Businesses have been urged to use the power of networking and proper service delivery to be competitive.According to experts, networking helps improve service delivery on all fronts, including clients and one’s employees.“Through networking, companies learn good practices that could help them improve their services,” Amb. Patrick Mazimhaka said.“Good customer care and culture have a direct link and it comes down to respect for others. Poor service is not a Rwandan thing, it’s not our culture but it is something that just developed,” said Mazimhaka while speaking during a cocktail party organised by The ServiceMag at the Kigali Serena Hotel on Thursday. The event was held under the theme, ‘Understanding service in the Rwandan culture and traditions’ and attracted 300 companies.Simon Corden, The ServiceMag online editor, noted that adopting the networking spirit is one of the ways that will free Rwanda from poor services.Ten guests walked away with prizes, which included a return air ticket to Europe from KLM Airlines, a blackberry smartphone from Tigo, an hour long scenic tour aboard an Akagera Aviation chopper for two and a breakfast for two at Kigali Serena Hotel. Improved service delivery has been singled out as an important ingredient in the country’s development effort due to its role in attracting investments.In fact, both the government and the private sector have for long been promoting quality service delivery through customer care drives like ‘Na Yombi’ and ‘Noza Serivisi’ by the Rwanda Development Authority and the Ministry of Trade and Industry.Several initiatives to improve the quality of services in public institutions have indeed had an impact, but generally, it is still dogged with bureaucracies, delays and repetitive procedures that affect citizens and investors. Indeed, in the recent Rwanda Governance Score Card 2012, quality of service delivery scored 70.44 per cent, which was the least out of eight indicators. Indicators with the highest score include safety/security, 91.4 per cent and investing in people, 78.8 per cent, among others.
