We need to improve our service delivery

The mood in the city yesterday was jovial as MTN Rwanda announced reduced call rates, down by as much as 60 percent. This really makes calls cheaper, thus affording citizens more chances to do business through communication - a crucial part in conducting a successful business. MTN says one of the reasons their services are slightly on the higher side in the region is because of the terrain, which stretches their resources thereby pushing up costs of production and maintenance. Whereas everyone appreciates the investor’s challenges, we would wish that in addition to cheaper costs not only for calls but for internet connection, better service in the form of less dropped calls and sharper reception for the internet in remote areas be worked out. Like Electrogaz was advised, it is to very few people’s advantage for them to cut water prices without improving the service itself by providing more citizens with water, and provide it constantly. Otherwise it becomes self defeating to claim lesser prices when the services are erratic.Which is why it is better to have fewer but well satisfied consumers, for every type of business. The trick of success lies not in over expansion, when your clients are dissatisfied with your services. There are many businesses that operate in such haphazard fashion, to the disadvantage of our budding tourist industry, which industry thrives only on quality service. If there are to be ATMs for example, let them be functional. It is not enough to have good-looking restaurants where it will, however, take upwards of one hour and more, before one can get a meal – if, that is, one is lucky enough to get attended to. It has been said over and over in these pages that we need to spruce up our service image. It remains our bounden duty to continue advising until it looks up. It is utterly satisfying to have a very efficient hire taxi service for example; this is a service sector that wins applause because of the aggressiveness with which potential clients are courted, and the efficient discharge of their duties. All other service sectors should take this example. Ends