The ServiceMag Issue 22 by The ServiceMag

ISSUE 22: JUNE - AUG 2015

Rwanda Social Security Board “Enhancing your quality of service everyday” Imitangire ya serivisi mu bigo nderabuzima FIND US ONLINE

7 days 8 restaurants in Kigali Vos communications incitent-elles les gens à passer à l'action?

FOCUS STORY: MTN Rwanda welcoming a new CEO

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Founder Sandra Idossou: sidossou@theservicemag.com Publisher Gerald Mpyisi: gerald.mpyisi@theservicemag. com Online Editor: Simon Corden: simon@theservicemag.com

n the last issue, the founder and former publisher of this magazine, Sandra Idossou, bid us farewell. According to Sandra, the idea of becoming a publisher had never crossed her mind. When I asked her what eventually changed her mind to venture into unfamiliar and fairly risky waters, her answer revealed the entrepreneurial spirit in her. From a mere idea borne out of a need to utilize her free time usefully, she started the service magazine working from her home. Five years on, this humble beginning has turned into one of the most widely read (5,000 copies) and respected magazines in the country. After 5 years at the helm of the magazine Sandra has passed on the baton. The new management wishes her success in her new endeavours.

The policy of the magazine has been to focus on promoting and raising awareness of customer service in Rwanda â&#x20AC;&#x201C; an area that is critical to the development of the country as it distinguishes itself as a service hub and MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions) tourism destination in Africa.While we are cognisant of the long and arduous journey ahead to get to the level of service delivery desired, and conscious of the business challenges faced by the print media in general and business magazines in particular, the new management believes in this policy and intends to maintain it and to raise the quality of the content and feel of the magazine to a higher level. The new management brings on board people with illustrious careers and experience in business and government. Among our immediate plans are to change the magazine from a quarterly to a monthly publication beginning with the fourth quarter and to circulate it beyond the current two countries of Rwanda and Burundi. As we embark on this journey with optimism buoyed up by an enthusiastic team of professionals, we invite you to join us by sharing your business knowledge and experiences. For the business community, the ServiceMag is a great forum through which you can kill two birds with one stone by supporting the promotion of a quality service culture and introducing your products and services to thousands of our readers in the East African region. For those planning to invest in Rwanda and Burundi there is no better medium to introduce your products and services. We invite you to engage with us.

Design & Layout: Conti-net Designs Ltd: info@continetdesigns. net English Editor: Aryantungyisa Otiti: aryantu@theservicemag. com Kinyarwanda Editor: Gaspard Habarurema: gaspard@theservicemag.com French Editor: Diana Ramarohetra: com

diana@theservicemag.

Marketing Consultants: Jean Paul Uwayezu: +250 788 781 562/ 788 746 061 jeanpaul@theservicemag.com Eva Gara: +250 782 029 803 Bea Umwiza: +250 788 304 226 Photography: High Media Studio: highmediastudio@yahoo.fr Contributors: Gerald Mpyisi, Sandra Idossou, Arnaud Nganji, Jean Pierre Lauzier, Gatete Thierry Kevin, Jerry O. Were, Thomas Oppong, Yinka Olaito, Hermann H. Cakpo, Gloria Ilibagiza, Eddie Heh, Dr. Rachna Pande, Efua Hagan The following organizations supported us in producing this issue: Rwanda Social security Board (RSSB), Rwandair Airtel, MTN Rwanda, Aflink, Akagera Business Group, Akagera Aviation, Igihe, Bralirwa, Tigo Disclaimer: The opinions, articles and photos in The Servicemag & The Servicemag On-line do not necessarily reflect those of the editor, publishers or their agents. While every care is taken to ensure the accuracy in preparing this magazine, The ServiceMag assumes no responsibility in effects risen there from and cannot accept responsibility for accidental loss of errors in articles and pictures.

Publisher gerald.mpyisi@theservicemag.com

The ServiceMag Rwanda Tel: +250 788 781 562 email: info@theservicemag.com advert@theservicemag.com www.theservicemag.com KNOWLEDGE IS POWER

June-Aug 2015

Contents At your service - 54

SALES & MARKETING What is a brand? - 16 Attirer beaucoup de clients qui désirent faire des affaires avec vous - 18 Vos communications incitent-elles les gens à passer à l’action? - 20 Les objections en vente : symptômes d’un mauvais focus - 22

Cover Story RSSB: Enhancing your quality of service everyday - 24

ICT 8 approaches to handle critical online situation - 56

Plus... Where we have been – 28 Hospitality Perspectives – 32 Youth Talk - 42 Have your say – 44 They wowed us – 47 Feature story -50 Fashion – 58

BUSINESS MANAGEMENT 4ways the cloud can help your business - 34

Pictorial – 60

Corporate communication: 8 essential demands - 36 Quel est le rôle de la formation au sein de votre entreprise? - 46

CUSTOMER SERVICE Commitment is the difference between Excellence and Mediocrity - 11 Imitangire ya serivisi mu bigo nderabuzima - 12 Kunoza serivisi zo kwita ku bakiriya - 14

TSM Best Service Awards -52

ADVERTORIALS MTN Rwanda assures Rwandans on strong company growth - 6

“A brand should strive to own a word in the mind of the consumer.” Al Reis and Laura Reis

Mr. Gunter Engling: the new MTN CEO - 9

YOUR HEALTH MATTERS Imyitwarire 6 utagomba kugira iyo kuzamurwa mu ntera bitinze wari ubitegereje -40 Cervical spondylosis-health hazard of office workers -48

Rwanda’s first woman Deputy Executive in Telecoms - 38 June-Aug 2015 5

ADVERTORIAL

MTN Rwanda, being the oldest telecom in the market, commands the largest market share compared to its peers; Tigo and Airtel Rwanda.

rystal Telecom, a subsidiary of Crystal Ventures Limited (CVL) recently announced its sale of its MTN Rwanda shares in an Initial Public Offering (IPO).

This means that the Rwandan public now has a chance of investing in the blue-chip company, which has been operating in the Rwandan telecom industry since 1998. In an exclusive interview with The ServiceMag, Ebenezer Asante, Chief Executive Officer of MTN Rwanda, explained why Crystal Telecom shares are a good buy for investors. “When you are buying shares, you are buying into the future of the business. And how is the future of MTN Rwanda positioned if one may ask? You are able to tell the future from how MTN is positioned today and also in terms of how the country is positioned as far as how the industry you are buying into is concerned,” he explained. He added that one is able to tell the future as far as the ability of the company to generate cash because ultimately as a shareholder, you get your dividend in cash. “It’s not only profit but also the cash flow that matters.” “Where MTN stands today, we are in a very wonderful position,” he affirmed.

June-Aug 2015

The telecom commands about 60 per cent of the telecom market value with its subscriber base growing at a rate of eight per cent per year. In terms of the portfolio of top-line revenue, Asante said with the market being made up of youth mostly, majority of them are using the internet and want an easy life in that they do not want to go to a particular place to queue for a long time before they get a small service. “Majority are able to do a lot more things from their phones than they used to before, which is good for our business,” he said. He noted that every aspect of the business that the young people depend on is growing by a minimum of around 30 per cent per year. “You can talk about value added services, internet or data services, mobile financial services. You can even talk about the enterprise service for the young and upcoming where someone after leaving the University of Rwanda decides to set up his/ her own small business and needs a very simple software to run the business.” The telecom’s last year financials show that the companies total revenue closed the year at Rwf 81.5 billion, with most (Rwf 49.2 billion) of it coming from the sale of Airtime, short text messages and subscriptions. The company made Rwf 16.7 billion from selling data ser-

vices, a sustained growth from the Rwf 10.6 billion recorded in 2013 and Rwf 8.3 billion in 2012. Asante said they were also trying to control their operating expenses in order to ensure their shareholders enjoy larger profit margins. “Generating revenue is one thing and spending it is another .You can generate all the growth that I have talked about and just waste it,” he noted. “What we have managed to do over the period of the past two to three years, is to bring our costs under control. How we have been able to do it is in such a way that every single cost that we put out there, we make sure that it is generating the right returns,” he explained. Indeed, the financials showed that MTN Rwanda’s total operating costs last year stood at Rwf 58.1 billion, down from Rwf 58.97 billion in 2013, with all aspects of the business, from interconnection and roaming fees to sales, distribution and marketing costs going down significantly during the year. “So if our revenue is healthy and costs are under control, we are assured of profits, which is why we have been growing year on year,” concluded a confident Asante, after the IPO launch. Over 272 million MTN Rwanda shares, owned by Crystal Telecom will be listed at the Rwanda Stock Exchange come the 17th of July, representing 20 per cent of MTN Rwanda. Going by the dividends the company has been paying to its shareholders, MTN Group and CVL over the years, the new shareholders should be assured of good returns. In April this year, the board of directors paid a cash dividend amounting to approximately Rwf 10.5 billion to all its shareholders, out of which CVL received 20 per cent. This should not only make you, the investor only contemplate buying the shares but rush to your stock exchange broker now and invest!

June-Aug 2015 7

ADVERTORIAL

By Gerald Mpyisi

found Ebenezer in a relaxed mood in his office at the MTN Centre in Nyarutarama. Perhaps being a Friday he was dressed casually in a pair of blue jeans and a checkered shirt and shoes to match the jeans. This was a contrast to the corporate image that Ebenezer always presents. Despite the casual mood it was business as usual - a brief but very warm welcome followed by ‘please take a seat my brother’. He certainly knows how to make one feel good and comfortable – unfortunately a rare and yet powerful quality in business. My mission was to interview him as the outgoing CEO of MTN Rwanda on behalf of the ServiceMag – a business magazine that focuses on customer service development in Rwanda. It was an opportunity for me to know the real Ebenezer. Ebenezer’s surname is Asante and to those who speak Swahili know that Asante means ‘thank you’ and as such most people in this region prefer to call him by his surname. Ebenezer hails from the great Pan African, Kwame Nkrumah’s country – Ghana. After completing high school he attended a one year military service training before proceeding to the University of Ghana where he graduated with a first class degree in Economics and Statistics.

June-Aug 2015

By Gerald Mpyisi

Like what happens in most cases to this category he found himself teaching at the university. However, teaching wasn’t what he wanted to do and his stint at it came to an abrupt halt and instead joined the Central Bank of Ghana where he hoped to one day become its Governor. His hopes were however dashed when he was advised by colleagues that to become a governor of the Central Bank required more than a first class degree. One needed to be politically connected, something he was convinced he did not have. It is this failure to become a governor that inspired his next move – the private sector. In 1995 he joined Unilever as a management trainee eventually becoming the Commercial Director. His work took him to Zambia and India. In 2008 he joined MTN Ghana where he was in charge of sales, customers and the business unit. In 2013 he was appointed as the CEO of MTN Rwanda, a position he is relinquishing at the end of June 2015 to become the CEO of MTN Ghana. At MTN Rwanda Ebenezer is credited with having turned the company around and is leaving behind a dedicated and motivated staff. While MTN Ghana is at least four times the size of MTN Rwanda, Ebenezer believes MTN Rwanda has prepared him well for the challenge ahead.

On his experience and views of Rwanda he regrets that he never had time to enjoy the good things that the country offers – it was all about work. However, the story of Rwanda, a country that has achieved great things from very little, has truly inspired him and he feels this story should be a lesson to other countries as well as individuals. In his own words, “No matter how humble one’s beginning has been mediocrity should not be accepted.” We wish Mr. Asante more success and happy times at MTN Ghana.

ADVERTORIAL

By Gerald Mpyisi

r. Gunter Engling, a finance professional, is the man who has taken over from Ebenezer Asante as the CEO at MTN Rwanda. He hails from South Africa and has been with MTN for over 12 years. During these years Gunter has worked in South Africa, Nigeria and Ghana where he held senior positions in the Finance Division rising to the position of Chief of Finance of MTN Ghana. Mr. Engling has a passion for people and strongly believes that people are the core of any successful business. Together with his broad business experience stepping into the shoes of Ebenezer who has done a great job at MTN should be an effortless transition.

MTN currently holds especially on the voice front. Mr. Engling brings to Rwanda not only the skills and experience he has gained while at MTN and at PwC where he worked prior to joining MTN, but also a wealth of other cultures having lived and worked in other countries such as Namibia, the Netherlands and Saudi Arabia.

on daily basis, the environment is wonderful to live in and the people are extremely friendly. The bucket list includes many attractions and will definitely comprise of the countryside sightseeing and visiting the famous mountain gorillasâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;. When time allows he enjoys a round of golf. We welcome Mr. and Mrs. Engling and wish them good times in Rwanda.

When asked what he knows about Rwanda, this is what he had to say. â&#x20AC;&#x153;My knowledge of Rwanda is expanding

He however comes at a time of very stiff competition in the Telecoms market. Players are spending enormous resources trying to outdo each other in pricing, service quality and diversifying products. Despite this competition his landing has been made smooth as Ebenezer has laid a firm foundation based on diversification of relatively new revenue streams such as Mobile Money, VAS and data. Gunter will certainly build on this foundation and maintain the market share control that

June-Aug 2015 9

LETTERS

READERS Letters

Thank you for putting in place the annual best and worst service provider’s awards. It makes companies aware that they are not alone in the market and see how they have been doing throughout the year. It’s a great initiative. Jean Claude

I was traveling (BJM-NBO) alone with two small kids (a two-year old and a 10-month old), and understandably very stressed about it. While on transit in Kigali, the airport staff literally treated me like royalty, the minute they realized I was alone, quickly made sure I was seated at the Bourbon Coffee Shop, and although I didn’t order anything from the café, the staff there let me borrow some kitchen utensils to use while feeding my babies, and even cleaned my babies’ cups and plates.

I have been reading The ServiceMag and I enjoy your Publisher’s Note. I have just read the one on Self-discpline and I learnt a lot from it. I am trying to teach myself, trying to be a work hard, learning to manage time and be organized. Thank you for your encouragement.

This was around the time the airport was being renovated, and moving around wasn’t easy. I don’t think I’m exaggerating if I say that at least three people volunteered to keep an eye on my kids while I went to use the washrooms. The kindness was overwhelming.

Happy 5th Anniversary to The ServiceMag.

Alex

By Crista Uwase

ServiceMag, un magazine de très haute qualité avec un contenu très intéressant, vous faites du très bon boulot. Je vous félicite. Vous êtes les meilleurs. Pauline. Dans le monde du business au Rwanda, vous êtes les seuls à publier un magazine avec un focus sur le service. Je vous suis depuis 5 ans et votre magazine a eu un très grand impact dans le secteur. Vous êtes les meilleurs. Keep it up. Chantal. Turashimra Servicemag uburyo itugezaho ikinyamakuru cyiza kandi ikanabasha gukora ibarura ry’abakoze neza n’abakoze nabi. Turabakunda kandi tubari inyuma. Nathan. Burya jyewe sinabona ivyo mvuga kuko murandenga, ibintu mukora si ikubikunda gusa ahubwo bibabamwo, tuzi neza ko bitoroshye ariko turabashimira ko mudahwema kutugezaho ibintu byiza bihindura ubuzima bwacu binyuze mu nkuru mushyira mu kinyamakuru The servicemag. Charles Rwandair, the airport security staff at Kigali International Airport and the Bourbon Coffee staff at the airport!

Please submit your comments and suggestions at editor@theservicemag.com Ese mwakunze inyandiko tubagezaho? Turabasaba ngo muduhe ibitekerezo kuri editor@theservicemag.com

June-Aug 2015

This was three years after I moved from Rwanda, and as someone who had lived there for eight years in the past, it felt like being in a new country. I remember President Kagame himself addressing the issue of customer service in the county, and The Service Mag’s starting a few years before I left. All I could thing was, “It works! Addressing the issue actually works!” Well done, The Service Mag and Rwanda as a nation! Keep it up! I have no doubt it will keep spreading in all institutions and commercial branches in the country.

Danielle Mb. Mittag

CUSTOMER SERVICE

By Sandra Idossou

uring one of my morning walks recently, I met an impressive and highly motivated group of young people at Massamba-Debat stadium in Brazzaville, training for the upcoming African games to be held in Brazzaville in September 2015.

I spoke to the guys training for the 100m athletics and their zeal and passion in spite of the hot sun were simply contagious. Curious, I asked how many hours in a day they trained. Yves, who was probably the youngest, said he trains every day for six hours, rain or shine. For those who might not know, the 100-meter is a sprint race in track and field competitions. Though it is the shortest common outdoor running distance, it is one of the most popular and prestigious events in the sport of athletics. Usain Bolt, the reigning 100 m Olympic champion is the “fastest man” in the world with a record of 9.58 seconds won in 2009. So you guessed right, these athletes train for several years only for a less-than-one-minutesprint competition. I asked Yves what drives him, “Every morning, I picture myself with the golden medal on a podium infront of my parents and friends,” he answered. The vision of that less-than-one-minute-sprint is the fuel that keeps him committed to the trainings. He has been training intensively for the last two years. Commitment is indeed what makes the difference between excellence and mediocrity. No

matter how excellent your plans, goal, ideas, dreams, vision or projects are, it is the level of commitment that will determine what happens. The Cambridge dictionary defines “Commitment” as the willingness to give your time and energy to something that you believe in, or a promise or firm decision to do something. Commitment is therefore not just a wish or a decision but rather the ACT to do as said and planned no matter how hard or challenging it might be. I have always loved this funny quote, “Commitment is doing the thing you said you would do, long after the mood you said it in has left you”. Commitment is longterm. What has kept the ServiceMag throughout these 5 years we have been publishing in Rwanda has been our commitment to two key elements: 1. Commitment to educate and sensitize readers on matters related to improving customer service that will generate business growth. 2. Commitment to consistently offer a quality magazine no matter the number of advertisers and sponsors we get for each issue. Today as The ServiceMag takes further growth steps under new management, it is that same commitment that will make us soar.

Obviously, making a commitment requires hard work and discipline. Before you make one, think carefully because it will obligate you to honour your promise to others and to yourself in secret. Some commitments are very serious whereas some seem minor but in any case, commitment implies that one sticks to one’s word. If you promiseto call a customer, respond to anemail, resolve a complaint etc, you need to do so. In your job, if you have committed to be on time and strive to do your job well no matter how your colleagues do theirs, then do so everyday because commitment is binding yourself intellectually and emotionally to your actions. Commitment shows how serious you are. It is a trait that you and I need to harness just likeathletes consistently train every day for years for that less-than-one-minute glory on the podium. The podium we should all aim at is the trust and reputation we will gain from people we deal with. The Author is a Customer Service Consultant and the Founder of The ServiceMag. sidossou@theservicemag.com

“Commitment to educate and sensitize readers on matters related to improving customer service that will generate business growth.”

June-Aug 2015 11

CUSTOMER SERVICE

Yanditswe na TSM

ashize amezi make umusomyi wacu ambajije niba abakira abarwayi kwa muganga bagerwaho n’ubukangurambaga ku mitangire myiza ya serivisi. Iki kibazo ni cyiza cyane kuko abantu benshi bibwira ko gufata umukiriya neza bireba gusa urwego rw’abikorera ku giti cyabo cyangwa se abashinzwe kwakira abantu muri rusange. Mu bukungu bw’iki gihe, mu ri serivisi za Leta mu bigo bya Leta ndetse no mu kigo runaka cyakira abakiriya byose biba bikeneye gutanga serivisi inoze. Byaba kujya gufata ifunguro muri resitora byaba guhaha mu iduka mu mujyi byose tubifatira icyemezo gishingiye ku mahitamo tuba twakoze. Ariko ikibabaje ni uko iyo ugiye ku bitaro cyangwa ku kigo nderabuzima nta na rimwe ujyayo ubyishimiye. Usanga impamvu ikujyanayo utayihitiyemo ku buryo uba wifuza icyakurinda kujyayo.

June-Aug 2015

Ariko iyo urwaye nta mahitamo uba ufite uretse kujya kwivuza kwa muganga. Iyo tuvuga abakiriya mu bitaro ni ukuvuga umurwayi, uwo mu muryango we, umurwaje, umushyitsi uhagenderera ku mpamvu iyo ari yo yose. uretse kuvura neza abarwayi, ibitaro n’ibigo nderabuzima bigomba kwakira na yombi ababigana bose. Gufata neza umukiriya kwa muganga ni ugukora ibishoboka byose umurwayi agasigarana ishusho nziza y’uko yakiriwe. Abarwayi bumva bashaka kwakirwa neza no kwitabwaho. Ni no gufasha uwo murwayi n’umuryango we kwihanganira ibihe bikomeye baba barimo mu kigo nderabuzima. Ndibuka ubwo najyaga ku bitaro bya Kibagabaga bwa mbere, nashimishijwe n’isuku nahasanze kugeza uyu munsi ndacyabyibuka mu mutwe wanjye. Umucaca

utoshye n’intebe umuntu yicaraho mu busitani byatumye nibaza niba ndi ahantu abantu baruhukira. Isuku mu ivuriro ituma umurwayi yumva amerewe neza. Nzi neza rwose ko nta wakwishimira kujya mu bitaro bifite umwanda aho usanga amakanzu y’abaganga n’abaforomo yuzuye amaraso. Ibigo nderabuzima byose bigomba kurangwa n’isuku. Uretse kuvura neza umurwayi tugiye kubabwira ibintu bishobora gufasha mu gutanga serivisi nziza mu bigo nderabuzima: Gusuhuza no kwakira na yombi umurwayi: abaganga bagomba gusuhuza abakiriya byaba ngombwa bakabwira abarwayi amazina yabo. Usanga iyo umuntu arwaye aba adakeneye gutegereza igihe kirekire kugira ngo umuganga cyangwa umuforomo amwiteho. Nta we uba ashaka ko bamwirengagiza. Iyo umurwayi bahise bamwakira bituma yizera

CUSTOMER SERVICE

ko bamufata neza bakamuha n’inama zishoboka.

kandi nziza

Kwirinda urusaku; kimwe mu bintu bituma umurwayi agira amahoro mu mutima we ni ukumva mu bitaro hari umutuzo. Abakozi bagomba kwirinda kugenda inkweto zisakuza, telefoni zisakuza no kuganira basakuza muri za koridori. Kugirira umurwayi ibanga no kutamuvogera; guha serivisi nziza umurwayi mu bitaro bisaba ko umuganga iyo yinjiye abanza gukomanga ku rugi rw’icyumba cy’umurwayi. Ibyo ni muri bike bisabwa mu rwego rwo

guha icyubahiro umurwayi. Ni ngombwa kandi ko umuforomo cyangwa umuganga adasohora amakuru ku burwayi bw’uwo avura. Kunoza uburyo uvugana n’umurwayi. Twe nk’abarwayi dukunda ko abatuvura badutega amatwi bakatwibandaho kandi bakatwumva. Sinzi niba namwe mwarabonye ko abaganga n’ababuranira abandi mu nkiko bakunze kubaza ibibazo byinshi mbere y’uko basuzuma imiterere y’ikibazo. Mu bitaro usanga abarwayi badashaka ko babarwa nk’umubare uyu n’uyu w’abarwaye indwara iyi

n’iyi. Icyo baba bifuza ni uko ababitaho bumva neza ibibazo byabo. Nubwo tuzi neza ko abaganga n’abaforomo bafite akazi kagoye kuko usanga buri munsi baba bagomba kuvura indwara zitoroshye zidapfa no kugaragara ako kanya, icyo tubifuzaho ni ukutugirira impuhwe kandi bakanatwitaho.

“The leader has to be practical and a realist, yet must talk the language of the visionary and the idealist.” Eric Hoffer

June-Aug 2015 13

CUSTOMER SERVICE

Yanditswe na TSM

wita ku mukiriya bikubiyemo ibyo tumukorera byose bigashimangira isura nziza afite kuri twe. Kunyurwa k’umukiriya kandi biva kubyishimo twatewe no kumwakira. Kwita kumukiriya bigaragaza itandukaniro riri hagati y’ibyo umukiriya yaje yiteze n’ibyiyumviro umukiriya atahanye kuri serivisi yahawe no ku kigo muri rusange. Umukiriya ashobora guteza imbere cyangwa agasenya ibikorwa byawe, by’akarusho rero muri iyisi y’udushya, kuvumbura umwihariko, n’ikoranabuhanga ry’imbuga nko-

June-Aug 2015

ranyambaga, umukiriya aba afite ububasha mu biganza bye haba kuri Twitter, Facebook, cyangwa kuzindi mbuga zo guhanahana amakuru harimo na Whataspp yihuta nk’umuyaga. Nonese ni gute ikigo cyawe cyava mu mubare w’ibigo biganirwaho cyane binengwa kikajya mu bishimagizwa n’abakiriya kubera serivisi ntamakemwa baherewe iwawe? Noza serivisi zo kwakira abakiriya – Zizamure, uzishyire ku rundi rwego zigendane n’igihe, uzisige, uzinogereze…

Dore uko wabigenza: • Kora kuburyo abakozi bawe bamenya ibikubiye mu kwita kubakiriya. Urugero: Bashishikarize kunoza amarangamutima bereka abakiriya ko babitayeho, kwihangana, gushaka umuti w’ibibazo, kubaganiriza n’umutima ukeye, gukurikiza amabwiriza y’akazi kandi bagire ubumenyi buhagije kubikorerwa mu kigocyawe. • Menya gutega amatwi umukiriya kugirango aboneko umwumva umwitayeho. Kwereka umukiriya ko wumva ikibazo cye bifasha gukemura vuba na vuba mu gukemura ibibazo ya-

gize biturutse kuri serivisi zanyu. Kwemera amakosa, ukayamusabira imbabazi ukanakemura ahari ibibazo byubaka kwizerana hagati yanyu. Ugomba gukurikirana ngo umenye niba ikibazo cy’umukiriya cyakemutse mu gihe gito maze ugasubira kwita no kubandi, ukamenya kubaha igihe. • Kora ku buryo serivisi uhaye umukiriya yumva ko ari umwihariko, zidasanzwe kandi azahore azibuka. Kamere muntu yibukagusa ibyiza cyane n’ibibi cyane ikibagirwa vuba iby’akazuyaze. • Tegura uburyo bwihariye bwo kwita kubakiriya bawe nubwo abakozi bawe bahuguriwe kunoza serivisi. • Kubonera umwanya abakugana – Ntakintu kibabaza nko kubona ntamuntu ukwitayeho cyangwa ntamuntu uhari wo kugana cyane cyane iyo ubona udahabwa agaciro kandi ari amafaranga yawe wazanye. • Kora kuburyo abakiriya bakuboneraho ibyo bakeneye byose, mu bigo bimwe na bimwe usanga abakiriya b’imena bagenerwa abakozi bihariye bo kwita ku byifuzo byabo. Gusa bigomba kwitonderwa kugirango umubano w’ikigo n’abandi bakiriya utangirika. Ni ukuzirikana ko abakiriya bose bafite agaciro kangana. • Genzura ko abakozi bawe bafite umuhate, bishimiye umurimo kandi ko buri wese ari mu mwanya we. • Kwita kumukiriya niryo pfundo ryo kumushimisha. Kubera k’imico y’abantu bakugana ibiitandukanye, nawe bi gusaba kugendana n’imihindagurikire y’ibihe, imico n’iterambere kugirango ubashe guha buri wese serivisi umugomba uko bikwiye.

June-Aug 2015 15

SALES AND MARKETING

By Arnaud NGANJI

uring the last century, the world has moved to a new kind of life through “urbanization”. People live in overcrowded cities and streets where identity is lost. The mass breaks the uniqueness. However, people still want to have patterns and products to rely on. So what is a brad? The answer will neither be in law nor in economics and its complex statistics. The answer is what we think when we hear about a brand. The notion of brand can be summed up in two main aspects, standard and personal identity, two opposites but yet, complementary for a brand to be. By standard, we mean something that will be the same each and every time we get it. Standard is a spectrum of expectations toward a performance or a product. To develop a brand, you have to have a performance that you’ll reproduce with the same degree of perfection, no flaw will be tolerated. You say your wine is good? Then, it should not only be good, but it should be good all the time. As long as you can’t produce a standard, don’t claim a brand. Then comes the identity we all long for. Most of us want to be part of a family and be

June-Aug 2015

ourselves at the same time. Your family determines your uniqueness. The brand has the role of identity-builder. Your brand has to the feeling of uniqueness to your customers. People endorse brands because they want to send a message. People trust brands, because they want to belong to a family. “I wear this T-shirt, it costs 100 $, X wears it, he is the sexiest guy in the world, I am a sexy guy.” The same T-shirt made by another house coasting 10$ will look a less awesome for the average mindset persons. To bring people to rely on your brand, you should offer a good product, then build identity. Now, go build your brand! Nganji007@gmail.com

“360 degree branding is about...emitting a constant stream of messages to create a lasting impression.” Shelly Lazarus, Ogilvy & Mather

SALES AND MARKETING

Par Jean-Pierre Lauzier

orsque vous communiquez avec un client pour lui vendre vos produits ou vos services, que ce soit en personne ou indirectement, de quoi parlez-vous? Que lui présentez-vous? Votre performance? Essayez-vous de le convaincre que vous êtes la meilleure personne avec qui faire affaire? Supposons que vous vendez des forfaits de création de sites web. Leur montrez-vous toutes vos créations? Parlez-vous de vos succès avec d’autres clients? De la beauté de votre conception web?

June-Aug 2015

SALES AND MARKETING

Si vous procédez de cette façon, il y a fort à parier que votre degré de succès stagne ou diminue même. Pourquoi? Même si votre produit ou votre service est le meilleur dans votre domaine d’activité, si vous portez votre attention sur vous (votre offre) plutôt que sur votre client (ses besoins, ses préoccupations), vous augmentez les risques d’échec et votre publicité fera chou blanc. « Vous pouvez avoir tout ce que vous voulez dans la vie si vous aidez assez de personnes à obtenir ce qu’elles veulent. » Cette citation de Zig Ziglar présente très clairement la façon d’aborder le marketing d’aujourd’hui. De quoi a besoin l’entreprise qui a besoin d’un site web? De visibilité? De se rapprocher de ses clients et fournisseurs? D’éduquer sa clientèle? De se faire connaître d’une clientèle cible? Etc. En procédant à l’analyse de ces questions, nous constatons que ces questions montrent les avantages et les bénéfices que les clients peuvent retirer de votre offre, ce qui est beaucoup plus intéressant pour eux. En général, les gens sont toujours en quête d’amélio-

ration dans leur vie professionnelle et/ou personnelle. Alors, si vous voulez attirer l’attention de votre client, trouvez en quoi il veut améliorer sa vie et utiliser ce besoin pour élaborer votre mise en marché. L’approche du marketing moderne consiste à employer une stratégie réfléchie par laquelle le client saura que vous pouvez le guider et lui fournir ce qu’il recherche. Les gens sont syntonisés à longueur de journée sur la même station de radio qui est WII-FM : What’s In It For Me. Vous capterez donc l’attention de votre client en procédant à une mise en marché orientée sur ce qu’IL désire. Mais attention! Plusieurs entreprises et représentants ont essayé cette forme de communication pour attirer la clientèle, mais les résultats n’étaient pas au rendez-vous, au contraire, elle faisait fuir la clientèle. Parce que le client se sent manipulé s’il ne ressent pas de sincérité de la part du vendeur. Il sent plutôt le désir du représentant d’obtenir une bonne

commission par sa vente. Ceux qui comprennent et utilisent honnêtement et généreusement cette façon de faire obtiennent cependant des résultats bien supérieurs à la concurrence. Vous êtes l’expert dans votre domaine. Alors, devenez également expert dans la façon d’identifier les soucis et les interrogations de vos clients. En tenant compte de ces considérations, vous inciterez beaucoup plus de clients potentiels à communiquer avec vous. Évitez de parler de vous, de vos produits. On attire les oiseaux en leur offrant les graines qu’ILS préfèrent. Le même principe s’applique pour attirer la clientèle! Bonne vente! L’auteur est Conférencier, formateur, expert-conseil JPL Communications inc. info@jeanpierrelauzier.com, www.jeanpierrelauzier.com “Le billet d’un dollar que le client reçoit des guichetiers dans quatre banques différentes est le même. Ce qui est différent, c’est les guichetiers” Marcus STANLEY

June-Aug 2015 19

SALES AND MARKETING

Par Jean-Pierre Lauzier

orsque vous entrez en contact avec des personnes, parfois votre message peut avoir une grande influence chez votre interlocuteur, car vous les avez inspirés à passer à l’action, mais parfois vous avez l’impression de « parler dans le vide

June-Aug 2015

SALES AND MARKETING

», ce qui veut dire que vous avez peu ou pas d’influence Dans votre vie, combien y a-til de personnes dans chacun de ces groupes? En général, ces personnes qui ont une grande capacité d’influence, n’ont pas hérité de gènes particuliers. Elles ont juste pris conscience que nous sommes tous différents et qu’elles doivent adapter leur personnalité à celle de leur interlocuteur. Nous avons tous la possibilité de développer cet aspect et ainsi améliorer notre influence sur les autres. Comment y arriver? Pour communiquer efficacement avec les gens, il doit y avoir une chimie, une complicité qui est ressentie. Lorsque vous avez le même profil de personnalité, vous percevez les choses et les événements à travers un filtre semblable. Il est alors aisé d’influencer, car l’interlocuteur comprend rapidement vos messages et il a beaucoup de considération pour vous, car il se sent compris. Il en est autrement des personnes qui ont une personnalité opposée à la vôtre. Avec elles, il est fort probable que vous ayez un sentiment d’indifférence et que le courant ne passe tout simplement pas. Si vous demeurez dans cette position, il vous sera extrêmement difficile d’influencer ou de vendre à cette personne. Afin d’influencer favorablement le plus de clients, vous devez établir cette chimie même avec les personnes qui sont différentes de vous. Pour ce faire, vous devez changer quelques traits de votre personnalité qui sont plus faibles afin qu’elles deviennent des

forces pour vous connecter plus rapidement avec un interlocuteur qui a un profil différent du vôtre. Supposons que vous êtes plutôt du style sérieux et analytique dans votre approche de vente avec un client potentiel, plus orienté vers les relations sociales, faisant toujours des blagues. Dans une telle situation, la chimie risque de s’installer plus difficilement, car vos personnalités semblent opposées. Pour interagir et avoir la possibilité d’influencer votre client, vous pouvez : • soit ne rien dire et sourire innocemment, • soit décider de développer le côté social et humor-

travertie face à un introverti. Vous devez apprendre, alors, à agir dans un sens qui n’est pas le vôtre : comme parler moins, prendre le temps de bien écouter les autres, poser plus de questions, etc. Quel profil êtes-vous ? Pour vous aider à mieux vous connaitre, il existe différents tests qui vous aideront à identifier vos traits dominants et vos points faibles. Utilisez les outils qui existent pour apprendre ce que vous devez améliorer dans vos traits de personnalité afin de mieux vous adapter à votre entourage et créer plus facilement une chimie avec tout le monde. Vous verrez votre

“Pour influencer, vous devrez effectuer des actions qui vous sortiront complètement de votre zone de confort.” istique de votre personnalité pour vous syntoniser sur le même niveau d’énergie que celui du client. La meilleure option est évidemment la seconde, mais c’est également la plus difficile à réaliser, car vous devrez effectuer des actions qui vous sortiront complètement de votre zone de confort. Par exemple, comme personne analytique et sérieuse, vous pouvez vous forcer à sortir davantage et à vous ouvrir aux gens. Au fur et à mesure, vous sentirez une plus grande facilité à vous connecter aux personnes plus extraverties. Vous saurez les rejoindre dans leur « univers » pour les influencer. La même chose s’applique si vous êtes une personne ex-

côte d’influence monter. On peut choisir de rester esclave de notre personnalité ou de l’utiliser pour s’épanouir et influencer les gens autour de nous. En transformant quelques faiblesses en forces, cela ne changera pas votre personnalité, mais vous deviendrez une personne beaucoup plus flexible et ouverte aux autres. vous jouirez d’une vie personnelle et professionnelle beaucoup plus harmonieuse et abondante. Bonne communication! L’auteur est Conférencier, formateur, expert-conseil JPL Communications inc. info@jeanpierrelauzier.com, www. jeanpierrelauzier.com

June-Aug 2015 21

SALES AND MARKETING

Par Jean-Pierre Lauzier En vente, nous pouvons rencontrer des objections de la part du client avec qui nous faisons affaire. Ces objections existent parce que le vendeur ne tient pas compte des besoins réels du client et sont souvent un symptôme d’un problème de communication qui provient du vendeur.

June-Aug 2015

SALES AND MARKETING

Lorsqu’un client rencontre un vendeur pour la première fois, il n’a en général rien contre lui. Mais les intentions et le style de communication du vendeur peuvent susciter de nombreuses objections. Pour éviter ces objections, il faut tenir compte de deux éléments majeurs : il faut établir un climat de confiance et présenter votre produit ou votre service en fonction de ce qui est important pour le client. Hormis ces deux tâches, commençons par distinguer deux aspects d’un processus de transaction : les conditions et les objections. Une condition est un état défavorable ou une circonstance qui bloque la vente. C’est une situation que vous ne pouvez changer, par exemple, votre client : • n’a pas l’autorité d’acheter; • ne possède pas les moyens financiers pour acheter (il ne peut d’aucune façon se procurer les fonds nécessaires); • n’a nul besoin de ce que vous lui offrez. Une objection est une barrière de communication qui peut vous empêcher de réaliser une vente et la hauteur de cette barrière est proportionnelle aux préoccupations dominantes du client. En voici quelques exemples : • C’est trop cher; • Laissez-moi y penser; • Rappelez-moi dans

“Prenez le temps d’identifier les priorités du client et les possibles objections. “

deux semaines (deux semaines plus tard, vous laissez des messages et il ne vous rappelle JAMAIS!!!); • Je suis satisfait avec ce que j’ai actuellement; • Je vais en discuter avec mon patron ou avec ma famille; • Ça ne passera pas au budget; • Je n’ai pas prévu cette dépense; • Je préfère travailler avec une firme plus expérimentée. Est-ce que ces arguments sont les VRAIES raisons qui justifient son rejet? Rarement! La plupart du temps, les vraies raisons sont les suivantes : • Je suis intéressé à acheter, mais pas de vous; • Je ne vois pas pourquoi je changerais pour vous ou pour votre entreprise; • Je veux acheter, mais j’ai un meilleur rapport qualité/prix chez votre concurrent; • Je ne me sens pas en confiance envers vous et votre entreprise; • Vous ne comprenez pas mes besoins réels; • Vous ne comprenez pas mes préoccupations; Et ainsi de suite. Vous conviendrez que ces raisons sont passablement difficiles à surmonter et que si votre client a ce genre d’objections, vous avez une grosse montagne à gravir pour les éliminer. Pour éviter d’en arriver là, je vous propose l’exercice qui suit : 1. Prenez une feuille de papier et divisez-la de façon à faire deux colonnes. Titrez la colonne de gauche OBJECTIONS/ BARRIÈRES et faites une liste de toutes les objections que vous avez entendues et qui vous ont fait manquer plusieurs ventes.

2. Au haut de la colonne de droite, inscrivez le titre PRÉOCCUPATIONS/DÉFIS/ DÉSIRS des clients et effectuez une liste de ces préoccupations, désirs et défis par ordre d’importance, même s’ils n’ont aucun lien avec le produit ou le service que vous offrez. Si vous déployez vos efforts pour éliminer les objections listées dans la colonne de gauche, attendez-vous à ce que ce soit laborieux et difficile. Par contre, si vous dirigez vos efforts sur la liste de droite, les objections de la colonne de gauche diminiueront. Pourquoi? Parce qu’un client qui voit ses préoccupations diminuer, ses désirs exaucés n’a AUCUNE raison d’émettre des objections. Au contraire, vous apparaissez comme LA solution. Poser donc les bonnes questions pour découvrir les priorités dans les préoccupations et les désirs de vos clients. Prenez le temps de bien les identifier. Plus vous effectuerez cette étape avec rigueur, plus vous établirez un climat de confiance solide avec lui et plus vous serez en mesure de vendre. Bonne vente! L’auteur est Conférencier, formateur, expert-conseil JPL Communications inc. info@jeanpierrelauzier.com www.jeanpierrelauzier.com

“Vous n’aurez jamais une seconde chance de faire une première bonne impression” Gustav WHITE

June-Aug 2015 23

COVER STORY

RSSB: Enhancing your quality of service everyday

June-Aug 2015

COVER STORY

ecoming the best service provider never comes easy, especially when one is talking about a public institution. This year, insurance and pension services provider, the Rwanda Social Security Board (RSSB) was ranked number one overall services provider and best insurance services provider for 2014, in a two-week customers’ poll conducted by The ServiceMag. Well, being a customer-service centred publication, we went on to find out what secrets or strategies RSSB uses that let their clients not only access their services easily but also leave the RSSB branches with smiling faces. Dr. Daniel Ufitikirezi, the Director General of this institution says that in order to achieve the feat last year; they had to ensure that all RSSB’s services and communication channels were rolled out in a customer-centric approach which came with the joyous returns of satisfied clients. “We built our reach to customers in a manner that we stay connected and in touch with them throughout the process; from when we attract a new member to a scheme to ensuring they are well-served and supported throughout the process,” notes Dr. Ufitikirezi. Established by the law No.45/2010 of 14/12/2010 which merged Social Security Fund of Rwanda(SSFR) with Rwan-

da Medical Insurance “RAMA” in French acronym,RSSB today is at the forefront of providing pension and medical insurance benefits to itsmembers. The institution’s core mandate is to provide high quality services, efficiently and effectively, manage contribution collections and wisely invest the reserve funds in order to ensure long-term financial sustainability of the schemes. Dr. Ufitikirezi notes that since the merger, contributions have significantly increased from a total of Rwf 70.5 billion in June 2012 to over Rwf 88.6 billion by the end of June 2014. Similarly, benefits paid to members remarkably increased from Rwf 17.86 billion to Rwf 24.99 billion, showing a 39.9 per cent increase during the three year period. “These registered increases in both medical and pension contributions can be mainly attributed to our concerted and innovative efforts to provide efficient and effectiveservices, key among which has been the continued modernisation of our systems through the use of information communication technologies (ICTs).” In addition to that, the Director General notes they have sought partnerships with several institutions in order to make it easier for new mem-

June-Aug 2015 25

COVER STORY

bers to register and make their contributions. “We linked our systems to those of other institutions such as Rwanda Development Board (RDB) and Rwanda Revenue Authority (RRA) which has led to faster registration and collections,” he says. Currently, upon registration at RDB, a company is simultaneously registered with RSSB, eliminating the need to visit both institutions for a startup business. Also, in efforts to ensure effective collection of contributions, RSSB’s partnership with RRA has greatly impacted compliance by making it easy for members to make their contributions from one institution. Dr. Ufitikirezi says such innovations are all part of a detailed three-year strategic plan running until 2017. “Key priorities as identified in our strategic plan include; maximisation of contributions collection and revenues from investments, thus ensuring the provision of quality services. We are also modernising our IT systems in order to improve compliance.” With such objectives, Dr. Ufitikirezi notes that at RSSB, provision of quality services is the vision shared by the whole Management and Staff. Thisapproach has seen the institution succeed at implementing a number of reforms in the past three years. “Among others, we now have medical facilitators at every hospital who work around the clock each single day of

June-Aug 2015

the year to ensure members get timely support whenever they are confronted with any challenge while seeking medical services,” he says. In 2012, Dr. Ufitikirezi says, they began implementing the monthly payment of pension benefits, reducing the period from the quarterly system formerly used. This went a long way to improve the standards of living of pensioners since now they can plan for their money more easily. “In tandem with the fact that payment of benefits is now done directly to beneficiaries’ bank accounts, our members in retirement are also able to take advantage of the credit facilities offered by financial institutions to venture into income generating activities to benefit them and other Rwandans in general,” he notes. With regard to streamlining RSSB’s communication platforms so as to connect and interact with members, the institution now has a new and interactive website where customers can access all their information. “The improvement in the interactivity of our website has been crucial in the success of our online services in a way that a customer can now check their contributions account status and make any inquiries from wherever they may be and at any time,” he says. “We actually use technology in all services: For example we can know who has the right to medical care services and even clients can check for themselves before going

to the hospital, clinic or Health center using SMS. Here internet or SMS options are available to subscribers check their pension contribution. Also, inquiries can be sent toinfo@rssb.rw and response will be given in not later than 24 hours. Access to information is also reinforced by a dossier tracking system, meaning a subscriber can now keep track of their file’s progress through email and short text messages sent regularly to update them of progress. Thus, members have fewer reasons to physically visit RSSB since the online platforms to respond to most of their needs have been created and interlinked”. The IT based platforms are then supplemented by RSSB’s decentralised branch network. Currently there is a branch in every district which means there is hardly any reason for a customer to travel outside their district of residence for any service. What one may fail to solve with online services will surely be dealt with at district level, now that the service delivery system is centralised such that everything accessible at the Headquarter in Kigali can be accessed by staff at any branch across Rwanda. What a win for customer service! But the quest continues... Dr Ufitikirezi implores that the expression of satisfaction on the quality of services offered by RSSB is great news to celebrate but also a reminder that the stakes have now been raised a notch higher and thus the need to do even more in orderto not only cement their number one position but to also ensure customers are more satisfied. “With good customer service, everyone is a winner,” Dr Ufitikirezi sums-up.

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WHERE WE HAVE BEEN

By Sandra Idossou

June-Aug 2015

WHERE WE HAVE BEEN

ately the food scenery in Kigali has grown to an extent that one can eat a different cuisine each single day of the week. To give you an overview, we decided to try out some different eating hangouts and this is what we observed: Day 1: L’Epicurien, Kigali This is a French restaurant located in the busy streets of restaurants in Kimihurura. They have a weekly menu at decent prices of 5,800 FRW or 6,200. It is located in an old house with a beautiful garden and offers a quick business lunch. The food is good, the service good and the ambiance excellent especially when you get seated in the garden area. I liked the fact that they change their menu every week because it shows impressive creativity. Day 2: Mille Collines Hotel This hotel is now managed by the Kempinsky Group which is renowned for its five star hotels. One will expect to experience a 5 star service even in the poolside restaurant but I guess it is too early as the hotel is still in the phase of putting things right. They now serve a business lunch buffet at a very reasonable price of 7,000 FRW. The food is basic but very tasteful. The hygienic standards still need to improve for salads and desserts displayed in the open air. Day 3: Laico Hotel The Umubano Hotel is one of the old hotels that have gone through many changes of

management from Meridien to Novotel, Laico etc. Now, it is managed by an administrator from the Ministry of Trade and Industry but the staff try to maintain some minimum standards. For 12.000 FRW, they still serve a very good buffet lunch. Their salads buffet is probably still one of the best in town. Day 4: Via Vineto This is an Italien restaurant that was in the past located somewhere in Nyarutarama around the golf course. It has now moved close to the Zen restaurant. We ordered some Mushrooms and cheese Risotto and Shrimps Taggliattelle and these two turned out to be very delicious choices. Service can improve as the only staff we saw seemed to be running around a lot. Day 5: Le Poivre Noir This is one of the newest offers in Kigali. Nathalie and her husband offer very simple bistronomique cuisine. The fact that the owner serves herself while the husband cooks makes the experience very homely. The restaurant seats 24 people and it is better to book in advance. Great, simple food in a very good ambiance Day 6: Serena Hotels Breakfast Serena Hotel in Kigali has the best breakfast in town. It is best enjoyed over the weekend when one does not need to rush. They offer a variety of fruits, cheese and pastries.

Brachetto – Dinner I discovered this restaurant some months ago and the ambiance in an evening set up offers a great experience. The Italian Chef takes pride in creative dishes and though the prices are on a higher side, you will see the value in the dishes and services. The chef is friendly and comes out to seek feedback from customers. The restaurant offers fantastic gourmet food in a cosy atmosphere. The staff are probably the best in town and are dressed in very beautiful uniforms. Also as a wine bar, you have an extensive list of French and Italian wines. Day 7: Shokola Shokola in Kimihurura is beautifully decorated and offers a cosy environment surrounded by nature. For those of us nostalgic of the first Shokola that was located in Kiyovu some years ago, this place is a hidden gem in the hills of Kigali. The staff is very knowledgeable about the products and offer very good service. You could sit comfortably in the couches and read any of the numerous books available there.

“Ordinary people can spread good and bad information about brands faster than marketers.” Ray Johnson

June-Aug 2015 29

WHERE WE HAVE BEEN

By Gatete Thierry Kevin

came in on an evening of hyena’s wedding; the sun was setting on a drizzle. As I took a walk along the Kacyiru pavement, I promised myself to write a little story at the storyteller’s café. It all made sense I thought to myself: ‘I am a story teller and I am going to the storytellers’ café to tell a story’. The sun, set and the rain briefly intensified, right in time to give me a quick face-shower as I walked, slowly in the garden from the library towards the stairs; I felt good! As I climbed, I surprised myself with a shy smile at the thought of seeing Orianne there. Ah Orianne, with her beautiful big eyes, her warm voice and contagious smile. Sure enough she was there. She noticed me first, called me out, I turned, I blushed. She looked exactly like in my five minute fantasy, five seconds earlier; Luckily she

June-Aug 2015

couldn’t see it, no one could, it was too dark… It was love at first sight with Orianne, but also with the café. When I did a tour, I did not stay long in one place. I felt privileged that it was my first time. Every corner I visited, I wanted to unsee it and start over again, it was gorgeous. I felt a sense of delicacy in this place. When the smiling waiter came, I didn’t dare order a coffee, I thought that was too toxic for today. I feared the sin, so I ordered a fresh juice; just like I refrained from asking Orianne for a dance, that’s for another inspired afternoon… When I saw the mini-theater place, and the futuristic office space I closed my eyes; like someone who’d seen a shooting star, I made a wish… I wished for young talents to be inspired here as I was, I wished for the same artist to

design my house someday, maybe… I thought frightened to write this story for I felt a better writer should tell it. I was intimidated in the face of beauty. I felt I would not know how hard to press. By telling the story I held something delicate in my hands, but I was worried I would break it, for only the hands of an artist could handle it; an artist, as talented as the one who designed it... Forgive me if I didn’t do it justice; I was trembling as I wrote it; it was as if I was telling a story for the very first time. Thankfully I typed at the rhythm of the BVSC meringue, that played in the background and kept the place warm and exotic… I have to go, I can see my best friend and his voluptuous wife in the corner there, in a dating mood, giggling like kids. All my friends are here, but I haven’t spoken a word to them. I couldn’t hold in one place, before I told this little story, at the storyteller’s café. www.gateteviews.blogspot.com

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June-Aug 2015 31

HOSPITALITY PERSPECTIVES

By Jerry O. Were

HOW TEAMS CAN BE INVOLVED IN ACHIEVING MISSIONS AND VISIONS Teams and teambuilding efforts have become the most popular buzzwords in today’s work environment. Bringing individuals together in the workplace and getting them to work together should be every leader’s top priority and I must admit that it is a great challenge. What exactly makes successful teams tick? A close study of such teams will instantly reveal the following: • Their leaders have successfully established the same vision in the mind of each team member. • All the members share a common team mission. • There is a clear goal to be achieved and everyone knows clearly what that goal is and have their eyes kept on the ball. • Each member has a personal mission that complements that of the team. • Each member appreciates their role and how their individual efforts contribute to team success. MISSION, VISION AND CORE VALUES a) Mission: A mission statement in simple terms is a statement that defines

June-Aug 2015

the reason for an organization’s existence. It answers the questions: “Why are we here?” Why do we exist?” b) Vision: A vision statement on the other hand defines where an organization is heading to or how things should be like. It gives a picture of the future the organization is working to create. It answers the questions: “Where are we going?”, “How can we develop a plan to get there?” c) Core Values: Even though people frequently talk of mission and vision first, the basic underlying foundation for both are the core values of the individuals that make up the team/organization. Core values are principles and standards at the very centre of every individual’s character and from where they will not budge or stray. Core values are very stable and only change very slowly after a long period of time. They form the basis of our beliefs, ourselves and those around us and the potential inside of us. MESHING IT ALL TOGETHER Once the core values of all the individuals that make up a team/organization have been identified and discussed by way of everybody’s involvement. A vision, which guides and gives the team a sense of direction and serves as a powerful motivator for all

team members is created and a mission, which basically gives the team/organization a sense of uniqueness and purpose follows. The next all important phase after this is for the leader to: • Align the vision and the mission with the core values of both the individuals and the team and let every member appreciate how their individual efforts through {Beliefs, Attitudes, Behaviors & Skills contribute to the team’s success. • Communicate the mission and vision to everyone involved in the team/organization. • Ensure that the mission and vision is accepted by everyone involved. • To break down the mission/ vision into goals and objectives to make it possible for the team members to have ‘one bite a time’. • Develop timelines within which they can be achieved and constantly evaluate the success level of the team The Author of this article works as the General Manager of Nyungwe Forest Lodge-Rwanda Jerry_Were@yahoo.com

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BUSINESS MANAGEMENT

By Thomas Oppong

he cloud has been the buzzword of the tech world these last few years. Many Smart phones backup contacts, photos, and user preferences online to prevent data loss during a hardware failure as well as make the switch to a new device easier. Here are four ways these conveniences can improve how you run your small business:

1. Increased scalability Outsourcing and freelancing are now a part of the business environment, and this has given small businesses the ability to compete with the industry heavyweights. It’s no longer necessary to purchase large, office real estate when your employees can work from their homes. The cloud is just another way

June-Aug 2015

small businesses can become more flexible. You now have lots of options to run a robust business with fewer resources. Payments are made on a monthly basis rather than dealing with large upfront costs, and you also have the ability to switch to smaller or larger storage capacities according to your business needs. Service providers such as Logicalis focus on designing the cloud to scale around your business and not the other way around. 2. Backup your data While many of us are tech savvy enough to know the importance of backing up, most people don’t actually do it. Various survey results show

that only one in ten actively backup data. Backing up your data to the cloud is not only easier than making physical paper copies or using external hard drives, it is also safer. Your information will be stored off-site meaning it won’t suffer the same results if your office is broken into or there is some kind of natural disaster in your area. You are better off focusing on your core business whilst expert data backup companies also focus on what they do best: keeping your data safe and secured. 3. Working on the Go Having your data backed up is also essential if you want your businesses to be able

BUSINESS MANAGEMENT

to successfully work on the go. Gone is the day when you needed to be in the office to get some work done. The advent of laptop computers, tablets, and Smart phones means we can get something done wherever we are. Whether your company is made of employees across the country, or even across the globe, it’s now possible for everyone to access these files on the go. It also makes sharing this information easier than ever. Files can be sent as simply as sending a web link. For added security, you can make files password mandatory so you know only your employees will be viewing them.

4. Employee collaboration You can increase productivity with the right tools. Cloud technologies allow all employees – wherever they are – to sync and work on documents, share business files simultaneously and follow colleagues and records to receive critical updates in real-time. This makes it easier to work faster and better hence the overall increase in growth for your small business. The advent of new technologies has made running a small business more viable than ever. Make sure you keep your company competitive by taking advantage of the services like cloud technology. You don’t have to invest huge resources in

procuring technology to keep your business secured or safe anymore. Thomas Oppong is the founder @ Alltopstartups www. alltopstartups.com

“An image is not simply a trademark, a design, a slogan or an easily remembered picture. It is a studiously crafted personality profile of an individual, institution, corporation, product or service.” Daniel J. Boorstin

June-Aug 2015 35

BUSINESS MANAGEMENT

By Yinka Olaito

very profession is going through a lot of changes daily. To keep pace with the trend, one must keep his eyes open and be willing to dance to the rhythm of the new tune.

Effective communication is based on the right information which must be exclusive sometimes. This helps the company gain a listening ear to all the stakeholders.

Corporate communication is all encompassing. The professional must have the right information from marketing, sales, production and all departments to be able to communicate. Information sharing platforms have also become varied and the sooner one masters or gets accustomed to these media, the better.

If what you communicate is outdated and has no direct impact or usefulness to your public, you will soon gradually lose all the respect and attention you should command. Business intelligence efforts must not be left in the hands of sales people alone, the more value you bring to the table the better for you.

Here are some of the essentials that can help a corporate communication professional perform maximally: Business intelligence: In a lay man’s language, this is the ability to source for right information, analyse it so that one is guided or be in position to help other Senior employees to make informed decisions in their day to day activities. We know the market environment is tough, only the tough can survive.

June-Aug 2015

Media savvy: if you hate the media, you have no value holding this position. You need to be accustomed to all the techniques of media relations which can better enhance the profile of your organization. Over exposure may be bad but lack or no visibility at all will not help. Given the fact that media is now also varied, a true professional must also know how to take advantage of every media platform. If video platforms appeal to your audience do not stick to audio or

printed media only. You cannot make much impact that way. Relationship management: the dynamics of relationship management is changing. Coupled with physical contacts is now virtual relationships at the global level. How much of this you can handle will determine how far you can go. “A product is something Crisis management skills: No one prays for crisis but it is part of life. You do not really know if you can handle or tolerate other people until you have a crisis at hand. You do not also know the worth of patience, endurance and adequate preparation until real crisis hits your lane.

made in a factory; a

Be exceptionally informed and develop the right skills in this area. Many of us in developing countries need to continually learn from counterparts in advanced countries.

be quickly outdated;

Diplomatic but truthful: diplomacy is part of corporate communication skills but as we know there is often a thin

brand is something that is bought by the customer. A product can be copied by a competitor; a brand is unique. A product can

a successful brand is timeless.” Stephen King, WPP Group, London

BUSINESS MANAGEMENT

line between this and falsehood, propaganda and half truth. Many cross the line easily. Truth today is becoming a social capital. You need to work out the details here to be taken serious. Information and data management: In addition to the above, information and data management is very essential today. Data management is no longer the confine of the research and development department, to be seen as

valuable, have your information at your finger tips through adequate data management.

ry telling. Corporate communication professionals must constantly hone their story telling ability.

Public speaking: It is not only what you know, how you say what you know will go a long way in building your trust and â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;believabilityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; quotient. Be warned. Hone your public speaking skills. You will never regret it.

The author is a communications specialist, Social Media expert, trainer and speaker. www.yinkaolaito.com

Story telling: Of course we know we are in the age of creative sor-

June-Aug 2015 37

BUSINESS MANAGEMENT

By Gloria A. Iribagiza TIgo is now focused on bringing to our customers a wide range of services that create an ecosystem we call - the ‘digital lifestyle’ experience, these are values I share and that I truly believe in.

CHANTAL UMUTONI KAGAME has made headlines as the first woman, in Rwanda’s Telecom business, to carry the title of Deputy Chief Executive Officer. She has worked for seventeen years, as a Telecom professional.She joined Tigo Rwanda in 2009, and has thrived therein. Chantal U. Kagame shares with The Service Mag (TSM) readers her exciting journey to success. Below are the excerpts. TSM:What is the scope of the new opportunities and challenges you will have to deal with in your new position? CHANTAL U. KAGAME: I am absolutely prepared to embrace any challenges in my new position as Deputy Chief Executive Officer. ‘To whom much is given much is tested’, there is so much expected of me and I have to admit the pressure is real. We have to constantly evolve and bring innovations to the dynamic society that we serve.

June-Aug 2015

Tigo Rwanda recognizes hard work and creates growth opportunities for its entire team. Our recruitment, training, and promoting processes are free from any discrimination. Equal chances are given to all staff. The women in Tigo Rwanda have decided to do their best and it has worked for them in their quest to transform their families and personal lives for better. At Tigo Rwanda we do have a bench of very talented women leaders heading key company departments such as Human Resources, Legal, Business Strategy and Mobile Financial Services to name a few..When you provide equal opportunities for all staff, the committed ones will work their way to the boardrooms. Tigo has produced women high caliber who have expanded into government positions; TSM: What inspires you and Tigo’s team to stand out as a major competitor? CHANTAL U. KAGAME: Over 5,000 men and women selling Tigo products as freelancers are the sole and primary breadwinners of their families. This inspires me to be part of a team that works tirelessly to support those who matter the most to them.

In addition, leading teams of young people in the right path is my humble contribution to the country’s vision. Plus, working in a fast changing industry such as telecommunication keeps you learning and catching with the trend. At Tigo Rwanda we do have a bench of very talented women leaders heading key company departments such as Human Resources, Legal, Business Strategy and Mobile Financial Services. We also have very strong women in operational management functions, CSR, Customer Care, Customer Understanding and Finance to mention but a few. In recent months, Tigo was proud to have produced high caliber women who have now expanded into government ministerial and diplomatic positions. TSM: What counsel would you give to other women aiming to build their careers in the private sector? CHANTAL U. KAGAME: Being in the private sector business, there are no favors given to anyone. It is imperative to seek a career that fills you with passion. I suggest to everyone: “Do what you love” and then you will find that the sky is the limit.I keep emphasizing to not only women but everyone else, the willingness to take risks. A lot of times we women don’t think we are ready to do something that goes beyond our comfort zones; yet, remember those zones are good but nothing ever grows there. It is extremely important to engage in tough projects and say, ‘I can do it’. A combination of passion and opportunity is the best environment for success. glo.irie@gmail.com

June-Aug 2015 39

YOUR HEALTH MATTERS

Byanditswe na Hermann H. CAKPO

uzamurwa mu ntera cyangwa gushimirwa kubera akazi ukora ni kimwe mu bigaragaza iterambere ry’umuntu ku giti cye n’ibyo yagezeho kandi twese nibyo duharanira. Kugirango ibyo bigerweho rero bisaba ko umuntu akomeza gukora atanga umusaruro akamara igihe cyose bigomba arangwa n’imyitwarire myiza mu kazi kugira ngo azagere ku cyo aharanira. 1. Kureka gukora ibyo wakoraga neza Kugira ngo ugere ku rwego runaka rushimishije mu buzima bwawe no mu kazi kawe ugomba kugira imyitwarire runaka inoze ari nako ikomeza kukuranga mu gihe kinini gishoboka nta gihindukaho. Ntuzigere na rimwe ucika intege ngo uhagarare cyangwa ngo ugende gake mu murimo wawe. Nuhagarika gukora ibyo wakoraga neza, kwa kuzamurwa ntuzaba ukikubonye kandi nubwo kwaza kuzasanga utiteguye. 2. Kuva ku mwanya watangagaho umusaruro ukajya mu bya politiki y’ikigo Birashoboka cyane ko mu bigo bitita ku musaruro, politiki ishobora kuguhesha umwanya mwiza mu kazi. Arikose ahantu nkaho wazagera kuki uzahora wi-

June-Aug 2015

buka ? Nyamara aho umusaruro ariwo musingi, ujye ukora utikoresheje, utange umusaruro witezweho, waba umugore cyangwa umugabo utanga umusaruro mu kazi uzageraho ube wawundi witabazwa aho bibaye ngombwa kandi mu gihe gikwiriye uzabona ko umuhate wawe utapfuye ubusa. 3. Gutega amatwi abaciwe intege no kutazamurwa mu ntera Nk’uko utagomba kugwa mu mutego w’abakoresheje politiki ngo batere imbere mu mirimo yabo ninako utagomba kwitwara nk’abananiwe kuzamurwa mu ntera cyane cyane iyo bacitse intege zo gukomeza gukora neza kuko ni ngombwa ko wowe ukomeza gukora niba ushaka kugera kubyo bananiwe nubwo byatwara igihe. 4. Kwitwaza umukoresha wawe n’imikorere y’ikigo Ntuzagwe mu mutego wo kumva ko umukoresha wawe ariwe kibazo cyawe, ko atumva atakumva, ko ari umuyobozi mubi, ko ari umunyapolitiki gusa, cyangwa se ko ntacyo ashoboye ahubwo aba yonka imitsi y’amaboko

YOUR HEALTH MATTERS

n’ubwenge bwawe. 5. Kumva ko igihe cyageze ngo ureke akazi nyamara ari uko wananiwe guhangana n’igitutu cyo mu kazi Menya ko iyo bigeze ku gutegereza kuzamurwa mu ntera birangira abenshi bacitse intege bakava mu kazi kuko birakomeye cyane. Ntugomba kwitiranya ibishuko byo kuva mu kazi n’igihe cya nyacyo cyo kuva mu kazi. Ingufu n’umurava w’akazi umuntu akeneye ngo akore itandukaniro mu kazi akenshi abibona iyo akorera ahantu hatamunogeye no mu bantu batamworohereza akazi. Ubushobozi bwo kwizirika ugahangana n’inkuta uhura nazo mu kazi urimo ubu nibwo buzatuma kakubera nk’urubuga rwo kwitorezamo gusumbya abandi imikorere myiza maze ukaba wanazamurwa byihuse mu kazi kawe k’ahazaza. Akenshi bibaho ko iyo uvuye gukorera

ahantu hari hakugoye cyane wibwira uti : « Nyuma na nyuma, mbonye ko hahandi nakoreraga hanteguriraga kuzigaragaza neza aho ndi ubu. » 6. Kugira imyitwarire ihabanye n’ibyo uharanira Mu buzima muri rusange kimwe no mu mikorere y’akazi kacu, si igitangaza ko hari igihe twisanga tugendera mu bintu bihabanye na bya bindi duharanira kuzageraho. Witwararike kuba indakemwa mu mico no mu myifatire bikwiriye umuntu ushaka kuzamurwa mu ntera n’iterambere mu kazi. Witonde cyane udatekereza, cyangwa ngo ukore ibyahungabanya inyungu zawe bwite cyangwa ngo wirwanye nawe ubwawe. Hermann H. CAKPO, Umwanditsi, Umwigisha na Rwiyemezamirimo; co-fondateur de H&C http://www.hcbusiness.com

June-Aug 2015 41

YOUTH TALK

Angaza Co-creators Turn Recycling into Street Fashion By Gloria Iribagiza

Angaza is a fashion centric eco-brand that up-cycles non-biodegradable material and blends it with African fabric to make eye-catching accessories, among several products. By upgrading PVC billboards, they repurpose what would otherwise be trash and turn it into valuable accessories. The Service Mag met up with Monica Umwari and Maria Mayanja, the two youth who co-founded the Angaza eco-brand. They have built its form to a place that has gained them national and international recognition for their efforts towards a green fashion-centric brand.

so they can take care of their families and in so doing and we also teach them new design skills. When we have bulk orders, we usually collaborate with women cooperatives especially those who have members living positively with HIV/AIDS and the widows of the Genocide against the Tutsi.

2. MONICA UMWARI Monica Umwari is the Marketing Director, Angaza Ltd. She is responsible for pitching Angaza to prospective customers, following up, maintaining the current clients and developing marketing plans. TSM: What is your biggest success story and how has it made you feel? UMWARI: Being able to co-start the Rwandan ecobrand from scratch with limited resources and business knowledge is a great achievement. Today, the company is at an encouraging level. I feel a sense of fulfillment. TSM: How do you impact the community around you? UMWARI: We are conserving the environment by taking up PVC billboards that have been discarded. We clean them up and up-cycle them. That canvas would have takenyears to decompose. Through up-cycling the material, Angaza prevents soil pollution, we provide jobs for the tailors we employ

June-Aug 2015

TSM: What motivates you to do what you do? UMWARI: Accomplishment and a sense of contribution to my community and the people close to me. In addition, as an entrepreneur, when the sales and visibility of the company increase, I am motivated to attain greater things. TSM: What are your aspirations? UMWARI: I want to be a successful entrepreneur known for professionalism and integrity, having the ability to inspire the youth and women of Rwanda. TSM: What is your message for the Rwandan youth? UMWARI: I encourage them to ‘Think Big’; you are young once, so make the best of your youth. Keep away from time wasters and don’t be afraid to look like a fool for what you believe in-- sometimes this happens in pursuit of your dream.

YOUTH TALK

1. MARIA MAYANJA

Monica Umwariâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s partner Maria Mayanja is a 24-year-oldgraduate of Environmental Engineering. TSM: How do you influence change within your community? MARIA: Being part of Angaza enables me to show people how they can come up with innovative solutions to the problems they face. This is through recycling non-biodegradable material like PVC billboard ads into stylish fashionable products such as handbags, man-bags, sling bags, purses, wallets and other accessories. TSM: Why is this important? MARIA: I think it is important because it gets people thinking differently. Most importantly, we are called upon to develop tailor-made solutions for our own problems and not wait for externally generated solutions. TSM: What do you consider as the biggest challenge in your field? MARIA: I would not call it a challenge, but rather an opportunity, to step out of my comfort zone and learn something new each day. It has been an interesting ride. TSM: What is your take on service delivery in Rwanda especially in the environment sector? MARIA: Rwanda is a country that is at the forefront of environmental conservation and has put in place institutions to make this a reality. Because of the urgency of the issue, I believe that responsible institutions are quick to act where they need to. glo.irie@gmail.com

June-Aug 2015 43

HAVE YOUR SAY

Turkish Airlines: I flew from Istanbul to Kigali and the flight was comfortable and the flight attendants were hospitable. However, although they have a flight shop magazine placed in the seat pockets, I was told there was no shop on the flight. The ground crew at the Istanbul airport think every client is the problem. I observed how they treated two young mothers with young kids. This is simply not acceptable. They were also impatient with clients who do not speak English; a lady from Guinea Bissau who had a business class ticket was left unattended until another passenger from Cameroon intervened to translate. Although it was a comfortable flight, there is still room for improvement especially on customer service at the Istanbul Airport.

Radiant Insurance Company. Allow me register my displeasure at Radiant Insurance Company. My car was knocked by a lorry registered with Radiant. The Radiant officer came and inspected the damage and although I needed two doors replaced, he insisted on giving me one. I agreed because I wanted a speedy end to the process since my car is foreign and has to be taken back home in time. Once the repairs were done and a claim of the amount we agreed on was made, the officer refused to sign claiming I had to bring one of the doors I had removed which was badly damaged. I had left the door in Kampala where I had had the car fixed and he said I should have brought it. He had not told me that was a requirement. When I appealed to the claims manager, he showed me something in French which he said meant I should have brought the damaged door to them. I have since appealed to the Director General who has not responded. I feel desperate and I am considering legal action against Radiant. How one thinks you can make a profit through an accident is mind boggling! Posted by: Naboth Namara <nabnamara@yahoo.co.uk>

June-Aug 2015

HAVE YOUR SAY

Dear MTN, I received a call from a named MTN Mobile Money agent (0789697311) claiming to be the country MMM (MTN Mobile Money) director informing me that I had won 500,000 FRW in randomly MTN winning numbers. He asked me to load 37,500Rwf on my MMM account and let him know after loading so that they could transfer the 500k on my account. The next day the fake MMM director called my wife and asking how he could reach me since my phone was off. My problem is: How do these people know my phone number and my wife’s number? Is MTN database not protected so that everyone can check and use my personal data? Is ID project database? Inyange Is it just me or there’s something wrong with INYANGE pineapple juice? I keep buying spoilt ones for the past month.... Praise Mutanu Rwanda Revenue Authority For the last two days, 3004 (RWANDA REVENUE HOTLINE) has not been reachable for inquiries; which is not a good sign of their customer service... Gloria Kamanzi Uwizera GT Bank Gt bank, Kisementi branch may easily be the worst service provider in the industry or in the service sector. I have been using this branch for quite some time. Although it is one of the busiest places in Remera, it has only 2 service tellers. The manager is on the phone and his screen is an online game, he is not at all bothered by his WORK. Very rarely do you find both tellers at their desks, there is usually 1 teller and she is self paced. Even the security staff are the worst. At any given time, this place has queues that just suck the hope out of you. I don’t even think they care anymore. Notary Has any of you experienced this type of service from the Notary in Kicukiro? There is a Baaad, Very Baad Service delivery am just experiencing here La Notaire du District de Kicukiro.....(the notary at Kicukiro District)

Je pense qu’il faut que tu fasses quelque chose sur ce sujet.... (i think you need to do something about this) WASAC No water in Kicukiro/Gatenga/Nyanza (Gasabo, Rebero, Rusororo, Cyeza, Gakoki ... Midugudu) Good morning WASAC, I just want to let you know that we have more than 4 weeks without water even 1 minute. I live in Kicukiro district, Gatenga sector in Nyanza cell. The problem of water cut is in those Midugudu Gasabo, Rebero, Rusororo, Cyeza, Gakoki ... etc. What happened? Sometimes in other WASAC station when there will be cut of water they announce this on different radios which is not the case to Gikondo station. I am wondering how can we have more than 4 weeks without water while you have technicians. What we need is only water and inform people for any further water problem. If there is a general problem let us know, we have right to know what is doing for us. PLZZZZZZ WATER!!!!! Davis KCB burundi Lost my KCB ATM card 3 WEEKS ago and ordered for another one the same day and I was told I will get a new one within two weeks. Its been 3 weeks now and when I checked at KCB Bank Burundi.. I was told to wait for another 2 weeks because they just made the request....???? SErously ???? Landry Sibomana Onatel I have no words to explain Onatel’s internet connection. So embarrassing!!! Kim Kimani LG Products I have a complaint though. Hotpoint the dealers in LG products don’t understand the concept of warranty. They have ignored my Claim completely. They have chosen to ignore my complaints about the Aircon I purchased 8 months ago with 2 years warranty. This is very sad that such a big brand can fail to honour it’s promise. Herman Ngoga June-Aug 2015 45

BUSINESS MANAGEMENT

Par Eddie Heh

chaque fois que j’anime une session de formation, je suis ébahie par le degré d’intérêt des participants. Ceci est d’autant plus évident que les travailleurs considèrent la formation acquise comme un outil performant de motivation. Ce n’est pas qu’une question de coût La question que l’on peut alors se poser est la suivante « Combien d’entreprises offrent des formations à leurs équipes ? Combien d’entrepreneurs investissent dans leurs employés ? Combien comprennent qu’un des meilleurs outils de gestion est la formation du personnel ? En parlant à Joseph, un des patrons d’une grande PME à Bujumbura, sa réflexion est d’autant plus éloquente qu’il comprend l’importance de la formation mais comme il le dit « Finalement, je perds parce qu’une fois que mes

June-Aug 2015

employés sont formés et sont plus performants, ce sont d’autres entreprises qui les débauchent.»

employé qui ne connaissait même pas le nom du directeur de la société pour laquelle il travaillait. Comment voulez-vous que ce dernier sache répondre aux questions ?

C’est vrai que la formation représente un coût inhérent pour les entreprises. Mais considérez plutôt ce que l’on y gagne :

Les salariés motivés par les formations

a) un personnel formé est plus performant b) un personnel formé vous permet d’être rentable c) un personnel formé se sent plus motivé d) un personnel formé se sent souvent loyal à l’entreprise. Souvent, les employés qui n’ont suivi aucune forme de formation se retrouvent totalement perdus face à des questions parfois simples des clients. Une fois, j’ai vu un

De tous les temps et sur tous les cieux, les salariés ont souvent une soif énorme de formation, qu’elle soit axée sur les métiers techniques ou sur tout ce qui touche à la performance des équipes. D’après un sondage, trois quarts des salariés se disent prêts à suivre une formation pendant leur temps de loisirs si l’entreprise le leur propose. Ainsi donc 74 % des salariés indiquent qu’ils répondraient positivement à ce type d’opportunité, seulement 15 % “d’irréductibles” ne veulent pas empiéter sur leurs loisirs. Le secteur privé apparaît le plus réactif au sujet des formations, avec 77 % de salariés favorables à une telle opportunité contre 72 % dans le public. Cet engouement porte sur des formations d’expertise et d’adaptabilité ou sur celles directement liées aux activités professionnelles des travailleurs. Les employés sont demandeurs de formations liées à leurs activités et qui peuvent faciliter leur évolution professionnelle. Ils sont aussi demandeurs de formations sur le développement personnel, des formations généralistes comme les langues, l’informatique.

THEY WOWED US

Adventist Dental Clinic Adventist Dental Clinic in Kacyiru is one class apart from the rest. It gives me hope that we have some serious service providers around. The Dentist even called me after my visit to check how I was doing. Kigali Transportation The bus service in Rwanda is very efficient. I have used the services of Stella and International between Rwamagana and Kigali and RFTC within Kigali and am happy with the service. I would appreciate it if an App and Website could be developed where 1. I could see all the bus routes on a Map. 2. I could see the time table of the buses. 3. I could see the starting point of the Bus (for Example Nyabugogo or Giporoso) - so I can make a decision which bus station to head to. 4. I could see the availability of seats on the bus. Now that the tickets are generated

electronically through a device, seat availability should not be a problem. 5. Lastly, maybe the GPS on the drivers’ cell phone could be made use of to see the location of the bus. A single app that integrates the above information for all Bus Services would be preferable. Jamie Boiles Engen Great customer care at the Engen station near RSSB. As they pumped my gas they asked to check my oils and coolants, etc. Topped me off to make sure my engine didn’t overheat! Good job! Besides, they were very polite. Peter Malinga Rwandair Thanks for a genuinely pleasant & great service on board RwandAir from Kigali to Lagos and then finally to Accra. Was very amazed at the friendliness of the crew on board. Let’s patronize African businesses. Mac-Jordan Degadjor

Masters Lounge Big up to Masters Lounge and Restaurant - MTN Centre. Great hospitality, super ambience, nice and tasty food. Need I say more? Malo Nyar Micky Mouse Restaurant Have you been to Mickey Mouse restaurant?! I love the way lady Chantal welcomes and serves her customers. Please try it and see for yourself. It is at Kimihurura opposite Mamba. Ann Kim Blueberry Hotel & Restaurant (Nyarutarama, MTN road) - service was great, food was great and came out fast, servers could explain items on the menu and even make suggestions... very accommodating for a big group...all the employees were welcoming, smiled and asked throughout the meal how everything was. I was really impressed. Carol Akiiki-Matama

June-Aug 2015 47

YOUR HEALTH MATTERS

By Dr. Rachna Pande

any people after 35-40 years of age, particularly office workers start complaining of pain in the neck and/or pain in one or both arms, hands, fingers or shoulders. This pain commonly comes after working continuously for some time. They may also have abnormal sensations like tingling, numbness, e.t.c. in their limbs. One of the main reason for these complaints is “cervical spondylosis”. “Cervical spondylosis”, is a condition of degeneration of the spine in the neck. Though it occurs due to advancing age, it appears early in life as compared to other degenerative changes because the neck is a very delicate part. It supports the head and is put through a lot of movement and stress with the head movements for practically all day time activities of a person. Reading or writing for long hours continuously with the neck bent makes one more prone to cervical spondylosis. Working on a computer for a long time also increases the risk. Cervical spondylosis is the result of all these activities. Using high pillows while sleeping also exposes one to the risk of cervical spondylosis. With a high pillow, the alignment of the spine at neck does not remain level with the rest of the spine thus putting it to stress.

June-Aug 2015

As the neck is subjected to stress for multiple reasons, space between the vertebrae (bones of the joints of the spine) is reduced, thus causing pain in the neck on movement. Small new bones called osteophytes are formed between the vertebrae. Compression of nerves by these osteophytes is the cause of numbness, tingling and pain in the affected area. The symptoms may be felt in the neck, shoulders, upper back, arms, forearms, fingers or hands depending on the location of the osteophytes. At times carotid arteries that supply blood to the brain may be compressed by the osteophytes or reduced space between vertebrae, causing dizziness while walking. One may also get paralysis of upper and/or lower limbs due to blood supply to the brain being curtailed. These symptoms also depend on the site of degenerative changes in the neck. Damage higher up in the neck can involve all 4 limbs, whereas changes in the middle or lower part of neck can manifest as more localized problems in the limbs. Blood supply to the inner part of the ear may be compromised by the osteophytes, causing dizziness and tinnitus, i.e. hearing abnormal sounds inside the ear. Cervical spondylosis cannot be cured by medication, all that can be done is prevent further progress. The first

useful step to remove high pillows while sleeping. Ideally, “no pillow”, is best, but if necessary, one should use a very thin, hard and even pillow. Avoid bending the neck while working. For example, during reading and writing one can place the book/copy at the level of the eyes. Similarly, turn round completely to look back instead of turning just the neck. Calcium supplements are useful to prevent and reduce osteoporosis. If neck exercises are done regularly they are also very useful for those who suffer from spondylosis. Exercise helps to retain flexibility of the neck and prevents further progression of spondylosis. Those suffering from severe spondylosis are advised to wear a cervical collar. This supports the neck and minimizes movement which gives relief from pain and other troublesome symptoms. Cervical spondylosis is a change that occurs with aging in some people and with precautions, one can lead a near to normal life even with the condition. Dr. Rachna Pande is a specialist in Internal medicine at Ruhengeri Hospital E-mail – rachna212002@yahoo. co.uk

“An

image

not

simply a trademark, a design, a slogan or an

easily

remem-

bered picture. It is a studiously crafted personality profile of

individual,

institution,

corpo-

ration, product or service.” Boorstin

Daniel

Rwanda’s Leading Hotel

KIGALI SERENA HOTEL

June-Aug 2015 49

FEATURE STORY

By TSM Reporter

he annual gorilla naming ceremony, locally known as Kwita Izina, is the biggest tourism event in Rwanda. With the annual week-long event now shifted to September from being held in June or July in the past, the Rwanda Development Board (RDB) intends to have it well organised and have more private sector participation to generate the highest impact in terms of the activities scheduled to take place, number of visitors and revenues. Amb. Yamina Karitanyi, the Chief Tourism Officer at the Rwanda Development Board, says the annual event is meant to celebrate conservation efforts which have seen the gorilla numbers grow by 26.3 per cent since 2010 as per the last census.

June-Aug 2015

Why September? The reason why Kwita Izina, Rwanda’s most popular tourism promotion event, was shifted to September, Amb Yamina says, is mainly to tackle the issue of seasonality in tourism and show tourists that they can visit Rwanda at any time of the year. “The period from June to August, during which Kwita Izina was held in the past, is very busy and hard for tour operators to leave their countries, therefore promoting the event does not have as big an impact as expected. So we want to have it in September when the low season starts, so that we are not only selling in the three or four months of high season but are spreading it in the other months,” she explained in an exclusive interview with The ServiceMag. Amb. Yamina said that with

the event now held in September every year, there would be better consistency compared to before and enough time to prepare for as many promotional activities prior to and during the event. In addition to that, Kwita Izina will be celebrated as part of the World Tourism month activities which happens to be September and will give Rwanda much more exposure in terms of telling her sustainable tourism and conservation story on the global arena. Activities expected in this year’s Kwita Izina Going by the event’s calendar and schedule, the week will start with a cultural ceremony focusing on the importance of cows in the Rwandan tradition and their impact on the socio-economic wellbeing of Rwandans.

FEATURE STORY

The ceremony, dubbed “Inka Z’URwanda” (loosely translated as ‘The Cows of Rwanda’) will be celebrated in the Eastern Province and will also serve to expose Rwanda’s national cultural heritage to visiting tourists. Other events to be held in the build up to the ceremony will be a conservation forum themed ‘A conversation on conservation’, a photo exhibition, a familiarisation trip and regional tourism business to business forum, launch of a community project and the famous community party which will be held on the eve of the gorilla naming ceremony featuring traditional dances and cultural story telling. The naming ceremony, to be held under the theme “Conserving now and for the future,” will see 24 baby gorillas named, up from 18 that were named last year. Amb. Yamina noted that Kwita Izina continues to contribute to the growth of Rwanda’s tourism industry; one of which is image building. “There have been global commendations for Rwanda especially in the area of sus-

tainable tourism and conservation.” Five per cent of all tourism revenue is given back to the communities surrounding the three main national parks in the country, thus empowering the communities to own up the conservation process and fight illegal acts such as poaching, she says. This contribution is used to fund local priority projects such as schools, health centres and businesses. “Rwanda has been a model and reference especially in gorilla conservation and as mentioned earlier, through the annual Kwita Izina, we recognize these efforts,” she said. The event is becoming more and more popular internationally with more people coming from all over the world to Rwanda for the event. In Musanze District, where Kwita Izina is held, the occupancy rate in hotels is usually at 100 per cent- a win for the private sector.

Greg Bakunzi, a Rwandan conservationist and proprietor of Amahoro Tours, a tour operating firm, told The ServiceMag that they currently have a programme dubbed as ‘Summer camp festival’ aimed to create awareness of Rwanda’s conservation efforts and promoting it as a tourist destination. “Our objective is to create awareness between now and the Kwita Izina ceremony so that the turn up for the event is large,” he said. Tourism is Rwanda’s number one foreign exchange earner and it continues to play a crucial role in the country’s development. Revenue from tourism almost tripled from US $187 million in 2010 to $303 million in 2014 with over 1.2million visitors having come to Rwanda last year. “We are working with the hotels, airlines, tour operators and the entire industry to see that we all take advantage to see as many visitors come for this year’s event,” Amb. Yamina said.

It also begs the question of how involved the private sector plans to make this year’s event an even better one for visitors.

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SURVEY

n March 19th 2015, TSM held its annual customer service awards at the Kigali Serena Hotel. The awards were based on a survey carried out from January –March 2015 through an online survey and face to face interviews across the country. This is the third customer service survey conducted by TSM. The survey considers both public and private sectors including: • Airlines • Banking • Insurance Services • Healthcare Services • Hotels • Restaurants • Internet Services • Telephone Services • Government Agencies • Media Services. The following are the results obtained from the survey: 258 surveys were received through the online portal and 3989 surveys were compiled during supported face to face interviews. A simple representation of the demographics from this year’s survey is given to the right.

June-Aug 2015

SURVEY

Respondents were asked to nominate best and worst service providers in the sectors listed above. A net score was derived from the difference between the numbers of votes for ‘Worst’ deducted from ‘Best’. The provider with the highest net score was claimed to be the overall winner. The following table summarises the responses from this year’s survey used at the awards ceremony: Sector

‘Best' Provider

Votes ‘Best’

Votes ‘Worst’

Net Result

Airlines

Rwandair

213

181

Banking

Bank of Kigali

938

317

621

Insurance Ser-

RSSB

1971

237

1734

Healthcare

University Central Hospital of

530

197

333

Services

Kigali

Hotels

Serena Hotels

312

295

Restaurants

Fantastic Restaurant

246

185

Internet Services

TIGO

1265

570

695

Telephone

TIGO

1743

547

1196

RRA

351

123

228

Media Services

Radio Rwanda

435

117

318

Overall Winner

RSSB

vices

Services Government Agencies

June-Aug 2015 53

AT YOUR SERVICE

By Sandra Idossou

June-Aug 2015

AT YOUR SERVICE

ynthia is the first born of three. She can hold a conversation with just about anyone and describes herself as a born-talker. My career chose me, she says. “Nine years ago, a friend called me and said I could do radio. I laughed at him, but accepted to go and try. My first try was fine, and then I was asked to read an announcement, which was pretty disastrous. I remember it as if it was yesterday. But it wasn’t enough to break me. I went back the following day, and it was way better.”

Cynthia’s words of wisdom to the youth, “Believe you can get anywhere you want to be. It just takes a great deal of discipline, passion and determination.”

She loves radio because it gives people an opportunity to express themselves and discuss issues. She loves that she can develop programmes and get people talking and hooked to the programs. Her job gives her an opportunity to talk about life, touch listeners and influence changes in society.

When she is not working, Cynthia enjoys meeting friends over a cup of coffee. “I love Rwandan coffee,” she adds. “I never get tired of meeting people and hearing what they have to say. I travel whenever I have the opportunity. Traveling and seeing the world, experiencing different cultures, is the best teacher in the world.” She also watches TV a lot.

It has not been without its challenges as Cynthia shares, “Initially, being a radio presenter wasn’t a very rewarding job in terms of revenue. You needed to like it, stick around despite the bad conditions, and then develop it. Not all of us made it in this business.” What is a typical work day like for Cynthia? “I wake up at seven, I am in the car by 8, and get to office by 8:30 and start work. I usually get a cup of coffee around 3 in the afternoon. Based on the amount of work, my day at work can end between 5 and 8pm. I exercise 3 days a week, am usually home by 9pm. A quick shower and light dinner, read or watch a movie, then call it a night.

For those seeking to pursue a career in radio, she advises; first make sure you love it enough. Be curious, and have a passion for story telling. She adds that one will need a lot of patience to make it in radio because it takes time for one to prove their worth. “You just need to DO IT”, she affirms.

1. When are you happiest? I am happiest when I am around the people i love, i love creating memories for them and with them. 2. What inspires you most? Successful people who remain humble. I mean successful in all kind of ways, not necessarily money, but even with other achievements. It takes a great deal of character to be successful and remain humble. 3. What is your saddest moment? I do feel sad when something sad happens, but i do not sit and wait for it 4. Your favorite hangout spot? I love coffee shops. They allow me to converse with people, and they give

me positive energy. 5. Favorite drink/snack/ dish? I have just discovered an interesting cocktail, called Pio in one of the restaurants in Kigali but my favourite, is a good capuccino, and the basic food is rice, vegetables and thick sauce. 6. What gadget can’t you possibly do without? I thought I could not do without my laptop and phone. But the reality is I totally can, I tried switching all of them off the other day for sometime and discovered I can but I need to have them close just in case. 7. Your dream car? When I was 18 years old, I discovered a TIGUAN. It is a car that never got very popular, but it is still on my bucket list. 8. If you had one wish, which influential person would you like to meet? I would want to talk with Christiane Amanpour. I think she has quite a number of stories to tell. 9. Are you dating, single or married? I am dating a very charming man! 10. What is the most daring or craziest thing you’ve done ? I think I am boring, or maybe I am just a good girl. I can’t think of anything thaaaat crazy I have done!

“When it is obvious that the goals cannot be reached, don’t adjust the goals, adjust the action steps.” Confucius

June-Aug 2015 55

ICT

By Yinka Olaito

he challenges of this age are as complex as the age itself. Online crisis has become part of what we must live with. Shrewd Community or Public Relations Manager must keep honing their skills to work out things for the organizations or brands they represent.

Let us look at the best ways to address online crisis or any other messy situations which we may confront. Nail the source, find the motive: You cannot win a war you know nothing about. This is the reason why in military setting, strategy is essential. Strategy rests on better appreciation as well as understanding of all the enemiesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; antic, resources etc. Is the individual or group out to score cheap points?

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Is there any justifiable reason for this? No reason is too small to overlook. What you may consider insignificant may be very significant to the other party. Wear their shoes if they have a genuine point. Be professional: When the water is soiled and tempers are charging high, there is always a tendency to throw professionalism out by engaging in unethical means of resolving the issues. No matter the level of provocation, always be professional in the way you handle issues. Many underdogs will want to drag you to their own level by being mischievous so they can tell the world what you are doing wrong. They have a sinister motive which you must not allow them to accomplish through you. In all you do, ask if what you are about to say or publish will

enhance your brandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s professionalism. Use the same channel: The channel used by the complainer should be your organizationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first communication tool. If the issue kicks off offline, start with that platform and incorporate others as a way to gain greater visibility for your argument or defence. Desist from name calling: There is always a tendency to join the bandwagon by resorting to name calling or engage the use of abusive words. You do not gain friends by being abusive; you only make people laugh and wonder. Focus on the issue: People who start the war will usually want to distract your focus by throwing up several non relevant issues. Stay on the issue, address the major is-

ICT

sues at stake and stop jumping around to issues that are not relevant to the present crisis. Switch and use offline tools: While the online tools may be good, wise organizations also understand the use of other offline tools that can quickly lower the tension. Always go the extra mile to deal with your clients’ complaints. Show empathy: Whatever happens, show empathy. Never display any form of arrogance or show off an attitude. Remember 3 billion online users may be monitoring

your reactions. Communicate, communicate communicate: This is not the best time to maintain silence. Communicate the efforts you have taken, that you are taking and the solutions you have provided till the crisis dies down. Never assume people know you are trying. You have got to let everyone know you are doing something, offering help and providing ongoing assistance, and working towards a solution for the party concerned. We may not always get 100% result every time but it is ob-

vious we will always come out better, stronger and we’ll appreciated by all. The author is a communications specialist, Social Media expert, trainer and speaker. www.yinkaolaito.com

“Ordinary people can spread good

and

bad

information

about brands faster than marketers.” Ray Johnson

June-Aug 2015 57

FASHION PAGE

By Efua Hagan

idyear is here, and for some of us that time to revamp our wardrobe is steadily approaching our doorsteps. Although going on a shopping spree may not be a realistic move, making an investment on at least one item for instance at the end of every month can build you a strong new wardrobe over time. If your style is becoming repetitive and mundane bring it back to life to celebrate your form and confidence.

Photo 1. Dress: 40,000 Rwf Location: J&J Exclusive located at the entrance of Simba supermarket, city centre. Photo 2. Maroon blouse: 20,000 Rwf Location: Fashion World Ltd Photo 3. White blouse: 25,000 Rwf Purple Skirt: 30,000 Rwf Location: Fashion World Ltd

Accentuate a look with Hair accessories Hair accessories are used to keep hair away from the face, and to style oneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hair. In the same way that a necklace accentuates the neck, hair accessories draws attention to and highlights oneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hair. Hair accessories by all means are not limited and range from head bands, clips, fascinators and more. They come in vast shapes, sizes and materials making them suitable for any occasion, whether a wedding or cocktail party.

June-Aug 2015

Hair clips: Price: 5,000 Rwf Location: Fashion World Ltd

FASHION PAGE

Shoes; Striking that balance between Comfort and Style Consider the following scenario; Jane is walking past some shops when she spots a pair of shoes on display. A surge of excitement flows through her, for her eyes have convinced her that these shoes are destined for her. She enters the shop and asks the attendant for a size 7. “I’ve only got this in a 6” replies the attendant. Jane asks him to bring it out anyway assuring herself that she can squeeze into it. To Jane’s amazement her foot slides into the shoes, despite the uncomfortable pinch at her little toes. “Its fine” she tells herself, “shoes usually stretch out with time as they are worn.” A few months down the line, the uncomfortable pinch turns into a dreadful and painful sensation! What a dilemma. Eventually Jane can no longer bear the self inflicted suffering and opts to give the shoes away. Some people will tell you that the first thing they notice about someone is their shoes. “Shoes can tell a lot about a person” they may say. However in addition to shoes looking tasteful, they should offer the wearer optimal comfort in order to serve their purpose to the fullest.

Men’s Formal shoes: 60,000 Rwf Location: Fashion world Ltd

Ladies formal shoes: 50,000 Rwf Location: Fashion World Ltd

Fashionable home décor accessories Personalize your home with accessories of rich Rwandan culture. These accessories by AGAKONI cooperative come in a range of sizes and are easy to blend into any color scheme because of their accommodating neutral tones. Whether you opt to place a few on a table’s surface or hang an assortment on a focal wall, the outcome will be sure to leave a lasting impression.

Cost: Left-12,000 Rwf, Right-7,000 Rwf By: AGAKONI cooperative

Cost: 12,000 Rwf By: AGAKONI cooperative

Cost: 7,000 Rwf By: AGAKONI cooperative

AGAKONI products can be found at the Rwanda Nziza store. Tel: +250 (0)785371520 Contact details for Fashion world Ltd +250 (0)78 828 9416 Contact details for J&J Exclusive +250 (0)782300028

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PICTORIAL

June-Aug 2015

PICTORIAL

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June-Aug 2015

GIRA URUHARE MU KUNOZA SERIVISI UHABWA

KANDA

*788*0#