There is a notion that working in customer service is ‘too low’ for some. And it is unfortunate that we add weight to that misguidance. We don’t assign any respect to jobs within customer service, and therefore indirectly strip the sector and those that work within it, from the ability to do so with a diligence and passion that would ultimately provide consistent customer satisfaction. Most who have worked as bank clerks, waiters, barmen and barwomen, attest to the fact that these ‘small’ jobs that many people take on as their first foray into the workforce, give you a necessary and sometimes brutal understanding on true work ethic. Due to nepotism and an inflated sense of self-worth, many people begin their careers stepping into an office. However, this doesn’t make any sense, based on the fact that it takes time to learn how to conduct yourself in an office environment. It requires an experienced understanding on how to behave in a professional setting. It seems that once again we care too much about our perception in the eyes of others, to take an opportunity to grow and learn as exactly that. Every period of employment should be seen as an occasion to learn something that you didn’t know before, especially if you have never had a job to begin with. One would wonder whether our reluctance to start at the bottom, is linked to the lack of soft skills we currently see amongst the country. There is also a responsibility for parents to encourage their children to work in what might not be the most polished establishment, in order for them to receive the hard lessons of the working environment. Evidence of this parental inability is seated in the many reception areas of Kigali’s businesses, where gum is chewed and Instagram is scrolled until the hours of unproductivity hit 10 and one can leave. Some of the most successful people in business began their careers in the industry of serving others. Shahid Khan, the famed entrepreneur who has amassed a net worth of over $6.4 billion dollars, used to wash dishes for home owners, while Ralph Lauren’s humble beginnings began as a sales clerk. In the Rwandan banks and bars where people are served well, its not hard to see that most of the time that stems from a management that treats them with a level of respect and dignity that allows them to flourish and approach the job with a passion to perform well. And most of the people who frequent these places with good service, tend to also understand that respect is a two-way street. Even if the customer is always right, that does not mean you can treat these employees as if they are your servants. When respect is reflected both ways, satisfaction becomes achievable for all parties invested. There is a certain way in which you can call someone over, that will encourage them to do their best to make sure you have the best evening. If that is still not provided, the reason may be that they simply don’t have the necessary training or have the capacity to perform the job. Maybe because those who can do well in such a position, refuse to do so, based on a perception that they are too good to serve somebody else. If we are to truly ask for an improved level of customer service in Rwanda, we should not look down upon those who work within it. We should believe that our own children could work in a bar or restaurant and stay there forever as they rise up the ranks. We should not raise our noses and believe that we are too good to serve a drink or wipe a table. In taking true ownership and offering support of our friends who work in customer service, we provide a platform for them to make sure the customer always leaves happy. The author is a graduate in Creative Media Technology with an interest in Communications & Public Relations, Online Marketing, and Brand Identity Development.
