The Voice (Francistown)
Zeph Kajevu
22 April 2008
column
Francistown — Wame Rankolobete, a waitress at Nandos Restaurant in Game City, is this week's Consumer Watchdog column award winner for customer service excellence. The ever-smiling Thamaga-born Rankolobete, who has the energy of a 16-year-old lass at the age of 28, won and earned the customer service star stewardship barely a year into her service with the Nandos family of restaurants.
Rankolobete told The Voice: "Since I started working in the services industry in 2000, I have learnt the importance of fundamentals such as recognizing customers, calling them by name, smiling and making them feel special. At the end of their shopping experience, this customer-oriented service strategy will motivate them to return to do business with you again. That means you must do whatever it takes to ensure that your customers, regardless of the time of the day they patronize the restaurant, are satisfied with every meal and beverage they order and cherish the interactions that they have with employees in the supply chain. You must make it a joyful experience for customers to bring business to your restaurant and at every juncture by removing tedious processes that come in the way of good customer service."
Rankolobete, a senior secondary graduate of Moshupa School, said that she rose through the promotion ladder from sales assistant to services manager when she worked in the liquor restaurant and general dealer businesses in Molepolole and Letlhakeng in Boteti sub-District from 2000 to 2004. When she felt that she could not be promoted to a more senior position, the adventurous Rankolobete braved it out as an untrained school teacher at Retlhatloleng Primary from January 2005 to December 2006.
"These two job settings unfolded some hidden talents, passions, fantasies and dislikes that I had not been aware of. Although I could not complain about much of the liquor and general dealers business, I realized that I was not comfortable to interact with drunks. While I valued my contribution as a teacher, my voice grew hoarse from the day's talking, compounded by continuous repetitions in the event of more challenging subjects. But the two singled out my passion for person-to-person interactions and hence realised this dream barely a year in the employ of Nandos. I obeyed the old adage: 'When you reach the end of a tether, tie a knot.'"
In her day-to-day business, apart from helping with dish-washing, Rankolobete's chore business involves attending to customers' needs and ensuring that they receive their orders with minimum delays. "Because customers enjoy personal attention, I make them comfortable by offering them a free table from which they can make orders. I have to explain the respective menus on order and give advice on what is best for children and adults alike.
"But customers would not have appreciated my service had it not been for the emotional support of management and colleagues. My tribute goes to Game City Nandos Management team, who include Challenge Nhamoyebonde, Bakang Ramolale and Rose Mowale, and my colleagues."
Rankolobete, who is yet to come up with what she would aspire to be in the next five years, calls on the entire staff to give customers the best service, benchmarking with top-of-the-range restaurants. "Speedy service delivery and giving customers the right order and complementary remarks have become the in-house trade names for good customer service," she said.
Colleen Meyrick, one of Nandos Game City's regular patrons, said that the restaurant has become one of the most popular fast food hot spots serving the most delicious takeaways. "I cannot wait to dine at Nandos because of its superb customer service that is taking Gaborone by storm."
According to one of the managers, Nhamoyebonde, implementing a service strategy has, however, required long-term commitment that begins with the hiring of catering staff that genuinely enjoy working with customers and training them on the art of meeting desired service standards. "The Voice is celebrating Nandos Game City for the second time in 2008 because it has become one of the most customer-centric restaurants in Botswana through delivering speedy, ambience, price and all round service," he said. "Over the years, the focus has been spending more on customer service as it is the least expensive input for building a powerful brand."
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