adminKuda Pembere Business Reporter
Companies have been urged to be more customer -centric to keep up with the service industry, that is fast emerging as the future of global business, Zambian Contact Centre Association chairperson Dr Maureen Mwanawasa has said. Dr Mwanawasa said that customer service, which will account for at least half of Africa’s gross domestic product, is already a catalyst for economic and social growth in the continent. She was the guest of honour at the Contact Centre Association of Zimbabwe service excellence awards last week.
“Yes we can talk of agriculture, and mining, however, the service industry is also the future with potential to boost various economies of Africa.
“As we all recognise the vital economic and social role that Zimbabwe’s tourism industry plays to the economy, fostering a culture of service excellence must therefore certainly be high on the national agenda,” she said.
She added that as customer experience is the next competitive battleground, hence Zimbabwean businesses should not be left out. She urged local companies to leverage on proper customer service to become competitive globally. “Let it be known that there is only one boss, the customer and the customer can fire anybody in the company from the chairman, simply by spending their money somewhere else,” said Dr Mwanawasa. She also urged the business community to invest in specific customer service training at executive, middle management and staff levels to become more profitable as service oriented organisations are becoming profitable.
Dr Mwanawasa also noted the importance of call centres to build customer loyalty. She said that every organisation needs to have a call centre which serves as its service delivery laboratory. African Sun scooped a service excellence award in the hospitality sector, while Pathfinder took the best road transport award and Emirates Airlines landed the best air transport award.
Africom took the first position in the internet service providers’ category, Econet Wireless was the best telecommunication service provider and BancABC received the top award in the banking sector category.
Other winners include Chicken Slice, Greatermans, Africa University, Moonlight Funeral Assurance Company, The Avenues Clinic, OK Zimbabwe and Safeguard Security. Unilever grabbed the best service quality award while, Telecel Zimbabwe got the best call centre award. Mbada Diamonds scored the best corporate social responsibility award and STC Private limited was the best information communication technology vendor.
African Sun’s group chief executive Dr Shingi Munyeza was named the best private sector executive of the year while the Minister of Tourism and Hospitality industry Engineer Walter Mzembi was voted the best executive public sector figure.
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