For the first time in the history of Ghana, customer service, particularly within Ghana’s burgeoning tourism sector, will come to the fore during the global customer day celebration which is marked in October of every year. And, the main objective will be putting a spotlight on customer service as key driver for growth and development within the tourism sector and to help identify means of improving customer service as well celebrating individuals and service providers performing exceptionally well in the provision of excellent service.
The National Tourism Customer Service Week, which was launched on the 3rd of August, 2021, at the scenic poolside of the Labadi Beach Hotel, will be a week-long celebration filled with different yet exciting activities. Commencing from October 4, 2021, the National Tourism Customer Service Week will aim at taking inventory of customer service practices specifically among enterprises operating within the tourism sector and strategically curating training programmes to enhance quality service delivery in Ghana.
Executive Director of Service Excellence Ambassadors Foundation, Caleb Kofie, who is the brain behind this initiative says the focus is on the tourism sector because of the sector’s potential of creating more jobs and stimulating sustained economic growth. Speaking at the official launch of the event, Mr. Kofie stressed the need to hold the customer in a high esteem irrespective any prevailing circumstance. “The cliché that the customer is always right and is the king is always true”, Caleb Kofie intimated during his opening speech.
To further boost better customer experience, however, Mr. Kofie, admonished industry players to build the needed collaboration and synergy, particularly in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, to promote the national initiative of improving customer service delivery in the country.
The first National Customer Service Week celebration is under the theme “Redefining Excellence through Experience”.
Remarks by Deputy Tourism, Art and Culture Minister
Deputy Minister of Tourism, Art and Culture, Mark Okraku Mantey delivering the keynote address expressed his passion he has for customer service. “Today is a great day for me, where I am now and that we are going to change our mindset about how we treat people”, he remarked.
In his view, customer services is one of the easiest thing to do making reference to the hackneyed Biblical verse “Do unto others as you want others to do unto you”. According to Mr. Mantey there should be no conflict in treating others you wish to be treated.
The value of better customer experience, according the Deputy Minister, cannot be underemphasized. A bad customer experience by extension could ruin a business forever. He has advised service providers to embrace quality service delivery hinting his ministry has put on its policy radar the issue of customer service as means of improving revenue generation within the tourism sector.