Online Reporter
Your Money, Your Call
Cresencia Marjorie Chiremba
THERE is a quiet ache in the marketplace right now.
You can feel it in the clipped tone of the cashier, the distracted nod of the receptionist and the autoreply that never quite answers your question. After years of economic strain, digital acceleration and service fatigue, something vital has gone missing in our customer experience landscape: soul.
As we step into 2026, I believe we are being called to restore it. We will not fix this with slogans or loyalty points, nor with another chatbot or a re-branded call centre. Restoration requires something deeper: a return to service that is intentional, human and dignifying.
We need service that sees people (not just profiles), service that listens (not just logs) and service that remembers (not just records).
This year, I challenge every business — from the corner salon to the national bank — to ask a simple but radical question: What does it mean to serve with soul?
The cost of hollow efficiency
We have spent the last few years chasing efficiency: faster checkouts, shorter queues and more automation. While much of this was necessary, we stripped away the warmth in the rush to streamline. We have trained staff to follow scripts instead of reading situations; we have replaced eye contact with QR codes and we have turned customer care into a numbers game.
The result?
A service culture that is technically functional but emotionally barren. Customers feel it.
They may not always articulate it, but they know when they are being “handled” instead of helped. They know when a smile is forced, an apology is scripted or a “valued customer” message is anything but sincere. The truth is simple: People do not remember transactions; they recall how you made them feel.
Rise of soulful brands
The good news is that a new kind of brand is emerging — one that puts soul at the centre of service. These are the businesses that train for empathy, not just efficiency. They empower staff to make judgement calls and design experiences around care, not just conversion.
I think of the small clinic in Avondale that calls elderly patients the day before their appointments — not just to confirm, but to check how they are feeling. Talk of the boutique in Borrowdale that wraps every purchase with a handwritten thank you note. Or the mobile network that, after a billing error, followed up with a personal call and a month of free data — not that they had to, but because they understood the inconvenience they caused. These are not grand gestures; they are deeply human ones. They build the kind of loyalty no algorithm can replicate.
What soulful service looks like
Practically, to serve with soul in 2026 means prioritising:
Presence over performance: Being fully attentive in the moment, not just ticking boxes.
Empathy over efficiency: Taking time to understand the customer’s context, not just their complaint.
Consistency over charisma: Delivering small, reliable acts of care — not just flashy ones.
Dignity over dominance: Treating every customer with respect, regardless of status, mood or mistake.
It also means creating workplaces where staff feel seen and supported. You cannot pour from an empty cup. If your team is burnt out, underpaid or micromanaged, no amount of training will produce soulful service.
Culture must flow inwards before it can flow outwards.
A personal reflection
After a decade of studying service cultures, I have realised that the most powerful service is not always the most polished — it is the most personal. It is the hotel receptionist who remembers your name. The barista who notices when you have had a hard day.
The bank teller who explains a form without making you feel small. In a world that often feels rushed and transactional, soulful service is a quiet act of resistance. It says: You matter. I see you. I am here to help.
A call to reimagine
As we begin this new year, I invite you — whether you are a chief executive officer or a cashier — to reimagine what service could be.
It is not just a function; it is a force. Not just a job, but a gesture. Let us train for kindness. Let us design for dignity. Let us measure not just how fast we serve, but how deeply we connect.
In 2026, the brands that rise will not be those with the loudest ads or the slickest apps — they will be the ones that remember what it means to serve with soul. That is the kind of service revolution I am here for.
Cresencia Marjorie Chiremba is a marketing and customer service consultant, customer experience columnist, and sales and service trainer. Contact details: [email protected] or +263712979461, 0719978335, 0772978335, www.customersuccess.co.zw
