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Customer Care

Rwanda Development Board enhances Customer Care

Customer service improving

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Customer service in local governments on right path

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Customer Care

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Customer service improving

Customer Care

Customer service improving Customer Care is such a significant lubricant in the delivery of services in both the private and public sectors. The government of Rwanda through the Rwanda Development Board has crafted deliberate efforts to eliminate poor customer service and make every stakeholder win from a smooth and efficient customer care system. THE NEW TIMES’ THOMAS KAGERA, talks to major players in the implementation of these efforts to have their insight of the strategies are imparted among the general population and how they are paying off.

vi) Telecommunications

Yves K Ngenzi, Manager Customer Care Unit, RDB The level of customer satisfaction today stands at 70%, based on research carried out from the public and private institutions. This is a registered growth compared to 60% satisfaction in 2010 and the target is to have 80% satisfaction by 2017. The 2010 survey was carried out by the Institute of Policy Analysis and Research (IPAR) and OTF while that of 2013 is being carried out by RUMA. The findings indicate that on the whole, satisfaction in the public institutions is higher compared to the private sector, with the Directorate of Immigration and Emigration being the overall best in customer care handling. The Rwanda Development

Board (RDB) critically looks at and measure five major components of Customer Care; Communication, Problem solving, Timeliness, Professionalism and Ease of Doing Business. The Customer Care Project was started in 2009 with two programmes; Awareness campaign dubbed Gira Ubupfura/Na Yombi and the second is training. The awareness programme had an overall objective of defining and refining the expectations of the service providers and receivers. In the process of getting service providers in the loop, RDB looked at sector by sector, identifying the root causes of

the inefficiency, interviewed the clients, the employees/staff, the services consumers and professionals in that particular industry. It was after identifying the causes that interventions were designed. The designed interventions include; developing service standards, training of trainers in customer care, managerial interventions and marketing and communication of the information to the general public. Service standards were developed in the priority sectors of; i) Banking ii) Hospitality iii) Transport iv) Health v) Local and central governments and

Training then ensued in 2009, with a particular emphasis on what service providers should avail and what the consumers’ expectations should be. Consumers, in this case, have a big role to play in the rejection of a bad service, so their expectations were as well catered for and well defined. Since the inception of the training programme in 2009, a total of 18,200 service providers have been trained in collaboration with RIAM and WDA. Some of the causes of poor customer service include; poor communication skills, especially because he language skills haven’t been fully polished, sluggish completion of asks, poor problem solving and an insufficiency in technical and soft skills. It was therefore recommended that raining in communication be carried out, minimum standards in language skills for new employees be established and induction courses be made a salient part of the employment processes so that employees are introduced to a better understanding of their technical work and have a good mastery of the environment in which they do operate. The Ministry of Education was tasked to develop a curriculum and incorporate customer care modules to be delivered to the learners in both primary and secondary sections of education.

Rica Rwigamba, Head RDB-Tourism and Conservation Customer care in Rwanda still presents some challenges, but on the whole has greatly improved compared to yesteryears. It is important to have a vibrant breed of service providers that respect the values of good customer service to keep pace with the growing folio of investments in the hospitality industry and the whole spectrum of services. There is, for example an estimated growth of accommodation rooms at 700 per year. With each room apportioned 2.5 persons, there is a need of more than 1000 well trained personnel in the accommodation sub-component of the hospitality industry per year. We are optimistic that such levels

and more will be attained, given the growing interest and attitude change among the youth who have so far embraced the opportunities and developing careers in the tourism industry. The government of Rwanda has been very instrumental in supporting the youth to acquire skills from such institutions as Utalii College in Kenya, and others in South Africa, in addition to the home-based colleges such as the Rwanda Tourism University College, AKILA Institute, Remera School of Hospitality under the auspices of the Workforce Development Authority, the Heaven Restaurant (which has a training wing in hospitality and culinary sciences) among others,

which all polish the skills of these young and other practicing Rwandese in the industry. The management of Serena Kigali Hotel has come up with a Serena Initiative, which will work towards expending skills among the industry players through attachment, coaching and mentoring. A platform, the Tourism Skills Council, where the RDB-Tourism and Conservation Department will, on a regular basis, interact with key practitioners in the industry to share experiences and deliberate on best practices and monitoring mechanism, has, too, been created. To ensure a good feedback mechanism, suggestion boxes have been placed in key hotels and

institutions to have comments, recommendations and complaints on a regular basis and work on those areas that require improvement. RDB will also soon open a hotline where complaints The Customer Care Task Force in the Prime Minister’s Office, reinforces RDB in the inspection of standards on a regular basis. As Rwanda continues to excel in a number of governance lattices; zero tolerance to corruption, grassroots service delivery, Doing Business, among others, we believe we can as well work towards, and already treading in the direction of, building a very vibrant breed of professional service providers that respects and sure to reap from the tenets of good customer care.

The said modules have been developed and their teaching has already started. The Ministry of Labour and Public Service (MIFOTRA) has developed, dispatched and implemented Citizens’ Charters which, simply put, are agreements between the public service providers and the consumers with the expectations from both ends clearly defined in terms of timeframes, quality and efficiency with which the services are provided. The implementation of the Citizens’ Charters today stands at 80% and expected to be fully implemented by the end of 2013. On a national level, the government has nominated a Customer Care National Task Force under the Office of the Prime Minister, with a mandate of monitoring and carrying out inspections to establish whether the recommended standards are observed. In this Customer Care Project, the RDB has put in the employ a number of communication conduits so as to reach as many people as possible; radio and television talk-shows, the print media and road-shows that have covered the whole country. Through this mass media campaign, over 2.5 million people have been reached. In the next two years, RDB will embark on behaviour change campaigns. The pre-awareness and awareness campaigns have been successful, now it’s time to monitor the implementation and how service providers put into practice what they have been introduced to. The anticipation is to have all people demand for efficient services and the providers doing so naturally and effortlessly meeting every expectation. They have been given the tools, so we shall continue with the monitoring right from the sector levels where the trainers of trainers have got base.

Customer Care

Customer service improving

Rwanda Development Board enhances Customer Care

Clare Akamanzi, CEO, Rwanda Development Board Among the many activities of Rwanda Development Board (RDB) is to formulate and implement strategies to raise the level of customer care in the public sector

and to work closely with the private sector to ensure quality service delivery. Following a Rwandan saying that “ijya kurisha ihera kwirembo”, several initiatives are

being implemented to raise the level of customer care within RDB and to raise customer care awareness among the public. A Customer Service Charter was developed as a tool that spells out all

Clare Akamanzi, CEO - RDB,

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RDB services in line with creating proper understanding of what RDB does. It is designed to achieve customer service excellence and improve the quality of the business environment in Rwanda. It can be accessed at the RDB website www.rdb.rw and the customer care campaign - NA YOMBI website, www.rdb.rw/nayombi A Customer Satisfaction Survey and an Employee Skills Assessment were carried out early this year to assess the level of customer service at RDB and to capture specific customer care challenges. The findings of both the survey and the assessment have been incorporated into a comprehensive staff training program which started in July 2013. A Service Culture Plan intended to change attitude and drive a culture of providing quality customer care at RDB commenced in July. This will be done through staff training, customer care campaigns and recognition of the best performers in providing good service in the institution. So far, the first training module, “Feelings for Professionals”, is being carried out for all RDB staff. This module is intended to help RDB staff develop and maintain a positive attitude and feel good about themselves and their job. The next module will be “Empowerment” and is designed to make RDB staff appreciate the role of an empowered team in an institution. An empowered employee will do whatever it takes to portray a positive image of his or her institution and confidently make quick on-the-spot decisions to satisfy a customer. Towards the end of the year the entire RDB management team will undergo a 2-day seminar on “Leading Empowered Teams”. In addition to covering topics such as setting and maintaining service standards, removing gaps and developing a service strategy, empowerment and how to create a team spirit, they will also take decisions on customer care issues that were raised by employees during their last 2 programs. Emphasis will be placed on the need for management to walk the talk and drive a service culture. One of the findings of the customer care survey was the lack of appropriate indicators to offices within the building. All floors have been labeled with their numbers and each flow will have a board appropriately placed indicating all services on that floor level. Other improvements to be implemented soon include a more attractive and professionally designed reception areaand the installation of professionally managed call center. The “Na Yombi” national customer care campaign has been on-going for a year. Its aim has been to create awareness in the private sector. During this campaign different awareness messages were sent out to the public through the media including road shows, radio talk shows, newspaper articles and billboards. While last year focused on customer care awareness, we are moving to the second phase of the campaign which is behavior change.

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Customer service improving

Customer service in local governments on right path Members of the public are customers of the government and are therefore supposed to be diligently served. The Public Policy Analyst in the Ministry of Local Government, Fred MUFULUKYE, explains how the Ministry is has dedicated efforts and resources to ensure efficient services delivery. Qn: Briefly tell us about the citizen’s charters and how they are being implemented to meet the citizen’s expectations in the local governments. Ans: The government of Rwanda Vision 2020 emphasizes that in transforming from an agrarian to a knowledgebased economy, service delivery is an engine of Rwanda’s economy. MINALOC family considers service delivery that it is all about people-first process and procedure second and put in the employ a state of the art service delivery and customer care approach. Regulatory framework and standards have been developed (e.g. Ministerial instructions on service delivery adopted by Local

Government councils, according to their suitability covering other sectors like hospitality, banking, health, PSF). The ministry also conducts service delivery inspections in local governments regularly, working closely with the service delivery committees established at district level that inspect service delivery. Standard service charters were developed. All districts have put in place service delivery committees that monitor service delivery in public and private sectors. To further increase on efficiency, district, sector and cell officials were trained on implementation of service charters and sensitized on service delivery.

Imihigo planning and evaluations accommodate a Service Delivery component and the stance of zero tolerance to whoever deliberately contravenes with good governance principles of which service delivery is inclusive have ensured efficiency.

Qn: Who are the other stakeholders that you do work with to polish the quality of services Ans: We work with sectoral ministries like MINISANTE, district’s entities, RGB, RDB, PSF & Associations like RALGA Qn:   Where do you see the state of services delivery in the local government in the next five years?

Qn: What challenges have you so far encountered and what is the way forward? Some local government officials especially at lowest entities have not yet thoroughly internalized the centrality of citizens and their rights–there are those who still see them as “subjects”, rather than being their bosses. Besides, some citizens are not aware of their rights; hence the tendency of not being in position sufficiently demanding for quality service.

money and processes: we need committed people with self-pride (agaciro) and patriotism. We shall keep training and sensitizing our people and service providers.

A quality service at every level is everybody’s concern. We are all involved. We all must do something about it. Everyone is responsible and must ensure it is done– including service seekers. Sensitization of citizens and training of local government officials on service delivery and national development agenda remain our priority. We don’t need a lot of

Given the journey so far traveled in such a short span of time, I can say the future of service delivery is on a bright note. In Local Governments, service delivery was rated at only 60% in 2010 and its now at 80+ as per the recent Governance Score Card, 2012 conducted by RGB. Service delivery will improve tremendously due to the measures put in place and the level of understanding of service delivery among our local leaders and citizens.

Hon James Musoni, Minister of Local Government “In the process of taking capacities closer to the people, such tools as service charters should be accentuated to ensure a high level of accountability, and transparency. Such enablers as will, knowledge, awareness, skills, technology and a positive mindset should always be called into equation to ensure that Citizens’ Charters do not remain theoretical, but practical management tools that incubate tangible results.”

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What Citizens’ Charters are Citizens’ Charters serve as an agreement between public institutions (service Providers) and citizens (beneficiaries), thus they become ipso facto binding for service providers and an entitlement (right) for the beneficiary. Citizens’ Charters are aimed at ensuring that the existing services are known and accessible while at the same time instilling responsiveness to citizen’s needs and promoting transparency and accountability in service delivery which in turn has an effect of increasing citizens’ participation in matters that concern them. In the long run, the Citizens’ Charters decrease opportunities for corrupt practices by increasing transparency and educating citizens about their rights. This eliminates any form of ambiguity—if a citizen has to pay for a service, how much is supposed to be paid? And only that ought to be paid. They do greatly enhance the values of quality service, accountability, standards, value for money, transparency and predictability.

let’s join hands for better service Akirana urugwiro abakugana

www.rdb.rw/nayombi

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Customer service improving

Access Bank (Rwanda) Ltd Upholding the Values of Customer Experience Access Bank (Rwanda) Ltd is one of the financial institutions in Rwanda that upholds the values of customer service and satisfaction with utmost commitment and consistency.The Chief Operating Officer (COO) CHRIS OSISIOGU explains how the Bank attained and is maintaining such high levels of service delivery.

BY THOMAS KAGERA Access Bank (Rwanda) Ltd. has crafted a number of innovations that ensure optimization of front-office processes to improve customer satisfaction and loyalty. Such efforts are both internal and external. Internal Processes for Sustaining Service Excellence in Access Bank The internal efforts are broadly classified into deliberations among staff and rewards for excellent customer service initiatives that enhance the bank’s customer service values. As a major consideration, the bank is structured in such a manner that service attitudes are important component for staff hiring and subsequently consistent training for the right service skills is upheld on daily basis.

Sandra Mugeni, Customer Service Staff 2012

This right service attitude makes the staff members to willingly make sacrifices on

daily basis in order to have sufficient time to deliberate on service related matters – staff share experiences and supervisors direct the learning process to help improve on service behaviours for each day; there is a lot of deliberations on opportunities for emerging issues within the industry and issues peculiar to the bank like new products or service initiatives that are being shared amongst staff members. These deliberation platforms also provide opportunity for customers’ complaints to be adequately reviewed, shared with all staff and processes put in place to address such complaints and avoid recurrence on a sustainable basis. The bank has a structured Reward Tool that motivates staff members to always be at their best. The reward structure identifies staff members that have excelled on giving customers pleasant experience and such staff are rewarded both in terms of cash and non-cash motivations. This practice creates a healthy competition within the system and consistently motivates every staff to give their best shot at service. In Access Bank everyone is part of the service drive – it is not just the internal staff even the support staff are all part of the game. The bank takes time to train the security personnel attached to all its branches to ensure that the customer experience from the entrance back to the exit is pleasant in such a fashion that customers will always

Jean Claude Karayenzi, Managing Director

MD’s notes Excellent Customer Service is the “raison d’etre” of the Bank. We have an open door policy for all staff of the Bank including myself in order to be accessible and as close as possible to our customers. One of our core values is Passion for customers; we live this value on daily basis by always putting ourselves in our customers position with a great dose of dedication and commitment.

Customer Care

Customer service improving

SEPTEMBER 10, 2013

wish to return. The bank has mapped its customer impression points and the elements around it and have designed the service experience at all the points with an outside in approach i.e. what do customers want along the touch points and then have created the desired experience and trained personnel and programmed systems/ channels to act in line with the customer needs along the service points.

External Processes for Sustaining Excellent Customer Experience in Access Bank The bank has adopted customer service international best practice assessment process through external parties who mystery shop the activities of the bank in all the branches with a view to validating behaviours relating to Customer Service, Office Ambience and Speed of Service Delivery. Performances of the branches are rated on a scale of 1-5 stars; with 5 being the best rating. It is instructive to note that with the level of engagement within the bank on service issues, the rating has consistently fallen within the range of 4-4.5*. Best Customer Service on international scale are usually measured on the basis of five star and such service companies like Singapore Airlines pride themselves as 5* service performers. Feedback The bank is passionate about customers’ feedbacks and has put processes in place to encourage such feedbacks. The bank analyses every feedback received and recommendations are implemented within the framework of the bank’s service standards. As part of the service attitude, staff members are always willing to note down informal feedbacks and pass same across to the bank in order to improve on service delivery The future

Chris Osisiogu, Chief Operating Officer

The Vision of Access Bank as a group is to be the World’s most respected African Bank and we know that customer experience is critical to realizing this vision. As a bank and player in the service sector, we shall passionately pursue every action that will promote sustainable excellent customer service. The bank has taken customers through the stages of getting our services from a mere meeting of their needs (normal and expected) to ‘easy’ and are now projecting to passionately move the customers to the level of ‘enjoyable’, where every customer enjoys the way he/she gets a service and every single interaction with the bank; with an excitable memory.

In Access Bank everyone is part of the service drive – it is not just the internal staff even the support staff are all part of the game. The bank takes time to train the security personnel attached to all its branches to ensure that the customer experience from the entrance back to the exit is pleasant in such a fashion that customers will always wish to return.

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Customer Care

Customer service improving

SEPTEMBER 10, 2013

What Tigo-Matic does Tigo-Matic, is a staple of a modern digital lifestyle. In our “on the go world”, convenience to our customer is key. This makes the platform an innovative and easy way to access Tigo products and services even when the branch is closed.

Q&A’s Q What do I need for a

Tigo Cash transaction? A Your PIN and Mobile phone

Q What more can I do with Tigo-Matic? A You can buy Airtime or recover SIM card (SIM Swap)

Q Where can I access it? A At Tigo in Muhima and soon country-wide

Q When can I access it? A 24/7

Tigo Customer Care: Dial 456 from a Tigo Phone or 0721 000 456 from any other number. For further information on Tigo Products & Services, Visit: www.tigo.co.rw.

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Customer service improving

At I&M Bank (Rwanda) Ltd, you will love the difference I&M BANK Rwanda Ltd (formerly Banque Commerciale du Rwanda Ltd.) Managing Director, MR. SANJEEV ANAND gives us insight into how the bank has crafted different products to ensure that customers receive quick , reliable and cost effective services. THE NEW TIMES’ THOMAS KAGERA brings you the excerpts.

and VAT. We are also introducing the payment of non-fiscal taxes (Fees) for Drivers license, passports, land registration, and so much more. eUniversity is another electronic service provided by I&M Bank Rwanda Ltd, to facilitate university fee processing services- supporting a swift and accurate student fee crediting system, reducing the time spent by both the university staff and students in the registration process. We are also integrating with telecom companies to use mobile money services to allow for example a construction company which wants to pay salaries to their workers some of whom may not have a bank account, to access their salaries securely through their mobile phones, telecom mobile money agents.

Q A

Last year you launched a customer service charter. Do you tie in staff appraisals to customer service delivery?

The way we do it is that objectives are set, we have business and strategic goals which account for approximately 75% and there also those directly or indirectly based on customer service but there are those that constitute of 25% which are meant for softer skills. Among those are how you interact with your colleagues, how you interact with your team, how you interact with outsiders and most importantly how you interact with customers.

Mr Sanjeev Anand, Managing Director

Q A

Give us a brief overview of the bank’s customer care best practice.

First and foremost what I would like to say is that in the banking sector there’s stiff competition; second we are a service industry unlike other sectors where material is produced. A service is rather intangible; if am producing a pen then you can feel and see for yourself that the pen is good. A banking service is difficult to visualize. That is why in the service industry customer service is very important and fundamental. We do not market a service or a product just because we have to. What I mean is that if we came up with a certain type of a loan and it does not make sense for a customer, we should be the first to alert the customer that; ‘you should not to take it, it’s not meant for you.’ I think that is what is called responsible banking. To both sides, this is important.

If any letter of appreciation comes from our customers, we include it in the staff’s personal file, for reference during appraisals. In the same manner if a complaint is reported and can can be pinpointed to a particular staff, whatever their rank, it is referred to during appraisals. Customer service at I&M Bank (Rwanda) is a passion. As such we have a detailed service charter indicating delivery parameters for all services such as time spent at the branch to withdraw funds, apply for credit etc. We strive to deliver a high standard of service across the country and the region.

Feedback from our customers is fundamental

Peace Uwimbabazi, Customer Service Manager, gives a summary of how feedback from customers directly feeds into the bank’s service strategy

Mainly through suggestion boxes in all our branches. We also conducted a customer service survey in February 2013 to identify the service gaps. These gaps have since been closed but we continue to receive feedback through various avenues such as our toll free number 3227, via email at [email protected] or one on one meetings at our branches. We also hold customer forums for feedback and sharing of information which are led by our business teams and Managing Director on a quarterly basis.

Q A

What should I&M Bank (Rwanda) Ltd., potential and current customers look forward to

We now offer services in four countries- Rwanda, Kenya, Tanzania and Mauritius, altogether bringing a network of 55 branches. One of the products that I can call a baby of I&M Bank (Rwanda) Ltd., is “BRISK transfers’’ which allows customers to transfer money easily between Rwanda, Kenya, and Tanzania securely and at a competitive fee. We welcome all our regional customers to come and enjoy this service.

Whoever comes to us, we assure you, you will love the difference.

Pay your RRA taxes and charges anytime, anywhere

ONLINE BANKING INSTRUCTIONS Steps you will follow:

1. Log on to I&M Bank Rwanda website on www.bcr.co.rw 2. Select online Banking 3. Log in your usernme and password 4. Select RRA tax 5. Select E-Tax payment 6. Type in your reference number 7. Select paymet option 8. Select account to debit 9. Confirm the amount to be paid 11. Transaction is completed

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The beauty of electronic banking is that its reach is global.

MOBILE BANKING INSTRUCTIONS

Mobile and internet banking allows the bank to achieve two things; one is to access more and more customers and the second is to deliver service efficiently in terms of cost, both to the customer and the bank. Our goal is to one day deliver every banking service through these electronic channels. . . Internet and mobile banking are the communication channels we use to offer a wide range of services, for example: Checking account balances, retrieving mini or full statements, making funds transfers, paying bills such as electricity, and coming soon you will be able to pay your water bill. We were the first bank to introduce eTax which allows taxpayers to use the internet or their mobile phones to pay taxes such as PAYE, Corporate Tax, Customs duties

How do you get feedback from your customers?

10. Printable reciept is generated

Electronic banking has been a strong focus for the bank. The bank was even awarded the Chief Information Officer (CIO) award 2013, which is granted to institutions who use technology effectively to facilitate service. Can you tell us more about these services?.

A

Q A

Steps you will follow:

1. Dial *227# and enter your password 2. Select RRA Tax (number 8) 3. Insert your reference number from RRA 4. Account to be creadited is automatically generated 5. Select account to debit 6. Confirm your amount to be paid

7. Transaction compleed Peace Uwimbabazi, Customer Service Manager

8. SMS notification of successful transaction is recieved

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MTN surpasses expectations The MTN General Manager Customer Operations NORMAN MUNYAMPUNDU explains the innovations and actions the telecommunications company has crafted over the years to deliver quality, efficient and five-star services to all customers across the geographical expanse of Rwanda and beyond. The New Times’ THOMAS KAGERA writes.

M

ay you briefly give us a general overview of customer care relations in MTN; how do you handle your customers, what strategies have you put in place to see that you serve your customers to their and at times surpass their expectations? Thank you very much. At MTN, all we do is embedded in the Company’s mission “To make our customer’s lives a whole lot brighter”. In the highly competitive world in which we live, it is essential to have excellent service delivery initiatives that support your products and services in order to be considered a serious

player in the market. But on their own, these won’t win you the hearts or the hard cash of your customers. This is why most organizations around the world are turning to the most important aspect of perceived value. This is where you create opportunities to go the extra mile to provide services and features that your customers’ value. MTN Rwanda a leading telecommunication company has been in operation since 1998 with over 3.6 million Subscribers, and still growing. The company continues to offer new and innovative products and services and keeps up with the latest trends in communications to satisfy its customers while ensuring excellent customer service. At MTN, making the first impression counts a lot to the customer’s experience. Customer Service consultants are professionally trained to welcome customers with a warm, sincere “Hello” with a Smile. At MTN, Human touch, personal care and commitment define customer service. We go extra mile to make our customers feel that we are delighted to be serving them and that their relationship with us is important. This has motivated MTN customers to continue

visiting customer touch points like MTN service centers and authorized dealer shops to get more MTN products and Services. Our customer facing staffs are trained professionally to proactively take the initiative to own customer’s problem, follow up and making sure that customer problems are resolved promptly and to the customer’s expectation. In the process of problem resolution, the customer is updated accordingly. Through customer service training and empowerment initiatives, customer Service consultants are able to explain and advise customers on a variety of MTN competitive products and services that benefit customers. Through market surveys, MTN has put on the market products and services that satisfy the customers’ voice and data needs. With population coverage of 98.7%, MTN has continued to provide a vast and stable network. With MTN, our esteemed customers are able to remain connected “everywhere they go”. We have provided our customers with the most reliable high speed broad band internet connectivity. We have so far rolled out 2,000km of fibre across the country and connected numerous companies and individuals. We have also rolled out 3.75G/2G in most areas of the country. MTN has put in place a distribution network across the country for all its products and services ensuring that the products are within easy reach for all MTN customers wherever they are. Most to be proud of, MTN opened a total of 17 Service centers evenly distributed across the country. Customers are able to be served directly by MTN staff whether in Kigali or upcountry. The service centers are open 7 days a week. Mondays to Fridays from 8:00Am to 8:00Pm and Saturdays and Sundays from 9:00Am to 5:00Pm. We also have a call center that works 7 days/24 hours.

MTN General Manager Customer Operations, Norman Munyampundu.

Below is the list of MTN Service centers: Kigali Service centers: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9.

Nyarutarama Service centre UTC Service centre Rubangura Service centre Giporoso Service centre Nyabugogo Service centre Nyamirambo Service center Kimironko Service center Giporoso MM Shop Nyabugogo MM Shop

Up country Service centers; 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

Gisenyi Service centre Rwamagana Service centre Rusizi Service centre Nyagatare Service center Ruhengeri Service center Huye Service center Muhanga Service center Kabarondo Service center

In order to be close to our high valued customers and corporate organizations, we have put in place key account management. Most corporate organizations have direct contact person in MTN who can be contacted any time any day for a service. This has tremendously improved the way we serve our high value customers and corporate organisations. What do you consider to be unique MTN attributes in terms of customer care? The unique MTN attribute in terms of Customer care is embedded in the saying “I am the customer experience”. At MTN, we develop and grow personal and friendly relationships with our customers. Empowering our Customer service consultants to go extra mile when serving the customer. At MTN, we do everything with energy, urgency, and passion. We always challenge how we do things so that we always do them better than before and serve customers by going the extra mile beyond their expectations and hence adding value to the moment of truth through a number of personal customer insights. At MTN, we know who our customers are and what their needs and wants are. We know what and how to deliver against these needs and wants. We understand our role in the total customer service experience. We are passionate and committed to our customers, both internally and externally. MTN always goes beyond the call of duty in putting customers first as we ensure delivery of

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in customer service them so that they can better serve customers and grow their businesses. MTN Mobile Money service has created new opportunities for Rwandese to engage in the business. At the moment we have over 1,800 Mobile Money agents. We have supported them by ensuring system stability and providing extensive training. MTN has also provided internet service to most internet cafes in Rwanda. Many business men who own internet cafes have managed to grow their business because of the good quality and well supported MTN internet service. What can you say is the status of customer care in the country today?

An MTN employee attending to one of their customers. exceptional customer service. I was impressed when one customer told me:

We have ensured stock availability to the Franchisees and Distributors; we have provided Customer service training to their agents and trained

I would say customer care is improving in Rwanda. Not long ago, it was really very poor. Today there is good improvement. You will find that in any strategic business forums, Customer care is high on the agenda. Share holders, CEOs, Chief Marketing officers, Chief customer Officers value Customer service much more than ever before. And with the continued development of Rwanda, competition has dug its teeth in every sector and more so in the service sector; Customer care is now the only differentiator especially for companies providing the same service.

“I prefer MTN above all other communication brands, and I always tell people about it. MTN has great people, who care about me and my needs”. As MTN you do not only do the business of providing services but there are instances when you do support businesses to grow for example through the different products. What are those different products that you have brought on board as MTN that are supporting businesses of individuals grow especially through this office of customer care? MTN does not only participate in many corporate social responsibilities but also introduced products and services that have helped many Rwandans to set up personal businesses. For example, through distribution channel, MTN has worked closely and supported Franchisees and distributors to distribute and sell MTN products and services which include Airtime vouchers, Virtual top up, handsets etc.

Customers being attended to at an MTN Service Centre.

We appreciate RDB’s Customer care awareness campaigns. In Rwanda and this time around, everyone knows that good Customer care is one’s right. When I walk into a bank and am not received well I demand my rights. That’s why people have started using social media to air out their concerns about customer service. So the last word to individuals, institutions and other service providers in relation to customer care? What I would say to the public is to call upon every organization; small or big, government or private to invest in customer service. Without good customer service companies may close. You may have better products and services but without good customer service you won’t go far.

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Customer service improving

Rwanda Tourism University College

Setting pace in training for world-class hospitality services The passion for the industry among the players has also been at a very low ebb—the employers wanting to make a quick buck and the employees, because of the poor motivation serving without commitment, with none prioritizing training and no budget allocation to that effect. This is why RTUC puts much emphasis on attitude and mindset change. A good service that is to be paid for has to be unique and superior. From 2006, the RTUC Consultancy Unit has trained about 1000 service providers through the in-house and short term courses. The graduates so far released into the labour market are 400, all of who have already got absorbed in the employment stream. Hand-on and internship All RTUC trainees have to go through an industrial attachment programme—either in local or regional institutions—that last five months for the short courses and six for the undergraduates.

RTUC learners are equipped with hands-on skills that make them yearned for employees on the labour market

The RTUC Rector, MR CALLIXTE KABERA explains how the institution, the pioneer in training for the hospitality industry, has managed to set the bar notches higher by supplying professionals to the Rwanda market and aspiring to feed the industry into becoming the number one customer service providers in the region.

BY THOMAS KAGERA

T

he Rwanda Tourism University College (RTUC) was founded in 2006 with a spirit of enhancing the values of customer care and service delivery by offering vocational skills in food production, customer care, front office management, housekeeping and laundry operations and, tour and travel operations. The University offers three types of training including; In-house training, pioneered by RTUC in 2006 where the Consultancy Unit of the University goes to the clients and train their employees—mainly in the hotels and tour and travel companies. Short Courses: These were started in 2008 as one year programmes but today last for 11/2 years, mostly in tour and travel, air ticketing, among others. The students are first introduced to the hospitality industry in the first six months in general terms, after which they choose specific areas of preference for specialization--in areas such as cargo handling, cabin crew, tour guiding and administration and in all customer care is key. The Customer Service module is run for a period of six months tailored to the Rwanda market needs, with practical emphasis on; attitude, behavior, basic business ethics and the art of work to strengthen customer care skills, so that any employer that recruits an RTUC alumni does not invest in retooling and orientation.

Currently, there are about 150 trainees attached to different 5-Star hotels in the Uganda, Kenya and Arusha. The internship programmes for internees are split into two periods; one in 3rd year 2nd semester and in 4th year 2nd semester. A learner cannot graduate without completing the requirements of the internship programme which is a function of the industry of attachment, the supervisor and the report submitted by the trainee. Win-win Employers should do their businesses a great leap of support by employing people whose mindsets have already been shaped through training and therefore understand the overall hospitality industry as well as individual clients’ requirement. The RTUC alumni are already making a difference in their respective places of work in Kigali Serena Hotel, Lemigo Hotel, Sports View Hotel, RwandAir, Qatar Airways, Kenya Airways, Ethiopian Airways, Mille Collines Hotel, Chez Lando Hotel and big tour companies among others. The 2011 employee of the year at Kigali Serena Hotel, for example, was a short-course student of RTUC. Evaluation The evaluation so far indicates that there is movement in the right direction in professionalizing the hospitality services. The quality of services has registered an upward trend but the number of professional service providers is still insufficient. In a recent National Skills

Survey,(June, 2012) commissioned by RDB-HCID and carried out by OWN & Associates Limited, it was established that with the current state of affairs, the hospitality industry has a labor gap of 7,000 hospitality professionals. There is also constant interaction between the employers and RTUC, providing an avenue and refining what more of should be included in the curriculum. The other good aspect in the industry is that the mindset of the employers is changing having realized the importance of working with the professionals, the industry is changing, the trends and takes are higher and the clients are more demanding. As RTUC, we are strengthening the training facilities becoming a greater influence in the hospitality industry, upgrading the curriculum and working with other institutions such as WDA and Kitabi College in keeping at par with international hospitality trends. June 2013 RTUC hosted the 8th Africa ATLAS Conference that brought together 320 international scholars in the tourism sector, with 20 research papers from RTUC staff presented then and to be presented in the International Tourism Referral Journal. This way, RTUC is contributing to the visibility of the tourism industry in Rwanda. Qualified and Competent RTUC has significantly contributed to the training of qualified and competent service providers in the hospitality industry. We are however not relenting. WE have continued to build partnerships with such international brands as Mariott, Serena and Dubai World. As pioneers in training for the industry, we have continued to invest in building the capacities of the trainers with 17 of RTUC staff now at different levels of completing PhDs and Masters programmes. National business ethics are getting shaped to match the global levels—and there is no short cut to giving a good service without training. Political Commitment Polishing the values of customer is a national issue with a strong political commitment where the government of Rwanda has developed concerted efforts and strategies to pragmatically address the challenge. With such pace and commitment, Rwanda will be number one customer service providers in five years to come. The role of RTUC in this will be training for the industry. We have so far demonstrated that we can, and we are committed to do much more.

RTUC has specialized lecturers in customer service some of who have been approved and accredited by the Tourism Chamber as trainers. The Degree Programme takes in students who trained for 4 years in Tourism Management and BIT. Responding to the root causes As an institution that is a visionary of the hospitality industry, we have identified some of the causes of the poor customer care in the country for which we are training to alleviate. Hospitality industry is very young in the country, therefore has not had professionals qualified enough to deliver services to the client’s expectations. As RTUC, our commitment is embedded in providing short-term and long term skills to address this challenge. This explains why we have short courses and degree courses; meeting the immediate customer service skills needs and preparing a new breed of professionals for the growing hospitality industry. The employers, for a long time have also viewed hospitality service providers as an aspect that does not require professionals—and so employed their relatives who are paid pittance, poorly motivated and serve with little enthusiasm.

Some of the RTUC graduates like these ones have ventured into events management