colour has on its employees and
clients, and as such uses colours that
will only trigger appropriate emotions
that will benefit the business.
Many companies prefer to leave their
walls blank; however there is no harm
in adding a little diversity with a fresh
coat of unique paint colour. Colors such
as red, yellow and orange are known
as warm colors. They are believed to
evoke feelings of warmth and comfort
while blue, purple and green are known
as cool colours and often create a calm
atmosphere.
A great image painted directly onto the
wall along a hallway, or waiting area
not only changes the environment, but
transforms the outlook and inspiration
for the company. This technique
is particularly successful in spas,
restaurants, or businesses which offer
services in the area of creativity.
It is amazing the little details customers
notice; a good office design can have a
positive impact on customers directly
or indirectly. A bad design will not
appeal to prospective clients and it
has the potential to affect employees
negatively, and this will affect their
level of enthusiasm when dealing with
customers.
Make sure your business premises are
attractive and inspiring both outside and
inside and this will work well for both
employees and customers.
[email protected]
Quote
“It is not the employer who pays
the wages. Employers only handle
the money. It is the customer who
pays the wages”. SAM WALTON
Moreover, colour is linked to psychology
because of the various moods, feelings
17
Service Delivery
within Financial
Institutions
Governor, Francois Kanimba, National Bank of Rwanda
Time and again H.E President Paul Kagame has emphasized the need for all Rwandans to improve the way
we conduct business urging Rwandans to avoid “accepting a culture of mediocrity”. My assessment of the past
couple of months indicates a great improvement in the way our business community both public and private
conduct business. RDB and the Private Sector Federation have made a commendable effort also.
Part of our mandate as the Central bank
is to encourage and maintain stable
and competitive financial systems in
the country; supervise and regulate
activities of banks and other financial
institutions. The current trend in
Rwanda’s banking sector and other
financial institutions indicates a very
dynamic industry. This is a healthy
situation for the country’s economic
growth but also very challenging for
poorly performing financial institutions
– which risk losing clients to more
aggressive, creative and innovative
institutions that have joined the industry.
Research has shown that some of the
causes of the poor service delivery
are our conventional ways of doing
business. We tend NOT to have Urgency
in our execution of duties. And this
thinking is taken to our work places and
affects our output. These customary
methods of working have affected the
service delivery that we all see in our
financial institutions around the country.
Disgruntled clients will always look
for alternatives when a given financial
institution is not offering the expected
standards – the client keeps moving
from one bank to another in search for
better services. If this happens to an
investor, he may choose to leave the
country for another country; which to us
is a big loss and may have an impact on
the country’s economic growth.
Research carried out by the Institute
of Policy Analysis and Research
(IPAR) in July 2009 indicates that
customer service in Rwanda is worse
in comparison with countries in the
region. The IPAR research highlights
that using the “satisfaction profit chain”
approach, if customer service were to
improve significantly, it could increase
the Rwanda’s Gross Domestic Product
(GDP), as much as 40 million dollars a
year by 2012. I want to equally believe
that the opposite could be true. Yet this
is something that is within our efforts to
change. Customer improvement does
not require a lot of our institutional
budgets; it just requires change of
mindset – change of attitude.
From my interaction with varied
personalities, some have indicated that
financial institutions just like other
sectors do not train their staff in areas
that require specialization. In this era
of the computer age, there are ever-
changing computer applications and
new innovations applicable to all sectors
including: finance, banking, health,
customer care, among others. It is the
onus of innovative institutions including
financial or otherwise therefore to keep
abreast with current global changes and
train their staff accordingly. Failure to do
this has kept our institutions operating
mechanically which frustrates their
clients.
Connected to the above, is the issue
of expansion and renovations of bank
premises. Many bank managers have
indicated that clients complain of poor
service delivery associated with banks
trying to renovate and expand their
premises which in effect reduces their
working areas. This will in many ways
impact on the service delivery.
However, this should not be viewed as a
challenge but rather a remedy because
when banks expand their areas of
operation, they are most likely to offer
better services.
Research conducted by FinScope
Rwanda in 2008, indicates that 21% of
our population have access to formal
This is the kind of spirit that is needed to
revamp the present poor customer care
in the country.
banking services, 26% have access
to other informal financial services
while 52% are excluded from financial
services. Only 21% of Kigali City
dwellers (the capital) are more likely to
be banked and formally served. Overall,
14% of adult Rwandan population is
“banked”. This is a low percentage
compared to countries in the region like
South Africa with 60% formally banked
and only 25% financially excluded; while
Botswana 44% and 45% formally banked
and financially excluded respectively.
This simply indicates that our banking
and financial institutions still need to
double their efforts in bringing services
closer to people.
Related to the challenge of staff training
and lack of technical personnel is
intermittent network and power supply.
Banks and financial institutions may
be limited to access clients’ accounts
as a result of loss of connection from
broadband and bandwidth providers
which result in poor service delivery to
clients. Sometimes this is associated
with lack of skilled personnel to manage
the new infrastructure.
Allow me to point out that it is a national
agenda that these challenges are quickly
corrected. While the recent World Bank/
IFC Doing Business Report ranked
Rwanda among the highly reforming
countries in the way they conduct
business, we should not become
complacent but rather find more
innovative ways of improving our service
delivery. The government through the
Ministry of Public Service has introduced
long working hours from 40 to 45 hours
a week. Some institutions have gone
beyond the prescribed hours all in an
effort to serve their customers better.
Financial institutions have started
expanding and opening more branches
within Kigali and upcountry. These will
not only reduce the risks associated
with rural people transporting bulk
money to Kigali but will also address
the challenge of access. And in an
effort to deliver better services to its
customers, financial institutions have
undertaken the following measures:
dynamic extension of branch network,
introducing Automated Teller Machines
(ATMs) and in-house tellers; hiring
specialized staff and introducing
customer care units; customer care
training for all staff from management
to supporting personnel; strong
adherence by banks to the National
Payment System; without forgetting
the extension of working time. Banks
are working till late and some over the
weekends.
A lot could be said about this subject of
Service delivery and doing business in
the country but I must emphasize again
that customer care will improve if we
change our attitude and mindset.
www.bnr.com
19
17
VOTED BANK OF THE YEAR 2009
Kudos To
Fina Bank
Remera
Branch!
A.K Otiti, Kigali.
I am learning to ask to see the manager
when I receive bad service but showing
gratitude for good service comes
easily for me. Bringing poor service
to the knowledge of management and
appreciating good service will go a long
way in changing the service culture.
I think the service at FINA Bank Remera
is excellent. The tellers are always so
calm, pleasant and cordial to customers.
At first I thought it was just a good
day for me and that it was one person
doing well. The next time I went to
another counter and received the same
treatment. Then I found I would rather
go to Remera than FINA Bank main
branch. The next time I decided to sit and
watch if other customers were being so
graciously served and it was so gratifying
to see those tellers give a consistent
service.
Please pay us a visit at Union Trade Center Number 2.8
For reservations call: 078 862 0505 or 078 851 9455
Mme Claire Nkulikiyimfura
And what is more, FINA Remera has
bank pens on the counters. I have never
understood why customers cannot carry
their own pens to the bank – a pen costs
only a few coins and when you know you
will need one carry one for goodness
sake. People are always borrowing
pens in the bank and some even hold
on to it and suck at it when they are
done. Arrrrgggggh! Anyway that is not
necessary in FINA Remera since the
bank takes care of such customers.
Keep it up FINA Remera and show your
Main Branch counterparts how it is
done.
[email protected]
Gira
Ubupfura
©2009 The Coca-Cola Company. COCA-COLA and the contour bottle are trademarks of The Coca-Cola Company.
21
KigaliInternationalAirport
Achieving Customer Service Excellence
By Efua Hagan
O
ver the last
year, airport
management
has gone to
great lengths
to improve
customer
service at Kigali
International
Airport. This is
a decision that has impacted both the
airport’s image and their customers
positively.
An airport is the gateway into the country
and must therefore portray a good
image; it is this eye opener that caused
the airport managerial team to strive to
be the best provider of customer service
in Rwanda. Several strategies have been
implemented to achieve this goal.
Kigali International airport is controlled
by Rwanda Civil Aviation Authority
(RCAA). Mrs. Josephat Kambanda,
Head of Customer Care Department
(RCAA) reveals that one strategy RCAA
implemented was a series of customer
service training courses. This has been
very successful and has turned out to be
a win- win situation for both the airport
body and their customers- the training
has been very informative, and it comes
as no surprise that the customers are
happier. Sessions continue to be held
every two months- in addition to the
consistent evaluation of staff members
in the customer care department.
members also assist customers to pick
their luggage.”
According to Mrs. Kambanda, customer
care training aims to give all staff
members at the airport the same level of
understanding of customer care. Since,
as she explains, the airport is different
from other institutions and there is a
need to know how to handle all kind of
customers, especially the stressed ones.
The development of any institution
is determined by how it responds
to criticism. In line with improving
customer service at the airport, the
managerial team welcomes feedback
from their customers and this feedback
is used constructively to evaluate their
services. Once a month, all feedbackboth good and bad is analysed in a
professional and cohesive manner by the
managerial team and all stake holders.
In the spirit of not being satisfied until
the customer is fully content, there are
still a few areas to be improved on in
the near future, one major thing is to
make flight information available on an
electronic billboard. “After 12 years of
working at the airport, I know where
we have come from and where we are
going, I am an optimist and I know we
can achieve the best” Mrs. Kambanda
affirms.
The formation of a customer service
department is another strategy that was
recently implemented. The shaping of
the customer service department has
enabled the management committee
to monitor other stake holders at the
airport in an organised fashion.
Mrs. Kambanda also informed me that
the managerial team is now ensuring
that their customers know that they
are valued. “Staff members go around
asking customers whether they require
assistance, and at arrivals, staff
RCAA works closely with Rwandair,
which handles all incoming and outgoing
flight activities in the airport. According
to Fiona Umutesi, Head of Customer
Relations for Rwandair, the customer is
everything. “It is so important to see all
our operations from their point of view
because the customer is the reason why
we fly.” Ms. Umutesi says.
Altering first impressions of customer
service at Kigali International Airport is
a challenge. However with consistent
effort and determination, achieving this
is certainly not impossible. It is this very
attitude that is leading the customer
care department at Kigali International
Airport towards achieving customer
service excellence.
[email protected]
23
CUSTOMER SERVICE:
ROOT CAUSES
VERSUS SYMPTOMS
Time to rethink the approach
By IPAR-Rwanda
F
For a nation that aspires to become a service based
economy, it is imperative its citizens and institutions
are customer focused.
Two years ago, poor customer service in Rwanda came into
the limelight when President Paul Kagame deplored the
situation. Addressing poor customer service in Rwanda has
since become a national concern, for both the public and
private sectors. Research on customer service in Rwanda
first done in 2009 by the Institute for Policy Analysis and
Research, an indigenous Think-Tank, titled: “The Impact of
Poor Customer Service on the Economy of Rwanda” revealed
the shocking finding that the country was rated worst in the
region for customer service delivery. The report concluded
that if nothing was done about it the realization of the vision
2020 was in jeopardy.
In an attempt to remediate the situation over the last year,
the Government, through the Rwanda Development Board
(RDB), has invested a lot of effort and resources. Significant
resources have been
put into training staff in the
service sector in customer care and
media campaigns have raised awareness of the
importance of customer service. It has been acknowledged
that this is an important issue and that it is essential that
customer service delivery is improved as a matter of urgency.
However, a research conducted by IPAR between November
2009 and January 2010, indicates that if poor customer
service is to be addressed in the country, the root causes NOT
symptoms have to be tackled.
IPAR comprehensively reviewed what institutions have been
doing to address poor customer service in Rwanda, reviewed
what other countries are doing and most importantly carried
out a qualitative study of the financial sector as a critical study.
The study, carried out in the three districts of Kigali, involved
in-depth interviews with managers, staff and consumers of
banks, insurance companies, insurance brokerage firms, forex
bureaus and microfinance institutions.
The findings clearly demonstrate that
the root cause of poor customer service
in Rwanda are organisations that are not
customer centric (focused) and thus fail
to put in place policies, practices and
procedures that are aligned to providing
good customer service.
Contrary to the general belief that the
main cause of poor service delivery
in Rwanda is a problem of mindset,
research by IPAR reveals that root
causes have to be seen in the context of
a more general lack of commitment to
quality enhancement in organizations.
As the research further reveals,
Rwanda is characterized by contextual
challenges that are common to most
developing countries. For example; lack
of competition; lack of qualified and
experienced employees at all levels in
organizations; poor time management
that relates to cultural and
historical
place, then, as one manager said: “there
is no guarantee that the staff will behave
the expected manner”. This culminates
into a tendency for employees (including
managers) not to take responsibility for
delivering a good service. Managers
blame front- line -staff and front-linestaff blame poor and inattentive delivery
on the attitude of customers towards
them.
In the case of financial institutions,
however long they open for or however
much they increase the number of
tellers to solve the problem of long
queues there is no guarantee that clients
will be happier if staff do not know
what it takes to satisfy a customer or
the banking infrastructure is not up to
standard.
In the case of hotels, training staff to
greet and smile is insufficient if the
service quality at the end of the day is
not worth the money.
In the public sector, increasing working
hours may not necessarily yield results if
poor working practices are maintained.
This, according to the IPAR research is
addressing symptoms other than
the root causes.
To ensure total
satisfaction of a
aspects.
However, this
should not be an excuse to providing
poor customer service because in the
earlier research done by IPAR, countries
in the region with similar contextual
challenges emerged better at providing
good service.
This research concludes that training
staff to be nice to clients is a wonderful
idea but if the organisation is not
customer focused with appropriate
practices, policies and procedures in
The IPAR research has also revealed
that customers are vaguely aware that
they should be treated better but have
few ways of demanding better services
or being able to express their discontent
to service providers. They are, however,
generally undemanding of the level of
service delivery they expect and often
resign to take what is delivered.
Visitors and Rwandans who have
experienced service delivery outside
of the country are especially critical of
service delivery in Rwanda, the research
reveals.
The research indicates that the
Government has to play a central role by
encouraging, regulating, empowering,
facilitating and putting in place the right
infrastructure across all sectors to
enable service providers to deliver better
services.
As President Kagame said during the
December 2009 meeting with investors
in the private sector, “The issue of
customer service is a serious one – for
government and private sector and
unless we overcome it, we are wasting
a lot of time and therefore, we will not
achieve the kind of development we want
to achieve”.
Email: [email protected]
client,
the report
concludes that
organisations and
businesses need to focus
on both the quality of the product
and value for clients’ money. To achieve
this, emphasis has to be put on what
is delivered (core quality), how it is
delivered and the perceived value by
clients.
25
SERVICE IN THE P
Just in case you thought the public sector was being left out in
the national drive to improve customer care in Rwanda, think
again. Following is an interview with Amin Gafaranga, Rwanda
Development Board (RDB) Consultant in charge of Country Branding
and National Customer Care Project. Mr. Gafaranga is a product
designer by profession. He is also a specialist in marketing and
mass communication. He has been working in Rwanda since 2007;
first as an advertising strategist then in the telecommunication
industry focusing on product development and marketing.
Qn: What is country branding?
Ans: A country brand is the sum of experiences; the thoughts,
perceptions and associations people have relating to a country, its
people, their values, quality of products and services they produce.
Developing and successfully implementing a country branding
strategy helps a country influence those perceptions, and challenge
outdated impressions and close the gap between perception and
reality.
Qn: What, in your opinion, are the causes of poor customer
service in this country?
Ans: There are a number of issues, but I think they can all be
summed up as the lack of knowledge or exposure – because
customer care is not an inborn talent or culture but it is something
that can be taught. It’s among the top prerequisites of any business
operation and therefore, such skills must be learnt. Up until
recently both public and private sector did not invest very much in
developing that particular area.
So on one hand, very few businesses see service delivery as an
added value to their product or offerings – and they have built
their businesses in a way that this has become part of their overall
business and brand promise. On the other hand, many businesses
see customer service as an unnecessary added cost especially
when they don’t have to compete over market share.
As result of this, a few years ago, you hardly found this subject in
most university modules or read about it in the newspaper every
other week.
Qn: As a government agency, is your focus more on public
institutions?
Ans: Not exactly. We have offered a range of trainings and
workshops to more than 5,000 individuals so far and only about
30% are from the public sector. The service sector accounts for
44% of the Rwandan economy and six out of the ten biggest
taxpayers in Rwanda are service-based companies. Therefore, the
private sector is a priority.
Qn: What do you think is the solution to service delivery in
Rwanda?
Ans: There are three things that come to mind, which I think, can
set us in the right direction: First, basic training at various levels of
private and public organizations with a focus on understanding the
essence of service delivery – which is providing solutions.
In other words do not teach people to smile for the sake of smiling,
show them the value of interacting with customers – move from
being a single-minded product or service provider to a customer
focused solution provider. Then focus on quality, speed, efficiency
and challenge yourself to offer a consistent experience. And we
also need to stop using culture as an excuse – there is really
nothing wrong with our culture.
Secondly, introducing a number of mandatory service reforms
in key sectors. Reforms that include modern and
customer friendly policies and procedures designed
and implemented systematically to enhance
customers’ experiences.
Finally, raising awareness and challenging
bad habits as well as offering basic tips
through unconventional education
methods such as what you and others are
doing through a range of communication
channels.
Qn: Many people think that because of
the Rwandan culture, it is impossible to
reach the level of service that one gets
from other East African Countries. What
do you say about this?
Ans: I don’t believe that customer care is a
culture or that it is greatly influenced by culture.
Customer care involves putting systems in place
to maximize your customers’ satisfaction with
your business, product or service. Often when the
PUBLIC SECTOR
P
A
H O T O
D
A
M
G R A P H Y
S
C
O
T
T
27
essentials of such systems are understood
and practiced – different organizations
adjust them to their culture, so it becomes
their unique way of doing things – their
organizational culture.
Qn: In your opinion what should be done
to change mindset in terms of Customer
Service?
Ans: What we need is to focus on finding
our own way of doing things that share
essential principles and fundamentals
with customer care – this I believe will
help us learn the customer care skills very
quickly and may even feel natural – like
part of our culture. This is the reason our
campaign is called Gira Ubupfura. ‘Ubupfura’
is something every Rwandan can relate to,
it means honor, dignity, pride and respect
for everyone including oneself. It carries a
sense of responsibility and accountability.
Qn: As part of the national steering
committee on Customer Care, can you
tell us what RDB has planned to improve
service
delivery?
Ans: The 2-year program has 2 key sub
programs: first, we have training programs
that aim at providing a foundation of skills
and knowledge for employees in service
industries. Secondly, there is a national
public engagement campaign to change
public mindsets, attitudes, and behaviors
towards customers.
In the first program we have trained 5,000
individuals in various sectors; we have coproduced the first Customer Care handbook
with the Private Sector Federation, and a
number of customer care training videos. In
the second phase of this sub-program, we
are focusing on generic training tools which
will make up the Customer Care Toolkit
that will be widely accessible and can be
used by various service providers to identify
areas of gaps and redesign their processes
or simply offer necessary trainings to their
employees.
In the second part of the sub-program, in
addition to running a number of debates
and discussions through various media
channels, we have launched Gira Ubupfura
the national customer care media campaign
that has 5 different stages and is now in its
second phase.
Training will continue using the Customer
Care Toolkit and we are working on a
number of partnerships with training experts
and institutions to help develop skills of
more and more people. Gira Ubupfura
campaign is also soon going to a whole
new level – its peak phase – this will be
very exciting and engage every one in the
country.
Qn: Do customers also have a
responsibility in this campaign?
Ans: Oh yes, actually, customers have the
most influence in this matter - because they
can change the direction of a business when
they choose to express their rights. But
they need to also understand that there is
nothing wrong with complaining about poor
services either from a government agency, a
multinational service provider or a local bar.
Qn: What is your message to service
providers?
Ans: Don’t just take my word for it – test it
yourself. Listen and talk to your customers,
and create various ways of asking about
their experiences- receiving feedback to
help you improve your services.
Qn: Any suggestions to The Service Mag
team?
Ans: I think you are doing an incredible
job – just the idea of 30 – 40 pages of free
customer care education every couple of
months is a huge support to the campaign
and the entire service industry.
I personally wish you success and hope
others learn from you and start seeing the
standard of customer service in Rwanda
not only as a challenge but also as an
opportunity.
There are a number of issues, but I think
they can all be summed up as the lack
of knowledge or exposure – because
customer care is not an inborn talent or
culture but it is something thatcan be
taught.
P
A
H O T O
D
A
M
G R A P H
S
C
O
T
Y
T
29
SERIVICE INOZE
KANDI IBEREYE
UMUKIRIYA.
Byanditswe na Françoise Mukashyaka
Nidukanguke twihe agaciro mu
ruhando rw’amahanga
Dore u RWANDA rwuguruye
amarembo!
Akira ukugannye agende yishimye
Nawe usigare wishimwe!
Imvugo nziza ni mugenzi w’Imana
Abanyarwanda barabivuze!
Ikicaro cyiza kikanezeza!
Ntawe utishimira kwakirwa neza,
Byakorwa n’uwo mutaziranye
Bikarushaho guhimbaza!
Aho uzi gutekereza kujya mu biro
runaka
Ugahangayikishwa nuko nta muntu
uhazi!
Wibaza ngo urakirwa ute? Na nde?
Uwo muco ucike burundu maze
Aho umuntu agiye hose ajye yisanga.
Serivise zimwe zarivuguruye
Aho usanga umukiriya ari « umukwe »
koko.
Erega n’izindi nizikubite agashyi !
Amahugurwa arahari nibagane
Nibo babahemba, bataje mwakora iki ?
Nashimye cyane serivise za
Imigarasiyo.
Mbega ukuntu bakira ababagana neza !
Uba ikinjira ukabona ko witaweho
Bakakubaza icyo wifuza ko bagufasha.
Si inkuru mbarirano narabyiboneye
Ubwo najyagayo guhinduza urwandiko
Rwanjye rw’inzira « passeport ».
Natangajwe cyane no kubona
banyoherereza
Ubutumwa kuri telefone « message »
Akazi gapanze neza, abakozi
barabukereye
Aho bize n’abandi nibahagane maze u
Rwanda
Rugumye rubumbatire umuco warwo
Wamye ururanga wo kwakira neza.
[email protected]
Taxi Drivers, Please Respect Your Customers
By Chantal da Silveira
Day in and day out, you neglect some important things forgetting
that they make your business prosperous.I am foreigner living
here and the 30th of April 2010, I rented a car for three hours, from
7.00 am to 8.30 am and 2.30 pm to 4.00 pm. When I got
into the car at 7.00am, the driver was listening to a radio program
that was in the local language. The volume was so high that
I thought he would lower it but he did nothing like that. Thirty minutes
later, I received an important call and had to beg him
to lower the volume. He actually lowered the volume but turned it
up again 2 minutes later before asking me if I was through
with my phone call I shook my head as I was talking to somebody
else over the phone. Despite that, he raised the volume again
before realising that I was still on the phone as I kept on yelling to
my correspondent because of the volume. I was patient for 90
minutes, time to reach the first point of call and decided to put an
end to our collaboration. Surprisingly, he was not surprised at
all that I have decided to stop dealing with him whilst there was an
agreement to use him for a much longer period. Seems for
him nothing had happened. Morality: be polite with your customers,
it is beneficial to your business!
[email protected]
TOKYO
SYDNEY
Afurika
LONDON
NEW YORK
Uko bafata igihe mu
Rwanda no muri Afurika
Byanditswe na Sandra Idossou
Umunyamerika ukunda kwandika ibitabo
no kuvuga neza witwa Harvey Mackay,
yagize ati:” Igihe ntikigira umupaka
nta n’igiciro wagiha. Ntushobora
kugitunga ariko wagikoresha. Ntushobora
kukigumana ariko wacyohereza. Iyo
ugitakaje ntikigaruka.”
Umwami w’ubufaransa witwa Louis wa
XVIII yaravuze ati: “Kubahiriza igihe ni
ikinyabupfura kiranga abami.”
Nkunze kwibaza niba ibi byavuzwe
haruguru hari icyo bitubwira hano mu
Rwanda no mu bihugu byinshi by’Afurika
nagenze. Abenshi muri twe dukunze
kwitwaza ko muri Afurika kubahiriza igihe
bidashoboka.
Kubahiriza igihe no kugikoresha neza ni
ikibazo kitoroshye. Abantu benshi bakunze
gukererwa aho basezeraniye guhurira
cyangwa mu kazi baba bahawe kurangiza.
Nta kintu gitangirira ku gihe kandi
nkunze kumva abantu bitwaza ko igihe
cyo mu Rwanda cyangwa muri Afurika
gitandukanye n’icy’ahandi.
Reka mbibwirire ko rwose ntakunda
ibi bisobanuro kuko bitesha agaciro
indangagaciro zacu n’umuco wacu. Ni
ibisobanuro bikura imizi mu ivanguramoko.
Nta gitabo na kimwe nasomye kivuga ko
abanyafurika badashobora gusirimuka ngo
bubahirize igihe.
Njye ubabwira ibingibi ndi umunyafurika,
sinihanganira gukererwa cyangwa se
guteshwa igihe. Sinkunda gukora imirimo
idatuma nubahiriza igihe. Sinihanganira na
gato gupfusha ubusa igihe cyanjye mpa
agaciro gakomeye ntegereje abantu baza
mu nama saa tanu kandi byari biteganyije
ko iributangire saa tatu.
Igihe ni kimwe ku isi hose kigomba
guhabwa agaciro kamwe hose haba
mu Rwanda, muri Gana, muri Bene, mu
Bushinwa, mu Buyapani, muri Leta Zunze
Ubumwe z’Amerika n’ahandi. Mu isi turimo
iki gihe abanyafurika bambara amasaha
meza cyane ahenze akoze neza ariko
ugatangazwa n’uko abenshi muri twe
tutajya twubahiriza igihe.
Kuki tudashobora kubahiriza igihe? Kuki
tudashobora gukora akazi kacu mu gihe
kigenwe? Kuki tudashobora kubaha abantu
twasezeranye ko turibuhure? Ese igihe
muri Afurika giteye gite?
Dukurikije ibisobanuro tubona muri
Wikipedia kuri interineti” Usanga igihe
muri Afurika ari ijambo rikoreshwa
bashaka gusobanura uko babona umuco,
mu turere tumwe na tumwe muri Afurika,
aho usanga abantu bashaka kwibera mu
mutuzo uganisha ku bunebwe bakabyitirira
igihe. Ibi bikoreshwa mu mvugo igaya
bashaka gusobanura kutubahiriza isango,
amanama cyangwa ibindi bikorwa bihuza
abantu benshi.
Iri jambo rikunze gukoreshwa bashaka
gusobanura imibereho ishingiye ku
kwishimisha, kwishyira mu mutuzo,no
kujenjeka mu kubahiriza igihe usanga mu
bihugu bimwe na bimwe muri Afurika
ugereranyije n’ibindi bihugu by’iburayi
usanga abantu bahora bahugiye mu
mirimo, basiganwa n’igihe.”
Igihe ni ikintu gikomeye cyane kandi buri
munota dutakaje usobanura igihombo
cyangwa umusaruro cyangwa amafaranga
twinjije, kandi ibi ni ukuri ahantu hose
haba mu Rwanda cyangwa mu kindi
gihugu cy’isi.
Kubahiriza igihe ni akamenyero umuntu
yitoza agakora ibyo agomba gukora ku
gihe cyagenwe. Kubahiriza igihe ni umuco
ugaragaza ko umuntu yubaha abandi.
Umuntu yagombye kugira umuco wo
kubahiriza igihe.
31
Nkeka ko mu minsi iri imbere abantu
bashobora kujya batakaza ibiraka,
ubyashara cyangwa bagatakaza imirimo
kubera gukererwa. Nkeka ko mu minsi
iri imbere abantu bazajya bakererwa mu
manama cyangwa indi mirimo bigakorwa
batabategereje maze bakabihomberamo.
Niba buri gihe uhora wakerewe bisobanura
ko uri umunebwe, nta gahunda ugira,
urajugunyanze, nta kinyabupfura ugira,
ntiwakwizerwa, ntukora ibyo wiyemeje,
urahindagurika, ntiwiihuta n’indi mico mibi
ntarondoye.
Hari umunyagana wagize ati:” Imwe
mu mpamvu zituma igihugu cyacu/
umugabane wacu bikomeza kuba mu
bukene ni uko tutihuta ngo dukoreshe
igihe vuba ibyo bigatuma tutubahiriza
igihe mu mibereho yacu ya buri munsi.
Afurika n’ubwo ikungahaye ku bintu
bitandukanye iracyari mu bukene bitewe
n’uko abayituye bakoresha igihe nabi. Ku
banyafurika igihe si amafaranga. None
se twazakira dute niba tudahaye agaciro
igihe?
Igihe kirageze ngo twumve ko ku isi
bizinesi zisaba kubahiriza igihe ukarangiza
ibyo ukora mbere y’igihe cyagenwe.
Niba kubera impamvu zitandukanye
uhuye n’ikibazo gituma utubahiriza igihe
ni ngombwa kugira umuco mwiza wo
kubimenyesha abo bireba. Reka rero
tureke umuco wo kuvuga ngo ku wa kabiri
ni kimwe no ku wa gatanu cyangwa ngo
saa kumi n’ebyiri ni kimwe na saa mbiri.
Muri rusange Abanyarwanda
n’Abanyafurika dukeneye kwiga gukoresha
neza igihe no kubahiriza igihe. Birakwiye
ko Abanyafurika bumva ko kubahiriza
igihe ntibigaragaza gusa ko wubaha
abandi ahubwo bigaragaza ko umuntu
ari inyangamugayo. Niba ushaka gutera
imbere mu byo ukora ugomba kugira
umuco wo kubahiriza igihe. Kutubahiriza
igihe bishobora gutuma ibyo ukora
bidatera imbere, ndetse n’igihugu cyawe
kigasubira inyuma tutibagiwe n’uyu
mugabane wacu.
[email protected]
Byavuzwe n’
Undi
“Abakozi Bacu Tubafata
Nk’abatumirwa Bakomeye Mu
Munsi Mukuru Twe Tukaba
Abasangwa. Mu Mirimo Yacu Ya
Buri Munsi Buri Serivisi Duha
Umukiriya Tuyifata Nk’ikintu
Cy’ingenzi Tugahora Tugira Icyo
Tuyinozaho”.
Jeff Bezos Amazon.Com
COURTESY OF RETURNING
CALLS!
By Juliet Mbabazi
I
don’t remember how
communication and exchange
of information was done back
then when there were no cell
phones or email. Today we have
almost become dependent
on both for business and
personal correspondences.
For business, these tools
have quickly become the key
interface with customers, suppliers and
other networks. I dare say that soon
businesses will be judged on their ability
to respond to correspondences as a
measure for customer service quality.
However, there seems increased
reluctance for professionals and even
business people to return calls, emails
or other correspondences. In my
personal view, I think it is insensitive and
relationships both personal and business
suffer unnecessarily as a result. But I
went ahead and asked a few people what
they take of unreturned calls, mails and
text messages. This is what they had to
say:
“I hate that. I think people make a
pre-judgement of whether the call or
whatever it is will be of benefit to them
or not. By not answering, it’s their way
of saying I am not interested please
do not bother me! And i think it’s being
tactless.” Said one of my friends.
“Well, I think I am a culprit but this
is because sometimes the calls come
in at the most inconvenient moment
when am in meetings. I hope that the
caller will call me back if the issue is
absolutely important. And when they
don’t call back, I assume that it wasn’t
serious after all.” “But don’t you think
that’s disrespectful?” I asked. “Now
that you mention it, I think it’s very
easy to misinterpret the message.” She
observed.
“Not returning calls is unfriendly and
cannot be a healthy way of conducting
business; but some people are naturally
indifferent and there is nothing you can
do about it.” Said another opinion.
“I think emails and cell phones have
generally become a nuisance. I have
chosen to use them as tools that work
for me and not the other way round.
I don’t think I owe anyone reason to
why I didn’t answer their mail or text
messages,” Another adds. Don’t you
think that can create disharmony with
your contacts? I probed and the response
was, “of course it depends...”
“Some callers are a menace. Even after
you have promised to get back to them,
they insist on “reminder” calls. Isn’t
it a good idea to give a time frame in
which they should expect your feedback?
I asked. “You see, sometimes the
decisions do not entirely depend on me
and as I wait for the feed back from my
superiors, that time frame might have
elapsed,” he explained.
How about under-promising so that
expectations are managed? I wondered.
“I think not returning phone calls or
emails is lack of courtesy. Bad manners
lead people to behave inappropriately.
I choose not to take it personal but it is
frustrating,” another interviewee noted.
With those sample reactions, I
remembered something that the guest
of honour mentioned in her remarks
at the launch of the Service Magazine:
That customer service is a subject
that provokes all sorts of emotions
that range from harmony, satisfaction,
contentment, pleasure, agreement as
well as anger, resentment and offence
among others.
Watch for what emotions you trigger
towards your business. As an
organisation define who you are, state
your values and live them consistently.
There must be a direct link between your
values and your behaviour. Being erratic
as an individual is bad enough but as a
business, it may sabotage your goals and
cost you in ways that might be difficult to
retract and quantify.
[email protected]
33
Queuing, touching and shaking hands!
Learning a new culture!
By Eva Gakara
Queuing can be defined simply as
waiting in line until it is your turn to be
served. The word queue originates from
the Latin cauda, meaning tail.
Countless times I have been close to
blowing a fuse over people who refuse to
line up and prefer to use the jungle rule
of survival for the fittest - If you can fight
your way to the front, you will be served!
Queue jumping, i.e. overtaking other
people in the queue, is a taboo in many
cultures, particularly in the west. There
are queues practically everywhere and
all kinds of people stand in the queue
and wait for their turn. Here in Rwanda,
however and in many other African
countries, queuing is a concept most
of us are yet to grasp. It seems it goes
against our very nature to take our place
in the queue and wait patiently.
I decided to find out if this was always
the way it was done in Rwanda. I asked a
few elders about the days gone by before
banks, post offices, and supermarkets.
I was told that in traditional Rwanda,
people had a system of order which
was observed by all. For instance when
cows were at a watering hole, it was on a
first-come-first-serve basis. There were
no numbers to take or ropes to hold
them back. Actually there was an agreed
whistle that if the first in line was done
then he would alert the next in line.
To jump the queue was to dishonour
oneself - guhemuka. That alone was a
stigma nobody wished to carry, and so
order was observed. I wish we still had
the same dignity today! Since we have a
history of civility and courtesy, where and
when did the bad manners of pushing
and shoving come in? Recently I was at
one of the big banks in town and ropes
were used to physically stop people from
crowding the teller. I felt like we were
animals that could not control ourselves.
During public occasions, younger people
knew well enough to let the elders take
the first choice of the seats or stands. O
Service providers are also to blame
because they do not enforce order. For
example, when queuing up at a bank
or to pay for your groceries, the person
serving you will see that you are next in
line, and yet if someone blatantly cuts
in front of you (nudging or shoving you
out of the way) the till attendant will go
ahead and serve them! Such experiences
can leave you feeling frustrated and
disappointed when you realize that even
the teller or server has no respect for
the queue!
That brings me to the notion of Personal
Space. This is the area around your
person - the radius around you that
you feel others should observe as your
‘private territory’. Try asking a friend to
walk towards you and tell them to stop
when the distance between you two
gets too close for your comfort. That
establishes your personal space. Now
imagine that space constantly being
invaded by strangers.
At times you feel breath (often bad
breath) warm your shoulder and the
back of your neck – and you have to be
careful when you turn as you just might
get a kiss from the source! Then there
are those who lean on you like you are
bosom buddies. I once turned and told
off a woman whose protruding belly had
settled in the small of my back and she
seemed comfortable. She looked at me
as if I was such a snob. Really?!
Different cultures vary on the
agreeable radius of the personal space.
Banyarwanda are generally touchy feely
people – often affectionately squeezing,
patting or holding hands during a
conversation – and it does not matter
if you have just met on a bus! I know a
man from a more western background
who was completely thrown off balance
when he visited his wife’s people. They
surrounded him and shook his hand at
any and every opportunity all in a bid
to make him feel included. One uncle
wouldn’t let go of the man’s hand and
kept stroking and squeezing as he
expressed how happy he was to see him.
By now I guess you will have realized
that, while in Rwanda, your hand will
shake hundreds of hands per day. It
is a good thing swine flu was brought
under control! Can you imagine how fast
it could spread in our country? On one
occasion, I was standing with four of my
friends and a stranger came to ask for
directions. First he shook our hands and
then after we gave him directions he
shook them again to say goodbye (that
is eight hand shakes in less than two
minutes).
While being touchy-feely is part of our
culture, rudeness is not. Let’s limit
close personal contact to our homes
to those close to us. When at the bank,
wait behind the yellow line until called
forward. Always give some breathing
room to the person ahead of you – don’t
impose on their personal space.
Finally, remember you are not too
important for the queue – wait for your
turn and if someone jumps ahead of you
in line, firmly ask him or her to head
to the back of the line. It will also help
if servers are constantly vigilant not
to serve people who jump the queue.
E
U
T
I
U
Q
E
C
QU’EST?
E
G
A
M
I
E
VOTR
Par Sandra Idossou
TRA
Et Diana RAMAROHE
L’habit ne fait pas moine mais dans le
service l’apparence extérieur est un
élément clé de jugement et de respect
envers le client. Alors attention aux
fautes de styles qui peuvent nuir votre
image.
Les chaussettes blanches
Messieurs, l’époque de Michael
Jackson est révolue. Paix à son âme !
Et même si durant votre jeunesse, vous
faisiez le moonwalk comme personne,
aujourd’hui, les chaussettes blanches
sont strictement réservées à un usage
sportif. Encore plus, lorsqu’elle sont
bien épaisses et avec des bandes
colorées vers le haut. Les éviter sur des
pantalons de sortie ou de travail.
Mauvaise haleine
Une mauvaise haleine est souvent
synonyme d’une mauvaise hygiène
dentaire. Pour éviter de se faire traité
d’impropre par nos clients et les faire
fuir par la même occasion, un brossage
de dents régulier ne serait donc pas un
superflu. Surtout après le déjeuner bien
assaisonné d’oignons, d’ail et tous les
autres assaisonnements. A défaut, un
bonbon mentholé ou du chewing gum
ferait l’affaire.
Les déodorants sont aussi pour les
hommes
De même qu’une mauvaise haleine,
une odeur forte (aussi mâle soit elle)
et surtout nauséabonde fait plus que
fuir les clients. Elle les met mal à
l’aise. Et peut être interprétée comme
un manque de respect. Une remarque
destinée particulièrement aux hommes
qui se laissent souvent aller.
Porter du Marron sur le Noir
Le noir est une couleur passe-partout
mais pas toujours. Autant il se marie
parfaitement avec des couleurs vives et
des tons pastels, autant le noir sur du
marron tue le regard. C’est un choc de
couleur qui aura plus pour effet de vous
désavantager.
Les vernis écaillés
Il est agaçant de trouver une employée
plus occupée à astiquer son vernis que
recevoir un client. Mais il est tout aussi
déplorable de voir des ongles négligés.
Cela varie du vernis écaillé à des ongles
tout simplement sales voire noircis. En
tant que femme, c’est une faute de style
mais cela dénote aussi un « je m’en
foutisme » accentué. Donc, mal vu !
Les talons de chaussures écorchés
Qu’est-ce qui fait clip clap, clip clap en
marchant? Non, ce n’est pas le bruit
d’une chenille qui boîte mais bien le
bruit de vos pas dans les couloirs. Les
talons affinent la taille, certes, mais
peuvent taper sur les nerfs quand
ils commencent à crisser sur les
carreaux, surtout de façon aussi peu
harmonieuse. Alors, pour éviter d’être
la réponse à la devinette posée, vérifier
que vos talons sont bien ajustés.
La barbe de plus de 3 jours
Une barbe naissante, pourquoi pas.
Mais une barbe mal rasée, allant
dans tous les sens, non merci !
Négligé mais aussi sale, cela a une
connotation négative devant un client
ou un partenaire. Et entre nous, un
investissement de 150 RWF n’est pas
trop demandé si cela peut booster vos
ventes.
[email protected]
[email protected]
Bralirwa
Spearheads
Professional
Careers
For Fresh
Graduates
By Saul Butera
My target after undergoing this program
is to be offered a
management position
that suits my strengths
and career needs”
The country’s leading Brewery Company,
Bralirwa has for the last five years
spearheaded efforts to help fresh
graduates in building their careers.
According to Bralirwa’s Manager
in charge of Human Resource &
Development, Marc Kanywabahizi,
the company focuses on selection of
valuable people in the field. They take
care of career development and personal
improvement by training and competitive
rewarding.
Kanywabahizi explained that the
company offers trainee programs
created to attract fresh graduates from
local and international universities who
performed very well in their courses.
The program’s main objective is
to provide a framework by which a
candidate can enhance one’s educational
experience through practical work
assignments.
The graduates are given an opportunity
to work for Bralirwa and this provides
them with a degree of exposure that
benefits them. They are able to engage
in diverse projects and also participate
in strengthening the company’s
position in the brewing industry.
Kanywabahizi also remarked that hiring
highly qualified students specialised
in various professional fields helps
Bralirwa maintain a high quality level of
operations.
Belise Kariza who is undergoing
such training at Bralirwa says that it
means a lot to her to be trained at the
company. She appreciates the great
opportunity that she has been given. “In
this program, a trainee is given various
projects all through the year in different
departments of Bralirwa, and has the
task to manage them from start to end,”
Kariza explained.
The objective of the program is to
equip the fresh graduate with an
overall experience in the different
departments and allow top management
to determine the graduate’s strengths
and weaknesses, hence influencing the
candidate in a position that suits his/her
strengths and the desired career path.
“I am currently the project manager of
Mutzig Gold Tombola and it has been
a great professional journey for me
from the day this project was launched
until the day of the final draw” Kariza
explained.
Kariza added that having great
mentors since she started working as
management trainee has been a great
resource for her. “My first project was
in the Commercial Department, and the
Marketing Manager and the Commercial
Director of Bralirwa have been a great
inspiration,” she said.
“My target after under-going this
program is to be offered a management
position that suits my strengths and
career needs” Kariza concluded.
http://www.bralirwa.com/human_
resources/Management_traineeship.aspx
37
WHERE WE
HAVE BEEN &
HOW WE WERE
TREATED!
My New Favourite
Restaurant in
Kigali
By Sandra Idossou
F
or some reason, I was
excited about this new
restaurant that opened last
year. So my husband and
I decided to check out SELECT. I
must say SELECT was a memorable
experience.
Our first impression was “Wow!
Is this in Kigali?” The view was
scenic in the night as we sat on the
beautiful terrace and looked out. It
felt magical!
The decoration was simply in good
taste. I find that many restaurant
owners concentrate on the food
and neglect the décor. Décor
contributes a lot to first impressions
and should not be neglected. Since
I am passionate about interior
decoration, I spent 10min going
round the restaurant. Everything
was just perfect. The blend of the
colors; the choice of the furnishing
and the lay out of the table;
everything was attractively designed
and decorated.
When we finally sat down, a
charming waiter full of smiles came
to take our order. He served the wine
as if I was in a palace in France. I am
used to waiters filling wine glasses
as if it was water. Believe me; the
service of the wine, the glass in
which it is served gives the drink an
exclusive taste.
Service was overall fantastic, with
Michel the director being omnipresent, explaining dishes and
answering questions. Maybe that is
why the staff was so alert. Contrary
to what I normally see in most
restaurants in town, I didn’t see the
staff gathering in a corner to chat
while customers were waiting for
service.
I ordered for a “Jambonneau with
Puree” and the food was delicious.
I just loved the presentation on the
plate. I have also known that we “eat”
first with our eyes; then with the
noses and finally taste the food with
our mouths.
This experiencce was so o positive was my
experience that I have since recommended
this restaurant to many people. Although many
complain about poor service in Rwanda, there
are some really good places with excellent
service.
The only thing I didn’t like is the price…an
average of 30.000 frw (more than 50$ per
person). But even though I found it expensive; I
must admit it was worth it.
Until, I discover a better restaurant in town, you
now know where to invite me to the next time
you want to give me a treat.
[email protected]
Nakiriwe ku buryo budashimishije
muri Hoteli ya Centre St.André
(Gitarama)
Mu ntangiriro z’uku kwezi, bamwe muri twe twagiye muri hoteli ya Centre St.André iherereye mu ntara y’amajyepfo tuhamara
icyumweru cyose.
Kuko byari mu gihe cyo kwibuka jenoside yakorewe abatutsi hoteli yari imeze nk’aho idakora ahubwo barimo bayisana kuko cyari
igihe abantu benshi badakunda kuhaza.
Nubwo twari twenyine hose hari ahacu tuhakoresha uko dushaka, twamaze iminsi itatu nta mazi tugira mu byumba, umunsi
umwe tubura amashanyarazi, ariko ntibigeze bita kuri ibyo bibazo nkuko bikwiye. Nta mahitamo menshi twari dufite kugira ngo
twimukire mu yindi kuko hari ikibazo cyo kubona imodoka yadutwara muri icyo gihe.
Umuyobozi wayo nta wari uhari kugira ngo asabe imbabazi yisobanura kuri icyo kibazo cyari cyabaye.
Serivisi twahawe icyo gihe ni ubuhamya bukomeye!
[email protected]
Strength Can
[email protected]
Nakumatt, Kigali,
be true to your
brand!
Linda Martha – Kigali.
T
he beauty about competition for the customer is
that you can walk away from a business offering
unsatisfactory services and try out another.
The beauty about a lack of competition for the business
however, is that customers will keep coming back because
they have no choices no matter how badly you treat them. I
feel that happens a lot in Rwanda. I am forced to go back to
a business and pay my money even when I am treated badly
because they have the products I want and I have nowhere to
walk away to.
I can’t understand for example why Nakumatt with a shop the
size they have in Kigali and a claim to good customer service
elsewhere cannot improve their service – I guess it is because
they know we will always go back for what they have and we
cannot get elsewhere.
Let me explain, with a shop in a building where customers
cannot push a trolley to the car – the parking lot at UTC is
downstairs in the basement or upstairs and there are no lifts
to the parking lot – is it rocket science to know you need to
provide carriers? The last time I got someone to carry my bags
for me, I had to beg and wait for a long time before someone
grudgingly carried the bags to my car. I mean that should
be part of the service; why, even the small grocery stores at
Remera have attendants to carry stuff to the customer’s car
which, please note, is just outside the door in this case.
In Nakumatt however, even when the shop is not busy, the
packing attendants will hand you your purchases in a number
of bags seeing you are having difficulty carrying them and not
even offer to take them for you. I don’t blame the attendants
entirely because honestly why can’t Nakumatt management
hire people to carry stuff out for customers and while they are
at it, teach their packing attendants to pack stuff properly! I
have to keep telling them that milk products and meat do not
go together but I guess for them they all come from a cow so
why not?
39
Umucuruzi ndashyikirwa
w’inyanya ukorera mu
isoko rya Kimironkot
N
ubwo abenshi binubira uko serivisi itangwa ndashaka kubagezaho
umuntu w’indashyikirwa utanga serivisi ku buryo butangaje akorera
mu isoko rya Kimironko.
Maze imyaka ibiri ari we ngurira inyanya. Uwo mugore yitwa Christine
Bazarama, ni umwe mu bandi miliyoni. Impamvu ari umucuruzi
w’indashyikirwa ni ukubera ibibikurikira.
1) Iyo uje akwakira agusekera neza
Inseko ye ni rukuruzi. Iyo ansekeye mpita numva ko yishimiye
ko nje mugana. Mba nzi neza ko ntaje kumutesha igihe. Nzi
neza ko aha agaciro amafaranga muzanira.
2) Angurisha buri gihe ibintu byiza
Usanga Janet ashishikajwe no kumenya ibyo nkeneye.
Ambaza icyo nzakoresha izo nyanya, bityo akanangurisha
inyanya akurikije icyo nzazikoresha kandi akazingurisha ku
giciro gikwiye. Niba ari izo gushyira muri salade, ampereza
inyanya zisa neza kandi zikomeye. Iyo ari izo gukaranga mu
nyama angurisha udutomati duto kandi tworohereye.
3) Iyo maze kumwishyura buri gihe aranshimira.
Icyo gihe mpita numva ko ashimiye kuba namuguriye
n’amafaranga aribubikuremo. Sinzi neza amafaranga yunguka
kuri buri kiro cy’inyanya mugurira ariko icyo nzi ni uko mba
nagize icyo nongera ku nyungu y’uwo munsi.
4) Buri gihe iyo ntashye ansezeraho
Hanyuma akansaba kuzagaruka. Icyo gihe mpita numva ko
yishimiye ko namuguriye. Iyo mbonye ukuntu yampaye serivisi
ku buryo budasanzwe, mpita numva mfite inshingano zo
kwigisha uko bakira neza umukiriya abantu bamwe na bamwe
cyane cyane abakorera mu biro no mu maduka cyangwa se
abakorera umushahara. Izi ni zo mpamvu z’ingenzi zituma
mbona ko ari umucuruzi w’inyanya w’indashyikirwa?
Iyo uhawe serivisi idasanzwe n’abayitanga b’indashyikirwa
muri Kigali cyangwa mu ntara ujye ubitumenyesha kuri
aderesi ikurikira
[email protected]
IRIS GUESTHOUSE
OKAPI HOTEL
KIGALI CITY
It is the second time I have been to
Kigali and I still have to come a couple
of times more in the next month and
a half. There are no big international
hotels, and the few out there are very
expensive.
One thing a visitor will quickly notice
when staying in Kigali is the prices are
abnormally high for East Africa. Prices
are typically double what is stated in
guidebooks.
Well, Kigali really surprised me. The
City is clean and more progressive
than most other central African cities.
People are friendly, well mannered
and ready to serve.
My room overlooked a dingy fire
escape/stairwell. The room wasn’t
filthy, but was damp, smoky, and aged.
The restaurant had unimpressive
food and a depressing atmosphere.
Food is much less of a problem, as
several decent restaurants are within
a quarter mile’s walk.
Even the drivers are more polite on the
road and it is less chaotic. There are a
number of top class hotels and really
good restaurants.. Visa & Mastercard
accepted in most places.
My tip - Don’t listen to what the
people say. Come and visit and see for
yourself.
K.T Virginia
Mark Naudem, Cape Town, South
Africa.
Iris guesthouse is a small (around
21 rooms with an apartment with 2
rooms) very clean place. For a single
room you pay $75 or RFW 40.000. This
is not cheap but they have free wifi and
the rooms are big and comfortable.
They also have hot water The room
rate includes breakfast and the
restaurant has very good food. And
what is more, the staff are nice
Tokao - Geneva, Switzerland.
ET AILLEURS
Shei & Enz
Par RHD
C O N S U L T I N G
Le service concerne tous les
secteurs mais aussi tous les pays.
Petit tour d’horizon de ce qui se
passe ailleurs.
En week end à Bujumbura, me
voici pour une nouvelle aventure de
service.
Première étape, Bora Bora.
Chemise fleurie rose et blue
jean, l’ambiance est décontractée
chez les serveurs. Un ton voulu
correspondant au pastel de la
décoration et au bleu de la plage.
Très affairés, un serveur finit par se
diriger vers notre table après qu’on
l’ait interpellé 2 fois. Même pas 5
minutes plus tard, il revient avec les
commandes de boisson sans avoir
eu à noter quoi que ce soit. Mais
quand il s’agit de pizza, il dégaine
rapidement son stylo et son carnet.
Toujours au pas de course, car le
restaurant est plein, il s’acquitte de
sa tâche avec sérieux.
Training
Marketing
Mystery Shopping
Recruitment & Staff Outsourcing
Image Consult
P.O.Box 3425 Kigali RWANDA / 01 BP 4259 Cotonou BENIN / P.o.Box 14536 Accra GHANA
info@ sheiconsulting.com
www.sheiconsulting.com
A I M I N G AT C O N S I S T E N T P E R F O R M A N C E
SERVICE
MAG
MARY
TH E
Issue 2:
ALL YO
U NE ED
TO KN OW
BAINE
TO IM PR
OV
June - Au
COMMISS
RWANDA IONER GENERA
TIPS FOR
MANAGE THE
How to ens R:
ure your
delivers
exception business
al servic
e
L’ENVER
S DU
SERVICE
Le quotid
ien d’un
employé
UBURYO
10
Bu
dansanzw
e mu guh
umukiriy
a
a servisi
nziza
Our
where readers tell
th
and ho ey have been
w they
treated were
FREE
COPY
ADVERTISING
+250 788 781 562
+250 788 746 061
[email protected]
SERVICEMAG
THE
ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW TO IMPROVE YOUR SERVICES
5000 COPIES PRINTED
0
E YOUR
SE RVICE
S
L,
REVE
On good
customer NUE AUTHOR
“It may not
ITY
service in
but we wil take a day or eve rwanda
n a year
l get there!
”
PLUS
gust 201
Deuxième étape, Bamboula Club.
Ambiance plus champêtre. A peine
installés, une serveuse se dirige
vers nous et prend notre commande.
Boulettes et fanta vue l’heure
tardive. Car le soir tombant n’aide
pas du tout avec les moustiques. «
pssst … pssst … psst » Rien à faire,
il faut se lever pour aller demander
un mosquito. Le plat de boulettes
est à moitié entamé mais toujours
pas de mosquitos en vue. « pssst …
vous avez oublié le mosquito ! Oh
pardon, j’arrive j’arrive » s’écrit-elle
en courant. Pour revenir quelques
secondes après, essoufflée mais
avec 2 mosquitos allumés. On va
pouvoir terminer les quelques
boulettes restantes paisiblement.
Troisième étape, Safari Gate. Au
loin, les hippopotames se réveillent
bruyamment tandis que le serveur
prend notre commande. 24 minutes
pour un plat de frites. « C’est un
record ici, la plupart du temps, ils
sont très lents » me dit une amie.
Apparemment c’est notre jour
de chance car toutes les autres
commandes seront aussi vite
servies. Peut être grâce au zèle
du serveur qui court dans le sens
propre du terme. Et pour une fois,
pas besoin de demander pour avoir
un mosquito.
[email protected]
41
Igihe twarimo dukora ubushakashatsi
ku bijyanye n’uko abakiriya banyurwa na
serivisi bahabwa twahuye n’umukiriya
wanze kugira icyo
adutangariza. Impamvu yaduhaye ni iyi”
Sinifuza ko abakozi bampaye
serivisi bagirana ibibazo n’ubuyobozi
bwabo, ni yo mpamvu mpisemo
kutagira icyo mbatangariza.”
Uko bigaragara uyu mugabo yahawe
serivisi mbi ariko arumva kubivuga
bishobora gukururira abakozi ingaruka
mbi, ni yo mpamvu yanze kugira
icyo abivugaho. Ese ni gute twakumva
ko serivisi zarushaho kunozwa
kandi duhitamo kutavuga ibitagenda?
Kutavuga niba serivisi wahawe atari
nziza si umuco mwiza ahubwo ni
ukuba ntibindeba. Iyo ntacyo uvuze ni
ukuvuga ko uba wishimiye
serivisi wahawe. Ni no kuvuga ko iyo
serivisi ikwiye. Ni ukuvuga
abakozi nta cyo bahindura cyangwa ngo
bavugurure mu mikorere yabo.
Muri iyi minsi mu Rwanda imbaraga
zirashyirwa mu konoza serivisi
zihabwa abakiriya. Abakiriya benshi
bagomba kumenya ko na bo bafite
inshingano zo kugaragaza uruhare
rwabo kugira ngo serivisi zirusheho
gutangwa mu buryo bunoze.
Gutanga serivisi nziza si inshingano gusa
z’uyitanga ahubwo ni
n’izuyihabwa. Iyo wowe nk’umukiriya
uhawe serivisi mbi ufite
inshingano yo kuyanga ukanabigaragaza.
Abenshi muri twe dukunze kunenga
abandi ko bakora nabi cyane cyane
inshuti zacu n’abavandimwe. Ikibabaje ni
uko ibyo nta cyo bihindura.
Abantu bireba bagombye kuba ari bo
bafata iya mbere bakavuga niba
serivisi bahabwa ari nziza cyangwa mbi.
Iyo serivisi ari nziza twagombye na none
gushimira. Icyo ni nacyo
gituma abakozi bamenya ko bari mu
nzira nziza ko bagomba gukomereza
aho. Iyo ushimiye umukozi ni nkaho uba
umuteye akanyabugabo.
Iyo utanga serivisi ageze aho arenza ibyo
ashinzwe kugira ngo arusheho
kudushimisha, twagombye
kumushimira. Ntiwakumva ukuntu iyo
ubwiye
umuntu uti “ murakoze” cyangwa
ukamusekera bitera akanyabugabo
abakozi.
Reka tujye tuba imfura dushime igihe
baduhaye serivisi nziza. Rimwe na
rimwe twagombye gutera indi ntambwe
tukegera ubuyobozi bw’ikigo
tukabumenyesha ko twishimira serivisi
baduhaye.
Kuko gutanga serivisi no kuyakira bireba
impande ebyiri, dore ibintu
by’ingenzi tugomba kuzirikana:
Abakiriya: Sigaho guceceka. Tanga
igitekerezo cyawe uvuge niba
baguhaye serivisi yo hasi, iringaniye
cyangwa iyo hejuru. Gira icyo
ubivugaho,uvuge uko byahinduka kuko
bitabaye ibyo ikigo nticyatera
imbere.
Utanga serivisi: Tega amatwi
abakiriya bawe kandi ushyire mu bikorwa
ibitekerezo baguhaye. Tanga serivisi
nziza maze abakiriya bawe
bakubere ba ambasaderi beza.
[email protected]
Avenue du lac Ihema, PO Box 537 Kigali, Rwanda. Tel: + (250) (0)252573666, Fax + (250) (0)252573802
Email: [email protected], Website: www.electrogaz.co.rw
OUR VISION
“To be the most efficient and customer centric utility company in the region”.
OUR MISSION
“To provide sufficient and quality water and electricity to our customers at
affordable and sustainable rates that support the socio-economic development of
the country.”
OUR CORE VALUES
Customer focused services;
Commitment and loyalty;
Cooperation and teamwork;
Integrity and transparency;
Efficiency.
RECO&RWASCO CUSTOMER SERVICE
t
t
t
t
t
Operational call center 24/24 hours – call 3535
Prepayment electricity sale is provided through more than 848 point of sales
spread countrywide
Water and electricity connection service outsourced countrywide
Prepayment Contract Service and Bank Payment Contract Service - for
customers who choose to pre-pay for their water consumption
Water prepaid metering system
Nzove Water Treatment Plant
PROJECTS
t
Electrification projects in line with governmental commitments to supply rural
areas with electricity.
t
RECO is installing an optical fibre infrastructure to its grid facilitating a better
management of its high and mid voltage grid, improving service and delivery
to its customers.
t
Electricity access scale-up roll-out programme(EARP): The Government
has set a five year strategic target to increase the electrification rate in the
country from the current 9% to 16%. The project will connect 300,000 new
customers and service providers to the grid and build 2,500 km of medium
voltage lines and 6,000 km of low voltage lines.
t
Kigali City water project: Nzove water treatment plant extracting underground
water from Nyabarongo river to compliment Kigali city gradually with an
additional capacity of 40,000m3 per day.
Jabana 20 MW Power Plant
43
IMPROVING
EMPLOYEE
ATTITUDE
by Bea Umwiza
If an employee has a bad attitude, it is important that it be
corrected or improved as soon as possible. Sometimes a bad
attitude can spread like a virus throughout the workplace and
this can be very detrimental to productivity. Here are a few
strategies you can use to improve employee attitude.
Bring it to the attention of the employee that they have a bad
attitude. You may have to have a meeting or talk with the
employee and let them know what your concerns are. In some
cases just bringing it to the attention of the employee will cause
them to monitor their own behavior and correct it themselves. In
other situations you will have to implement some other strategy
after bringing it to their attention.
Ask the employee what they are dissatisfied about. Once you
know the employee’s concerns you are better equipped to
implement a remedy to the problem.
They could be unhappy with their
job, the hours, other employees,
management or even the company
itself. An employee may want to do
another job or they may have been
passed over for a promotion.
Thank the employee for their
contribution to the company. Give the
employee words of encouragement.
Let them know that they are a valued
part of the team and you won’t be able
to hit the goals and objectives without
their contribution. Make it a point to
compliment employees who do well
before the whole team to encourage a
positive attitude.
Get the employee more involved in
the day-to-day activities. Let them
lead a team meeting, for example.
Sometimes employees don’t feel valued
or they don’t feel like they are making a
valuable contribution.
Let the employee facilitate a department
contest from start to finish. Ask them
if they would like more duties and
responsibilities or different duties
altogether. When they feel connected to
the company and the other employees,
chances are they will feel like they
belong on the team. An employee that
has what he or she sees as meaningful
work is less likely to have a bad attitude.
Put together an action plan, with input
from the employee that addresses every
concern and issue. The plan of action
should help the employee deal with all
the issues that affect their behavior.
The supervisor should meet with the
employee on an established basis for
follow-up to see how things are going.
When an employee sees that a company
is taking a sincere interest in their wellbeing, they will sometimes change their
attitude for the better.
Tips & Warnings
Make sure you are accessible to your
employees on a regular basis.
Some employees will have a bad attitude
no matter what you do. You may have to
terminate an employee if their attitude
is affecting their productivity and keeps
them from hitting goals and objectives
consistently.
[email protected]
P
A
H O T O
D
A
M
G R A P H
S
C
O
T
L
Y
T
L’importance De La
Formation Dans La
Qualité Du Service
a qualité de service ne s’acquiert
pas par magie, elle se travaille, se
développe, s’intensifie. Un travail
de longue haleine qui nécessite
un suivi permanent de part et
d’autres.
La notion du « client Roi » est
dépassée. Car le client « Roi
» était un client satisfait, tout
simplement. Aujourd’hui, un client seulement satisfait
est à la merci d’un concurrent plus habile que vous. Il
lui en faut plus !
Il nous faut donc dépasser le client roi pour atteindre le
client enthousiaste.
Par K. Ezéchiel OUEDRAOGO
Le client enthousiaste est celui qui vous défend,
qui vous recommande, et qui devient … votre agent
commercial. Gratuit en plus !
Il ne suffit plus de satisfaire le client, il faut
l’enthousiasmer, il faut qu’il puisse s’exclamer: «
waouh, quelle qualité du service excellente ! » C’est
seulement à ce moment que vous aurez réussi.
Pour réussir une telle qualité du service il y a bien sûr
plusieurs dimensions. Mais la dimension humaine ensemble des qualités professionnelles, techniques,
morales et psychologiques - que le collaborateur offre
aux clients internes et externes, est la plus importante.
La strategie est établie par l’homme, qui la met
en œuvre à travers l’organisation, qui utilise de
façon efficace le materiel mis à sa disposition,
qui operationalise les procédures conçues pour
45
des capacités par chaque session de
formation.
Ce processus peut se décrire en cinq
grandes étapes :
L’importance accordée
à la formation ne se
limite pas au budget
accordé mais relève
surtout de l’intérêt
que met l’organisation
dans le processus
aboutissant à un réel
renforcement des
capacités.
exécuter de façon efficiente le travail
demandé et enfin qui communique avec
les clients, fournisseurs, partenaires en
externe.
Malheureusement, trop souvent, nous
entendons des managers se plaindre,
« mes collaborateurs sont nuls et
incompétents, ce sont des paresseux
et des inutiles.» Mais comme le disait
un de mes amis consultant « si en
tant que managers, nous avons des
collaborateurs nuls et incompétents,
nous devons nous considérer comme le
chef des incompétents c’est-à-dire le
premier des incompétents »
Il est souvent très choquant de voir le
rapport entre les investissements en
equipement des entreprises et leur
budget alloué à la formation (parfois non
utilisé à la fin de l’année.) On accuse la
continuité du travail et on demande au
personnel de se faire former les week
ends ou après les heures de travail.
C’est dire l’importance que les dirigeants
d’entreprises accordent à la formation.
Et pourtant, il y’a une corrélation directe
entre la formation et la performance des
collaborateurs.
L’importance accordée à la formation
ne se limite pas au budget accordé,
ni même aux nombres d’heures
de formations effectuées, mais
relève surtout de l’intérêt que met
l’organisation dans le processus
aboutissant à un réel renforcement
La définition des véritables besoins de
formations. La formation doit venir en
réponse à un besoin clairement identifié
par le management, le futur participant
et le département des ressources
humaines.
Les besoins de formation découlent
donc d’un système global de gestion
de la performance incluant un vrai
système d’évaluation périodique des
compétences de vos collaborateurs.
Ainsi vous pourrez voir les écarts
de compétence (écart entre les
compétences attendues d’un
collaborateur et ses compétences
réelles.).
La formation aura pour objectif de
combler ces écarts de compétence, ce
qui donne un objectif clair et vérifiable à
l’action de formation.
Le choix du prestataire de la formation.
Une fois les besoins clairement définis,
le choix et la discussion avec les
prestataires possibles deviennent plus
aisés.
Si la formation est stratégique, alors vos
prestataires de formation doivent être
des partenaires stratégiques. Pour que,
à long terme, ils vous accompagnent
dans la réalisation de votre vision.
Le choix d’un tel partenaire devient donc
très important et ne saurait se baser
uniquement sur le critère de prix, ni se
limiter à un contrat de prestation de
service non stratégique.
Une sérieuse analyse de la compétence
du prestataire de formation doit être
faite, en ayant à l’esprit le caractère
stratégique de cette activité.
La réalisation des actions de formation.
A chaque fois que les managers,
eux-mêmes, se sont impliqués avant,
pendant et après les actions de
formation, ces formations ont eu un
impact plus important.
Car l’attitude du manager durant la
réalisation des actions de formation
envoie plusieurs messages aux
différents acteurs :
A. envers les participants à la formation
cela démontre l’importance accordée
à cette formation et donc le niveau des
attentes post-formation
B. envers la direction des ressources
humaines, cela marque l’importance
stratégique accordée à cette direction
et produit une plus grande motivation à
réussir les actions de formation.
C. envers le prestataire, cela souligne
que les attentes de votre entreprise sont
au niveau stratégique même de votre
organisation et pousse davantage votre
prestataire à donner le meilleur de luimême.
L’évaluation de chaque action de
formation : si les trois premières
étapes sont suivies alors l’évaluation
de l’action de formation n’est qu’une
conséquence logique réclamée, à
la fois par la direction générale, la
direction des ressources humaines et le
prestataire soucieux de savoir si l’action
de formation a atteint les résultats
souhaités.
Mais cette évaluation ne mesurera
que les objectifs pédagogiques et
d’enseignement, c’est-à-dire la bonne
application de la méthodologie et
l’assimilation des concepts enseignés.
Le suivi post-formation : la formation
ayant pour objectif le changement
de comportement professionnel
positif, un suivi post-formation s’avère
indispensable pour vérifier que de
nouveaux comportements professionnels
sont adoptés et perdurent.
Cela nécessite un suivi quelques
semaines après la formation mais aussi
quelques mois après. C’est dire que le
travail de la direction des ressources
humaines ne s’arrête pas uniquement
au cocktail de fin de formation mais
doit se poursuivre pour s’assurer de la
pertinence de l’action de formation.
Et selon cette pertinence, de nouvelles
actions de formation seront entreprises,
soit pour répéter le succès dans d’autres
départements, soit pour compléter par
d’autres formations …
Et le cycle recommence.
[email protected]
VOUS AVEZ DIT
GESTION DE PLAINTE
Par Lena MILITISI
Une bonne soirée qui tourne au drame. Un dîner qui restera dans les annales avec à la clé un téléphone perdu
mais surtout un service à la clientèle qui loin d’aider ne fait qu’augmenter la hargne.
Nous voilà, un jeudi soir, 5 joyeux drilles
à inviter, une nouvelle arrivée sous le
ciel clément de Kigali, petite soirée entre
nanas à lui vanter les vertus de notre
cher et beau pays. Nous jetons notre
dévolu sur un restaurant nouvellement
établi à Nyarutarama, “Le Château”,
ayant une vue imprenable sur un petit
lac bien sympathique. Après moult
péripéties, dont je vous ferai grâce, sur
le service plus que moyen, nous voilà
parties, laissant le restaurant presque
désert à 1 table près, vers 23h15.
Arrivée a la maison, une dizaine de
minutes plus tard, il m’aura suffit
quelques minutes pour m’apercevoir
que j’avais oublié mon portable au
restaurant, l’ayant utilisé la dernière fois
là-bas. Connaissant les propriétaires du
restaurant je m’endormis du sommeil
du juste.
A la première heure du vendredi matin,
ne voilà-t-il pas que j’appelle la direction
du restaurant leur signalant presque
d’une voix contrite mon malencontreux
oubli. J’eus une réponse des plus
évasives bien que polies. Ayant rappelé 2
heures plus tard, et n’ayant toujours pas
trouvé satisfaction, me voici me dirigeant
d’un pas énergique vers le restaurant
pour m’entendre répondre par le même
serveur qui nous avait servi la veille, d’un
ton à peine poli, qu’il ne se rappelait
pas avoir vu un quelconque téléphone
et …d’un ton presque narquois, me
demanda d’aller chercher ailleurs ! Me
voilà entrain de vociférer littéralement
vers la direction, qui d’un ton tout aussi
nonchalant, me répondit que rien n’avait
été retrouvé!
Le pourquoi du comment
Je ne m’arrêterai pas là et ne m’avouerai
pas vaincue. Après avoir appelé un des
associés, qui m’a promis de poursuivre
cette affaire (j’attends toujours
d’ailleurs…), mon téléphone est en voie
d’être retrouvé grâce au super customer
service de MTN…chuuuut enquête en
cours !
En effet, après avoir déclaré le vol à la
police de Remera, j’ai enregistré ma
plainte à MTN. Les agents n’ont eu
de cesse depuis ce jour de me tenir
au courant des développements de
l’enquête. Quels gens charmants!
Bref, tout ceci pour dire aux tenanciers
de ce nouvel établissement, qu’au delà
de mon vieux téléphone (auquel je
tiens pour des raisons sentimentales),
recevoir et gérer les plaintes des clients
mécontents vous aider à améliorer votre
boîte.
Pourquoi est-il si important de gérer les
plaintes?
Les réclamations sont une source de
renseignements pour les entreprises et
vous aident à détecter les problèmes en
amont. Qui sait, peut-être avez-vous une
bande de voleurs parmi vos serveurs ? Et
cela nuira gravement, plus tôt que tard,
à la réputation de votre établissement.
Une réclamation bien gérée transforme
l’attitude d’un client mécontent. J’aurai
eu le sentiment d’avoir été écoutée, je ne
me serai pas embêtée à poursuivre cela,
alors que là, je suis prête à n’importe
quoi…jusqu’au recours judiciaire!
Dans un contexte de compétition tel
que pour les restaurants, avec une
réclamation bien gérée, la relation
avec le client ne s’arrêtera pas et donc
continuera à générer des revenus pour
l’entreprise. Vous venez certainement de
perdre une quinzaine de clients…
Le Bouche à Oreille: une résolution
réussie génère une publicité positive
(sans besoin de budget pub) et surtout
dans notre contexte local!
Et merci à l’équipe du Magazine du
Service de nous aider à joindre notre
voix au concert des déçus du service de
Kigali.
[email protected]
47
Le Quotidien
D’un Employe
Par Hubert Rutage Ruzibiza
« Le client est roi », l’adage est célèbre. Mais il n’est pas toujours facile de vivre ou
de survivre avec une telle responsabilité. Du matin jusqu’au soir, sans parler des
problèmes personnels, autant de poids à supporter mais toujours avec le sourire.
Il est exactement 7h50 à ma montre,
j’hume la fraîcheur et l’air pur qui
envahissent mes poumons et me
gonflent à bloc d’oxygène, c’est
alors que je passe le seuil de la
porte de la banque, un nouveau moi
jaillit du fond de mon âme. En effet,
je rentre en scène! Ce rôle, sur cette
scène qui est mon lieu de travail,
que je joue tous les jours où je suis
l’acteur principal. Les yeux sont
rivés sur moi!
« Bonjour Sarah! Bonjour Gérard
! Comment ça va aujourd’hui ?
Comment va la famille? Tout se
passe comme vous voulez? »
Tout exalté rien qu’à l’idée de
relever les défis de cette journée,
je ne peux m’empêcher de mettre
de l’ardeur dans ma manière de
marcher. Je presse le pas, décidé,
comme si j’avais la force d’Attila le
guerrier.
Certains
clients
sont plus
commodes
que d’autres
mais peu
importe, la
règle d’or est
que le client
est ROI.
Il est exactement 8h00. Ainsi la
journée commence. Les premiers
clients arrivent, certains sont plus
commodes que d’autres mais peu
importe, la règle d’or est que le
client est “ROI”. D’ailleurs c’est
grâce à lui que j’ai un salaire
tous les mois. Si je ne donne
pas le meilleur de moi même, il
décidera tout simplement d’aller
ailleurs autrement dit … chez la
concurrence. Donc, pour moi, le
client est ROI!!!!
« On a, en effet, tendance à oublier
la raison pour laquelle notre
institution est sur pied. Le fait est
que nous avons des clients qui nous
font confiance, il est donc impératif
que nous honorions notre promesse
faite à nos clients. »
Rester zen malgré tout
Quelques heures ont passées.
J’ai effectué quelques opérations
pour des clients, quelques lettres
de crédits on été ouvertes pour
des entreprises, j’ai du en appelé
d’autres pour faire un suivi sur
leurs demandes de taux de faveur
pour leurs transferts à l’étranger et
aussi pour relancer ceux qui sont en
contentieux.
Je me suis plutôt bien débrouillé
car une grande partie de ce travail
se fait au téléphone, les clients
négocient, d’autres moins sociables
sont d’une extrême froideur. Par
conséquent, le ton de ma voix joue
un rôle très important, je ne peux en
aucun cas prendre un ton qui presse
la fatigue, l’ennui et le désarroi
tant bien même que j’ai mille et un
problèmes dans ma vie privée.
C’est à peine si j’ai le temps de
souffler, voici que je reçois un appel
d’un client concernant les taux de
change. Je n’ai même pas le temps
de lui répondre qu’un autre client
se présente dans mon bureau. Sans
parler des documents à signer que
le coursier vient de me déposer. Et
pour en rajouter, ma collègue me
demande une explication. Ça ne se
voit pas que je suis au téléphone en
train de servir un client ? Tout est
réuni pour faire monter mon stress.
Mais quand même quelque peu
aguerri, je me calme, esquisse un
sourire et reprend le dessus sur les
évènements, pour pouvoir servir au
mieux le client.
« Il faut dire que le stress est
contagieux, et que le calme, la
respiration, la positive attitude sont
les armes pour le combattre. Et que
même si un client vient énerver,
en restant calme, vous l’amenez
à réajuster son ton, et à calmer
la tension qui a, ou aurait, pu
s’installer. »
Le service inclut aussi
l’ambiance interne
Nous sommes déjà en fin
de journée, la position du
jour en terme de vente et
d’achat de devises doit se faire
minutieusement car la fameuse
Banque National l’attend ainsi que
notre comité interne de trésorerie.
S’oublier et rester concentré
Il est midi. Enfin l’heure de la pose.
C’est un moment de la journée que
l’on aime tous car on retrouve des
amis, des collègues autour d’un
repas. En général, je prends un café,
comme ça, j’enchaîne l’après-midi
sans aucun souci de fatigue.
De retour au travail, je revois les
quelques dossiers en suspens,
reçois quelques clients qui veulent
des informations, etc. Cependant,
c’est comme si une sorte de routine
s’installait. Tout à coup, une pensée
m’assaille : c’est bientôt la rentrée
des classes et je n’ai toujours
pas reçu mon prêt personnel qui
m’aidera à faire face à toutes ces
dépenses.
La crise financière fait que mon taux
d’intérêt sur mon crédit « maison
» a augmenté, aussi je vois mon
budget mensuel réduit. Cela ne
m’arrange en rien ! Je suis devant
mon ordinateur mais absent, plongé
dans mes idées sombres. J’essaye de
me concentrer mais c’est quasiment
impossible. Je décide donc de me
lever et me dirige vers les toilettes,
je me rince le visage histoire de me
rafraîchir un peu et reprendre du
poil de la bête.
« Il est évident que nous avons tous
nos problèmes mais l’obligation de
rester professionnel et à l’écoute du
client fait que nous devons toujours
rester maîtres de soi, donc de ses
émotions. Par conséquent, à partir
du moment où l’on entre dans son
lieu de travail, il faut laisser ses
problèmes personnels à la maison,
avoir une positive attitude, pour
enfin entrer totalement dans son
rôle.»
Vous imaginez bien qu’aucune
faute ne doit être faite donc
malgré la longue journée.
Nous avons une tolérance zéro
concernant les erreurs. Ceci
terminé, je jette un coup d’œil
à ma montre, il est 19h45. Je
rentre fatigué, certes, mais fier
car j’ai tout fait pour satisfaire
mon employeur c’est-à-dire le
client. De plus, l’ambiance
entre collègues est malgré tout
excellente.
« Rappelons-nous que
nos collègues sont aussi
considérés comme des
clients internes et on devrait
avoir la même attitude
envers eux qu’envers nos
clients. De plus être proactif,
avoir une positive attitude,
être à l’écoute des autres,
être prêts à servir sont
des qualités qui suggèrent
une force d’esprit. Une fois
ancrée en nous, cela nous
ouvre bien des portes et
nous aide à déplacer des
montagnes.»
Je jette un dernier coup d’œil sur
mon agenda pour mes rendez
vous du lendemain, je range mes
affaires, éteins mon ordinateur.
Demain est un jour nouveau,
j’essaierais d’être encore meilleur
qu’aujourd’hui.
« Réajuster son tir est très
important car pour arriver à
l’excellence, cela nous demande
un exercice quotidien. »
Au revoir Sarah !! Au revoir Gérard
!!!A demain tout le monde et
passez une bonne soirée.
[email protected]
BYAVUZWE
N’ UNDI
“Abakozi bacu tubafata nk’abatumirwa
bakomeye mu munsi mukuru twe
tukaba abasangwa. Mu mirimo yacu ya
buri munsi buri serivisi duha umukiriya
tuyifata nk’ikintu cy’ingenzi tugahora
tugira icyo tuyinozaho”.
Jeff Bezos Founder Amazon.com
” Umukoresha wacu ni umwe, ni
umukiriya wacu. Kandi ashobora
kwirukana buri wese mu kigo cyacu kuva
ku muyobozi mukuru kugera ku mukozi
wo hasi iyo yigendeye akajya kugurira
ahandi.”
- Sam Walton
“Imishahara ntitangwa n’umukoresha,
icyo akora ni ukuyitunganya, ni umukiriya
uhemba abakozi”.
Henry Ford
“Umuntu udashobora guseka
ntashobora gufungura iduka”.
Umugani wo mu bushinwa
Read The
ServiceMag
Online
The SERVICEMAG
June - August 2010 49
Uburyo
Budasanzwe
Mu Guha
Umukiriya
Serivisi Nziza
M uri iki gihe usanga kwakira neza
umukiriya ari ikibazo kandi nkunda
gutangazwa n’uko abakozi benshi
batumva neza impamvu abantu binubira
serivisi babaha.
Akenshi bakunze kwisobanura bagira
bati” uku dukora ni ko byahoze kandi
ntacyigeze gihinduka”. Mu yandi
magambo ni ukuvuga ngo mu byukuri
abantu benshi ntibumva impamvu
abantu bahora bijujutira serivisi mbi.
Nasanze abantu benshi badatanga
serivisi nziza kuko baba batazi icyo guha
serivisi nziza umukiriya bisobanura mu
byukuri. Iki gihugu mbere nticyigeze
kirangwamo umuco w’amapiganwa bityo
ugasanga abantu barakuranye umuco wo
kumva ko ari umukiriya uba ubakeneye
ko atari bo baba bamukeneye.
Abenshi usanga nta bumenyi bafite ku
guha serivisi nziza umukiriya. Urugero
ni nk’iyo abakiriya binubira ko serivisi
idatangwa vuba, ugasanga abenshi
batarigeze babona aho batanga serivisi
ku buryo bwihuse. Usanga hano hari
umuco wo kugenda buhoro utiterura.
Hano nta muntu wihuta ni yo mpamvu
abantu badashobora kwiyumvisha
impamvu abakiriya bijujuta.
Byongeye kandi usanga abantu
benshi cyane cyane abanyarwanda
basobanura ko umuco nyarwanda udafite
akamenyero ko guha umukiriya serivisi
nziza. Ku giti cyanjye ibyo sinabyemera
na gato. Dushobora guhindura uwo
muco niba buri muntu wese afashe
icyemezo cyo guhinduka mu mikorere
y’akazi ke. Buri muntu nahinduka ku giti
cye mu mikorere bizakwira hose maze
abantu bongere umuvuduko mu byo
bakora. Iyo mikorere ni yo izahindura
ibintu bikarushaho kuba byiza.
Tugomba kumva ko kwakira umukiriya
neza atari uburyo dukora ahubwo. Ni
uko twifata.Kuvuga ko ikigo runaka
gifite gifite inzego zitandukanye zikora
ntibigaragaza ko giha umukiriya serivisi
nziza, ahubwo bigaragazwa n’uko
witwara. Ibi bigaragazwa n’ibintu bitatu
bikurikira:
A- Imyifatire
B- Imyitwarire
C- Ubushobozi
Akenshi gukora neza bitanga umusaruro
bituruka ku guhindura imyumvire
n’imitekerereze. Gutanga serivisi nziza
bibanzirizwa no guhindura imyumvire.
Birashoboka kandi biroroshye gutanga
serivisi nziza! Icyingenzi ni uko dusubiza
amaso inyuma tukareba amahame
yagenderwagaho mu myaka icumi ishize.
Nitwakira neza abakiriya bazishimira
serivisi tubahaye kandi banamamaze
ibikorwa byacu. Ibyo bizatuma turushaho
gutera imbere no kongera umusaruro?
Dore ibintu by’ingenzi bizadufasha mu
guha abakiriya bacu serivisi nziza
1. Ibibazo ufite imuhira bisigeyo
ntubizane aho ukorera
Ugomba kumenya kutagaragaza
ibibazo ufite mu mutima wawe. Si byiza
kugaragariza umukiriya ko ufitanye
ibibazo n’umugore wawe, umugabo
wawe, abana, nyir’inzu ukodesha, abo
mu muryango w’umugore wawe, ko hari
ibihe bitameze neza n’ibindi.. igihe uri ku
kazi cyangwa se mu iduka ugomba kwita
gusa ku mukiriya wawe.
2. Ugomba gusuhuza abantu ubishimiye
kandi ubasekera
Ibi bigaragaza ko unejejwe no kwakira
uwo mukiriya. Abinjiye bose mu iduka
ryawe ugomba gukora ku buryo muhuza
amaso. Ntugomba kwiyicarira ngo
ubakanurire nk’aho utunguwe n’uko
uwo mukiriya yinjiye mu iduka ryawe,
ku meza ucururizaho cyangwa mu biro.
Jya umusekera umwakire umubwira
uti: “ Karibu, murifuza ko mbafasha
iki?” ukagerageza kubivuga mu kajwi
koroheje.
3. Tega amatwi umukiriya akubwire
icyo akeneye.
Ibyo bisobanura ko ugomba gutega
amatwi umukiriya akakubwira icyo
akeneye. Niba utumvise neza icyo
uwo mukiriya akeneye, bimubwire
agusobanurire. Nta kibi rwose uzaba
ukoze numubwira ko utumvise icyo
yakubwiye. Ntiwihute ngo ukekeranye.
Subiramo ubwire umukiriya ibyo
wumvise. Nta kosa uzaba ukoze
nubwira umukiriya ko utumvise ibyo
yakubwiye.
4. Kora vuba kandi umuhe serivisi
vuba
Jya unyaruka mu byo ukora byose
ugaragaze ukorane umurava. Ereka
umukiriya ko ataje kukurogoya cyangwa
kugutesha igihe. Mwereke rwose ko
uhari n’umutima wawe wose ubundi
unyaruke. Sinkubwiye ngo ujye wiruka
icyo nkubwiye ni ukugira ubwira igihe
uhereza umukiriya icyo yagusabye.
5. Kurangwa n’imico wo yo gukora
umurimo unoze
Urugero twatanga ni nko kuganira kuri
telefoni igendanwa igihe umukiriya
agutegereje ari imbere yawe cyane
cyane iyo ibyo biganiro kuri telefoni
bitavuga ibintu byihutirwa. Si byiza
gutera ibiparu n’incuti zawe igihe
umukiriya agutegereje ngo umuhe icyo
yagusabye. Ntukarebe umukiriya wawe
hasi ku maguru bitewe n’uko yambaye.
Ntukavangure abakiriya. Abakiriya bose
binjiye iwawe ugomba kubakira neza.
6. Kwereka umukiriya ko umwitayeho
Nufata umukiriya nk’umuntu waje
kukurogoya cyangwa uje gutuma
utirangiriza igitabo cyangwa
ikinyamakuru wisomeraga, icyo
gihe serivisi utanga ntizizitabirwa
n’abakiriya igihe kirekire. Abakiriya
iyo baje bakugana baba bifuza ngo
ubafashe kubona icyo bifuza, baba
bashaka ko ubafasha ubamara ubwoba,
impungenge, ugushidikanya bashobora
kugira ku gicuruzwa cyangwa kuri
serivisi ubahaye.
7. Kwishyira mu mwanya w’umukiriya
kugira ngo umwumve.
Gerageza kwishyira mu mwanya
w’umukiriya kugira ngo umenye neza
ibyo akeneye. Ni byo koko mufite
amategeko mugenderaho ariko ugomba
kumenya ko umukiriya agukeneye ngo
umwumve. Akenshi usanga umukiriya
adakeneye ibintu byose ahubwo iyo
abantu bashobora
kwibagirwa ibyo wababwiye,
abantu bashobora
kwibagirwa ibyo wabakoreye
ariko ntibashobora
kwibagirwa uko wabafashe
byabagiye ku mutima
byabashimishije cyangwa
byabababaje
abuze icyo yifuzaga uba ugomba
kumushakira igisubizo cyasimbura icyo
yifuzaga yabuze. Niba icyo yagusabye
kidahari ushobora kumurangira ahandi
yagishakira. Si byiza kumuhakanira
ko kidahari utamurangiye ahandi
yagishakira.
8. Kubahiriza ibyo wasezeranyije
Ntugasezeranye umukiriya icyo utari
bumukorere. Urugero niba wasezeranyije
umukiriya ko uribumuhamagare,
ugomba kubyubahiriza, kabone n’iyo
waba utararangiza ibyo yagusabye. Niba
ugomba kohereza fagitire ku itariki
runaka, gerageza ubyubahirize.- Bikore!
Kabone n’iyo waba ubamenyesha
ko bitaribushoboke. Gerageza kuba
inyangamugayo. Ntukagire icyo
usezeranya umukiriya udafite cyangwa
utakora, musobanurire ko bidashoboka
ahubwo umwereke icyasimbura icyo
yagusabye.
9. Ugomba kurangwa n’ikinyabupfura
Mubwire utugambo two kumwinginga
cyangwa kumushimira ndetse no
kumuha ikaze. Utwo tugambo tworoheje
tumugera kumutima kurusha kumureba
ntacyo umubwiye. Niba ubucuruzi
bwawe buciriritse ariko ukaba wakira
umukiriya neza kurusha abacuruzi
bacuruza ibintu byinshi bitandukanye mu
mujyi, birashoboka rwose ko watera
imbere vuba vuba ukanabarenga.
Abaguzi benshi bishimira kwakirwa
neza mu kinyabupfura.
10. Gukemura ibibazo abakiriya
bijujutiye.
Ni ngombwa kumenya ko umukiriya
mwiza ashobora kukuzanira abandi
bakiriya bashya batanu naho umukiriya
wakiriye nabi abibwira abandi icumi.
Aho rero wakora imibare ukareba uko
ushobora kubihomberamo ukareba
ikiruta ikindi. Iyo hari ibyo abakiriya
binubira, shaka igisubizo mu maguru
mashya. Kwihanganisha abakiriya
si byo bikemura ibibazo binubira.
Tera intambwe ifatika mu gukemura
ibyo bibazo kandi ukurikirane ko
byakemutse. Ntukirengagize gusubiza
ubutumwa bwo kuri interineti cyangwa
ngo wange kwitaba telefoni kabone
n’iyo yaba itagushimisha.
Maya Angelou agira ati: “ abantu
bashobora kwibagirwa ibyo wababwiye,
abantu bashobora kwibagirwa ibyo
wabakoreye ariko ntibashobora
kwibagirwa uko wabafashe byabagiye
ku mutima byabashimishije cyangwa
byabababaje.” Niwongera intambwe
mu gushimisha abakiriya ubakira
neza unabaha serivisi nziza, bazahora
bakwibuka kandi bakubere abakiriya
b’indahemuka. Ujye wibuka ko ijambo
rivuye mu kanwa ari ryo rigira imbaraga
mu kwamamaza serivisi utanga.
Kora ku buryo abakiriya bawe bakubera
ba ambasaderi uzibonera umusaruro
uzageraho!
[email protected]
51
THE
LAUNCH
Après plusieurs mois de
préparation et un vrai parcours
de combattant, le premier
numéro de notre magazine a
pu être dévoilé au grand public
au cours d’un cocktail le 25
mars 2010 au Serena Hotel. Une
occasion pour les 15 sponsors
de se retrouver et surtout de
réitérer leur engagement dans
l’amélioration du « Customer
Care ». Un objectif et une
initiative hautement saluée par
Clare Akamanzi, Chief Operating
Officer de la RDB.
C’est donc en grandes pompes et
surtout avec un large sourire que
les sponsors et les invités ont
porté un toast pour ce magazine
éducatif disponible en 3 langues
et distribué gratuitement dans
tout le pays. Une première ! Et
pour un projet pionnier et jugé
parfois de « fou », on ne peut
que souhaiter le meilleur à ce
magazine d’un genre nouveau.
R
U
O
P
T
S
A
TO
Mais pour l’heure, découvrez
en images, les coulisses de
cette soirée de lancement très
particulière, toujours dans la joie
et la bonne humeur !
SERVICEMAG
THE
53
55
Open up a
Teganya Saving Account
and earn up to 8 % interest

THE TIPS FOR THE MANAGER: UBURYO 10

Transcription

Documents pareils

50 inspiring quotes

Term 2 – Years 4 Unit vocabulary Janvier January Un cahier An

achet diascount fracne chaussure shox rivalry tn pas cher replica

Actress - French Accent Magazine

Pilgrimage and Family Day

Les Paroisses Catholiques Romaines du Centre du Pontiac Roman

LeThe Wilvy_1

Narmore Chapitre 1 La classe ______ A. PEOPLE AND THI

LE CONDITIONNEL Mars 2012

Répertoire

Banque Nationale du Rwanda National Bank of Rwanda

securitization of the french language in rwanda in 1990