Tsm30 by The ServiceMag

ISSUE 30: June - August 2017

www.theservicemag.com

LL Y NEED OU NEED T KNOW O KN OW O IMPR O VE Y OUR SER VICE ALL AYOU TO TOTIMPROVE YOUR SERVICES

PRINTEX Ltd

Taking Rwanda’s printing industry to greater heights Gilles MPORANYI Managing Director

GIVE FEEDBACK TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE! 4 CAUSES D’ÉCHEC CHEZ LES NOUVEAUX MANAGERS NTA CYARUTA KUGIRIRWA ICYIZERE

SCAN TO VISIT OUR WEBSITE

EE R F PY CO

Withdraw cash from an Equity Agent or ATM

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HAVE YOUR SAY PUBLISHER'S NOTE

YOUR INTEGRITY IS YOUR BEST CAPITAL DURING

the recent Transform Africa summit that was held in Kigali, I was privileged to attend one of Strive Masiyiwa’s sessions on Entrepreneurship in Africa. For people who may not know this great son of Africa, google him..search Econet, Kwese and join his facebook teaching series. As usual, he was very insightful and one his key lessons during the session was simply - “ Your Integrity is your best Capital”. We live in a world where we all want quick solutions. Most young people seem blocked to venture into entrepreneurship because though they may have bright ideas, they usually lack knowledge on many aspects of business. But what the youth really lacks today is the ability to honour their word and respect promises, contracts, deadlines etc. Recently, I worked with a young entrepreneur and it took over nine months to be paid…(I still haven’t received full payment). Each time she made a promise, she broke it and didn’t get back to me, she would just disappear and go quiet as if she hadn’t made that promise. Integrity is the adherence to moral and ethical principles. It is the soundness of moral character or honesty. Whether we work for others or own the business, integrity is a personal quality of fairness that we should all aspire to. In business, integrity is a great component of your success because at the end, your reputation is what will make your name or brand. Having integrity means doing the right thing in a reliable way and having a moral compass that doesn’t waver. 4 The SERVICEMAG June - August 2017

It is unfortunate that this virtue is rare in this modern age. As an entrepreneur or service provider, you should invest in anything that can brand you positively, believe me, not honouring your promises will spoil your reputation even if you have a good idea for business. Honesty and integrity should be the foundations of any business. There are no moral shortcuts in the game of business and usually, those who succeed are those who remain honest. Do not compromise your integrity even in small situations with little consequences. Let your yes be yes. Keep your promises without fail. And always tell the truth even if the truth is painful. What do you want to be known or remembered for? Let Integrity, Quality, Excellence describe you and your business. These virtues will build your brand for the future. In this issue, we are delighted to feature one of the Young CEOs who is managing Printex, a leading printing company in Rwanda. Enjoy the reading and do send us your feedback/ suggestions on the articles, the pictures and design. Though the production of each issue remains a struggle for lack of advertisers and sponsors, we are dedicated to quality and excellence at all costs; that is what we want to be known for Sandra Idossou Publisher/CEO

HAVE YOUR SAY

CONTENTS KWITA KU BAKIRIYA NI BUMWE MU BURYO BWIBAGIRANYE MU GUTEZA IMBERE IBIKORWA BY’UBUCURUZI

CEO / PUBLISHER:

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Sandra Idossou sidossou@theservicemag.com

ENGLISH EDITOR: Aryantungyisa Otiti

aryantu@theservicemag.com

KINYARWANDA EDITOR:

Gaspard Habarurema gaspardhabarurema@gmail.com

FRENCH EDITOR:

SELF-REFLECTION FOR GREAT LEADERSHIP

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Diana Ramarohetra diana@theservicemag.com

MARKETING CONSULTANTS Bea Umwiza: bumwiza5@yahoo.fr +250 788 304 226 Eva Gara: evagara@yahoo.com +250 782 029 803

PHOTOGRAPHY, DESIGN and LAYOUT:

THREATS ON THE INTERNET : TYPES OF SCAMS

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Lange technologiez www.lange.rw Tel: +250 789 720 480

CONTRIBUTORS:

Sandra Idossou, Diana Ramarohetra, Efua Hagan,Rachna Pande, Shiprah Kiiza, Antony Gitonga, Tony Malyk, Patrick Bagina, Strive Masiyiwa, Camille Sinclair, Denise Umunyana,Willy Liambi, Gandnou S. Marcellin, John Kageche Bruce Kasanoff, DidierJoyeux

GIVE FEEDBACK TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE!

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THE FOLLOWING ORGANIZATIONS SUPPORTED US IN PRODUCING THIS ISSUE:

Equity Bank, Akagera Aviation Akagera Business Group, Kenya Tourism Board, BPR, AIF, Bralirwa, RSSB, Printex Ltd

DISCLAIMER:

COVER STORY PRINTEX Ltd TAKING RWANDA’S PRINTING INDUSTRY TO GREATER HEIGHTS

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of errors in articles and pictures.

KNOWLEDGE IS POWER

ADVERTORIALS

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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 prepar- ing this magazine, The ServiceMag assumes no responsibility in effects risen there from and cannot accept responsibility for accidental loss

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The ServiceMag Rwanda Tel: +250 788 781 562 Email: info@theservicemag.com advert@theservicemag.com www.theservicemag.com

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LETTERS HAVE YOUR SAY

READERS’ LETTERS IKINYAMAKURU CYONYINE KIVUGA KU MITANGIRE YA SERIVISI KANDI GITANGIRWA KU BUNTU

Dear Service Mag Team, I am really glad whenever I see a new edition of your magazine. I also wanted to congratulate you on your 7th anniversary. May you blow more candles and get more advertisers for your coming editions. Bless you.

Nkunda uko ikinyamakuru cyanyu gikoze,amabara ndetse n’amashusho akurura benshi. Igihe cyose mfashe kopi,sinshobora kwiyumvisha ukuntu ikinyamakuru cyiza gutya gishobora gutangirwa ubuntu. Ni irihe banga ryanyu? PETER

ROY UN MAGAZINE QUI RÉPOND À TOUS NOS BESOINS I am deeply in love with your vibrant social media platforms. You always bring innovative ideas. Your new “TWEETCHAT” Session is simply amazing. You are contributing to bridging the gap between service providers and clients. Well done! ALANNA

Nifurije ikinyamakuru cyanyu isabukuru nziza y’imyaka irindwi. Mukomeze mwaguke mu buryo bwose. Muzizihize izindi sabukuru nyinshi n’ibindi bitabo.Murakoze.

Je manque simplement de mots pour vous décrire ma joie à chaque fois que je tombe sur votre magazine. Vous Sandra ainsi que votre équipe entière, avez réussi à créer sur le marché rwandais cette soif trimestrielle que nous avons tous en attendant la sortie de votre magazine. Je voudrais vous suggérer d’ajouter des articles sociaux comme la cuisine, sport, etc Pour que ce magazine soit le seul à répondre à tous les besoins des lecteurs dans le milieu des affaires au Rwanda. Bon courage à vous ! YANNICK

KARO Please submit your comments and suggestions: Ese mwakunze inyandiko tubagezaho? turabasaba ngo muduhe ibitekerezo kuri:

editor@theservicemag.com

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HAVE YOUR SAY FEATURE

BYATUMARIRA IKI GUSHYIRA MU BIKORWA IBYO TWIZE DUSHYIZEHO UMWETE? Na Anthony Gitonga Ni gute byakongera umusaruro mu kazi kacu kandi ni gute byashimangira imikoranire? Ndakeka ko byagira impinduka nyinshi ku buzima bwacu dushyize mu bikorwa ibyo tuba twarize, twabaho neza kandi n’umusaruro ukiyongera. Muri iki gitabo, ibyiciro bine mu kwiga, mvuga ku buryo bwo kwiga n’uburyo ibyizwe byashyirwa mu bikorwa bikabyara inyungu nyinshi kuri nyir’ukubikora. Reka turebe kuri buri cyiciro ukwacyo mu magambo make.

URWEGO RWA 1: KUGIRA AMATSIKO MU MUTWE WAWE.

ry’umutima rivuga ko twiga atari ukugira ngo tumenye gusa ahubwo kugira ngo tugire ibyo duhindura.

bakanabikora. Udakoze ntacyo byaba bimaze kugira icyo umenya. Koresha ibyo wize kandi ubiheho n’abandi.

1.Icyiciro cya mbere, gukoresha igihe cyo kwiga.

Kwiga ni igikorwa gifite umurongo ngenderwaho umuntu ashakisha kandi akawugeraho, bituma yanguka mu bwenge igihe akiriho, bikaba bimusaba ubwitange. Ntushobora kwiga wiyoboye. Ushobora kwihitiramo kwiga wiyigishije, ariko bigusaba kwitekerezaho no gukora, kugira ngo ibyo wiga bigende neza.

4. Icyiciro cya 4 kwiga ni akamenyero. Iki ni icyiciro cyo gushyira mu bikorwa ibyizwe.

Muri iki cyiciro, twunguka amakuru adufitiye akamaro, dushira amatsiko binyuze mu kubaza ibibazo. Ibibazo no kumva, hari byinshi dukeneye kumenya, bituma twemera ko ntacyo tuzi bikadutera inyota yo gushaka kumenya byinshi. Amatsiko ni intangiriro yo kwiga, wakora iki kugira ngo uhorane amatsiko n’inyota yo kwiga? Birashoboka ko amatsiko yakwicisha, ariko ugapfa umenye. Horana amatsiko, horana inyota. Wige. 2. Icyiciro cya 2 kwiga ukoresheje umutima. Muri iki cyiciro twigiramo kwitoza ibyo twakora. Tukiga dushishikaye, ikiba kigamijwe ni ukudasiga ku ntebe ibyo twize, muri buri kanya kose twiga haba hari ibyo dushaka gusobanukirwa, tubona itegeko ry’umutima. Itegeko

3. Icyiciro cya 3 kwiga dukoresha ibiganza byacu. Muri iki cyiciro cyo kwiga duhuza amagambo n’ibikorwa. Nyakwigendera Stephen Covey yavuze kuri iki cyiciro agira ati: “iyo wiyigisha umenya bikoroheye. Buri munyeshuri aba umwarimu kandi n’umwarimu akaba umunyeshuri. Iyo guhuza imvugo n’ingiro tubigize intego, twubahiriza itegeko ryo kurambura ibiganza tugatanga ibyo twahawe rivuga ko kwigisha abandi ari ukwiga neza.

Ibyo dushyira mu bikorwa bihindura ubuzima bwacu. Bikaduha imyitwarire runaka. Agaciro ko kwiga ni uguhindura uburyo twumvagamo ibintu. Iyo dufashe ibintu twigishijwe n’ubuzima ubu n’ubu, tubona itegeko ry’akamenyero. Itegeko ry’akamenyero rivuga ko mbere na mbere habanza kwiga naho impinduka zikava ku bishyira mu bikorwa. Ubwo ukaba urangije ibyiciro bine byo kwiga. Biroroshye? Yego. Ndakeka ko byoroshye kandi bitagoye kubyumva. Bishyire mu bikorwa ubone inyungu zo kwiga. www.anthonygitonga.com

Kwiga ntacyo byaba bimaze igihe ibyo wize ntacyo uzabikoresha. Ahazaza ni ah’ abazabitekereza, bakabipanga, The SERVICEMAG June - August 2017 7

HAVE YOUR SAY ADVERTORIAL

RSSB

TOP-NOTCH MEDICAL SERVICES FOR RWANDA’S GROWTH The Rwanda Social Security Board (RSSB) has over the past seven years ensured that Rwandans are in good health to efficiently contribute towards the country’s fast-paced growth, thanks to its health insurance services.

THE

Rwanda Social Security Board (RSSB) has over the past seven years ensured that Rwandans are in good health to efficiently contribute towards the country’s fast-paced growth, thanks to its health insurance services. Community Based Health Insurance (CBHI) and Maternity Leave Benefits schemes have been constantly improved and conveniently offered to the public to ensure that all Rwandans receive quality medical services, a key enabler driving the country’s growth. As the nation has vowed in its shared Vision 2020, the target is to create a country where citizens have the best medical services and where life is valuable and worth living. One pillar central to achieving this vision is creating a social security system that caters for the needs of all citizens, especially the most vulnerable. RSSB has been able to significantly move Rwanda several steps toward fully implementing the conditions of Article 25 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights which in part reads, “Everyone has a right to the standard of living adequate for the health and wellbeing of himself and of his family, including food, clothing, housing, and medical care and necessary social services, and the right to social security in the event of unemployment, sickness, disability, widowhood, old age, or other lack of livelihood in circumstances beyond his control.” RSSB’S COMMUNITY BASED HEALTH INSURANCE SCHEME Taking a closer look at the country’s social security landscape, Rwanda, a country on a continent that is home to most countries categorized as third world has managed to create a universal medical Community Based Health insurance (CBHi) scheme popularly known as Mutuelle de santé marveled at world over. The ambition to create a national solidarity health insurance scheme was to improve the quality of life for all Rwandans as the main resource 8 The SERVICEMAG June - August 2017

that enables the country to achieve the envisioned development. WHO ARE ELIGIBLE MEMBERS OF CBHI? All Rwandans are eligible beneficiaries of CBHI and as such, any person who wishes to register under Mutuelle has to check with their respective area cell office to ascertain which category of Ubudehe they belong to. Ubudehe is Rwanda’s social stratification programme which categorizes all households along four main classes based on their income levels. People in category one, who are considered to be in absolute poverty are catered for by the Government and make annual contributions of Rwf2,000 per individual in the family while people in categories two and three have to pay for themselves Rwf3,000 each and those in category four Rwf 7,000 as contribution annually. CONTRIBUTIONS AND CONVENIENT ACCESS TO HEALTH SERVICES: Contributions to Mutuelle de santé are made per individual but a given family’s members can only be validated if all members in that family have paid their contributions. Payments are made to an RSSB Account Number in a nearby Sector Savings and Credit Cooperative (Umurenge SACCO), equity banks and Mobicash agents, Bank Populaire du Rwanda and other commercial banks located countywide. The payment slips are then presented at the CBHI section at health centres where cards can be obtained upon verification of the family’s Ubudehe categorization and whether all registered family members have been subscribed for. This takes a day provided the subscriber meets all requirements. With this simplified payment and card validation procedure, CBHI subscribers don’t have to go through hectic procedures to make their contributions.

ADVERTORIAL Next, for a member joining the scheme for the first time, medical services can be accessed 30 days after the payment of their subscription fees. The CBHI scheme year commences on 1st July and ends 30th June of the following year After receiving medical care/health services, beneficiaries of CBHI scheme are required to make a copayment (ticket modérateur) of Rwf200 at health centers and 10% of the medical services cost at district/referral hospitals. REIMBURSEMENTS OF HEALTH SERVICE PROVIDERS UNDER CBHI As key service providers in this scheme, it is important for RSSB to reimburse health centers and hospitals in a timely manner once invoiced by the latter. Health centers and hospital invoices are submitted at the CBHI office at the health centers for verification and signature and payment is done within 30 days counted from the day the bill is considered by RSSB and the medical partner. In light of the above, a national affordable healthcare scheme that is available for all Rwandans, access to quality healthcare is now a dream within reach and the health stipends which formerly weighed heavily on poor households have been reduced significantly thanks to CBHI. Efforts are currently being made to improve the quality of services received by CBHI subscribers will ensure that this universal health insurance option appeals to majority of Rwandans and drive the achievement of nationwide medical insurance coverage and with it, quality of life of Rwandans. MATERNAL LEAVE BENEFITS SCHEME BY RSSB In order to cater for women, who in the past, would have to choose between raising a child and keep their jobs, the government introduced solidarity based insurance scheme that aims at covering working women to continue earning their full salaries for a period of three months (90 days) after giving birth. It is a social security scheme that is intended to compensate the female employee who is absent from employment for the purpose of pregnancy, giving birth and subsequently caring for the newborn child and begun its operations in November, 2016 The Law establishing and governing maternity leave benefits scheme mainly deals with: benefits, contributions, eligibility conditions and modalities of payment, all of which are discussed in depth below. Maternity leave benefits are equal to the last woman’s salary to which the contribution was subscribed as established in article 11 of the aforementioned law. In the event of death of mother before expiry of maternity leave the Social Security Board, RSSB shall pay to the guardian of the new born child the balance of maternity leave benefits that the deceased was entitled to, upon presentation of justifying documents. For cases that necessitate prolonged maternity leave, additional benefits for a period not exceeding one month shall be paid by RSSB.

As mentioned above, protecting maternity is not a women’s issue, the whole society has to be involved. Therefore, in order to ensure the sustainability of the scheme, employers and employees, both male and female, contribute based on the principle of solidarity as the key component of all social security systems. Contributions are calculated based on the employees’ gross salary plus other fringe benefits. The rate of contributions is 0.6 % shared between the employer and the employee, to a tune of 0.3% each. Other statutory deductions (staff contribution to social security and Pay as you earn) are paid by RSSB except those supposed to be paid by the employer. CONDITIONS IN GETTING MATERNITY LEAVE BENEFITS In order to get maternity leave benefits, the claimant must fulfil the following conditions as established by law: • The woman must be on the maternity leave as evidenced by a prescribed form duly signed by the employer and submitted to the Social Security Administration within six (6) months from date of commencing maternity leave. • She must have contributed to maternity leave benefits scheme for at least the last month before the month in which she started her maternity leave. • Presentation of maternity certificate of delivery duly signed and stamped from a recognized healthy facility. The modality of payment and duration of maternity leave benefits The Social Security Administration pays maternity benefits for the last 6 weeks of the maternity leave. In case of delivery complications certified by an authorized medical doctor necessitating prolonged maternity leave, additional maternity leave benefits are granted but do not exceed one month. Procedures for prolonged leave are established by the ministerial order relating to maternity leave benefits scheme. In order to facilitate the payment procedure, the employer remunerates all benefits for the period of maternity leave. In turn, RSSB reimburses within 30 days upon receipt of request for reimbursement from the employer. The request for reimbursement is submitted within 3 months from the date of the end of the leave. In conclusion, during the past seven years, RSSB as the government entity charged with management and development of social security has made significant strides; diversifying available schemes as well as improving quality of service delivery of already existing schemes, all of which have significantly contributed to the quality of life of Rwandan citizens

The SERVICEMAG June - August 2017 9

FEATURE

IBINTU BITATU UGOMBA KUBAHIRIZA KUGIRA NGO UBE UMUNTU UKOMEYE Na Tony Malyk

Gutsinda no gutsindwa kw’ishyirahamwe runaka biterwa n’umuyobozi waryo. Inganda cyangwa amakipe y’imikino usanga atanga akayabo k’amamiliyoni y’amadorari ku bayobozi bayo kugira ngo babakurure batagira ahandi bajya. Ni kangahe wabonye abagize itsinda bazirikana umuyobozi wabo kuko yabagejeje ku nstinzi? Ku rundi ruhande ni incuro zingahe abayobozi batagize icyo bamaze mu itsinda runaka babazwa igihombo cyaryo? Nyuma y’ibyo rero ni gute twateza imbere ubumenyi bwacu ku bijyanye n’imiyoborere, kugira ngo tubashe guteza imbere amashyirahamye yacu, umuryango wacu n’isi muri rusange? Hari inzira 3 twanyuramo twiyungura ubumenyi mu miyoborere:

KWIYOBORA WOWE UBWAWE Abayobozi nyakuri babanza kwirebaho ubwabo, bakareba uko biyobora ubwabo mbere yo kuyobora abandi. Baba bafite intumbero n’ibyo bagomba gukora mu buzima bwabo, bashyizeho intego za bo zigomba kujyana n’icyerekezo cyiza kandi bakaziyumvisha ubwabo kandi bakabaho bihesha agaciro. Babaho mu buzima bwujuje ibisabwa, bakomeza gukora ntibahagarara nk’abageze iyo bajya kugira ngo bagire impinduka kandi bakagaragara neza inyuma. 10 The SERVICEMAG June - August 2017

KUYOBORA ABANDI Iyo umuntu afite ubushobozi bwo kuba yaba umuyobozi ukwiye nyakuri bigaragaririra abandi. Bumva icyizere n’ubutumwa bw’abagize itsinda ryabo, bashyigikira bakanafasha itsinda ryabo mu gukora iby’abageze ku cyo biyemeje ariko barifata mu bijyanye no gushyigikira abafite inshingano. Bubahiriza ibikorwa biri mu nshingano za bo, bagaragaza ubunyangamugayo mu bandi kandi bakabikorana ubwitange.

KUYOBORA IKIGO CYAWE Hamwe no kwisobanukirwa wowe ubwawe ndetse n’abagize ikipe yawe yiteguye kugera ku rwego rwo hejuru, ubu ushobora kuyobora ikigo cyawe. Tegura, ukore kandi ukomeze kumenyekanisha ikigamijwe, intumbero, n’indangagaciro

z’ikigo cyawe. Kora iteguramushinga rya bizinesi yawe n’uburyo buzakoreshwa, kora kuri bizinesi yawe, wiyikoreramo, tegura inama ku buryo buhoraho kandi budahinduka mu rwego rwo guhamana buri wese mu nzira nziza ndetse ugire ibyo uhindura mu gihe ari ngombwa. Ba nyiri bizinesi ndetse n’abayobozi bazo babasha kuvamo abayobozi bashoboye ku buryo bw’intangarugero, baba bashobora gushinga za bizinesi zikomeye kandi ku buryo burambye zibemerera kugera ku nshingano n’intumbero bwite bari bihaye.Ejo hazaza hawe hashingiye ku kuba umuyobozi mwiza. tony.malyk@gmail.com

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IMPROVE THE SALES OF YOUR SMALL BUSINESS THROUGH THE WWW By Patrick Bagina

When building your business smarter, faster, cheaper every coin counts. But you HAVE to invest in yourself because the payout and potential is much more than the initial investment.

MANY

times when you ask a business manager or owner , “Why don’t you have a website?” He/ she replies, “Why do I need a website?’ Regardless of your industry or the size of your business, you can leverage your website to find more new customers, serve your existing customers better and convert more leads to sales. Here are some answers to some ideas that will help you put the web to work for your business. Consumers have adopted the Google, YahooSearch, WebSearch, and others as a daily research tool much faster than many experts even predicted. Sure, some of your new customers will continue to find you via word-of-mouth. However, when a potential customer is trying to find mechanics in your area, many of them will turn to the Internet. If you don’t have a website and a presence online, those potential customers will find and do business with your competitors that have websites. Here are some qualities that will ensure that your website brings in new customers:

1. Design If you want to look professional when people find you through 12 The SERVICEMAG June - August 2017

Google, Facebook, Twitter and other sources of traffic, good design gives you a massive edge, “First Impressions Matter“ and if customers are browsing between you and competitors, which many are, your design matters. Shoppers, think about the last time you compared companies. Would the simply, dynamically designed site win your sale compared to the site from 2006 with a little construction guy digging. Make sure that your website is well designed, responsive and has social media connections.

2. Optimize Your Website Optimization implies that you are making your website appeal to search engines so that your business can become more searchable online. Therefore, optimizing your site is extremely important for increasing online sales and improving your Internet marketing. It can be done in a variety of ways. The most common form of optimization is keyword placement within your website content. Having content that is rich with keywords will help your website register better with search engines. But remember to write like a human and not a robot. Writing quality content will help you while haphazardly stuffing your website full of keywords with no care to how the sentences sound will only penalize you.

FEATURE

3. Update your Website Content Frequently Newer content always gets priority over old content. Newer content is also more relevant and interesting to your consumer base and should drive more traffic organically. Adding a blog to your website gives customers valuable information regarding your industry. What a great and simple way to beef up your content marketing efforts and help your internet marketing strategy! When it comes to Internet marketing, content is always king. Make sure that people will learn something from the information you are sharing. Another great way to add more content to your website is to include an About Us section that highlights your business brand, goals, and mission.

4. Get Social Now more than ever, social media has become one of the greatest advantages to online marketing. Among Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Instagram, and Google+, it’s hard to escape the constant rush of

news feeds. Use this to your advantage by putting your business on at least one of these platforms. This is another direct communication pathway to your consumers, and it is a great way for your client base to share your business with their friends. These platforms offer an opportunity for engagement with your customers because they can comment on your posts, and you can reply (which customers love!)

Conclusion Internet marketing can be extremely tricky to master. Once you have the basics down for your business — like your website design and content, your social media platforms, and a strict email marketing campaign schedule — you should be well on your way to boosting your online sales. Remember to constantly stay on top of your content and test all your strategies before fully committing to one.

Adding a blog to your website gives customers valuable information regarding your industry.

Email: Patrick@skyaccess.rw

The SERVICEMAG June - August 2017 13

ADVERTORIAL

AIF TO TACKLE MALNUTRITION

NEW PLANT TO BENEFIT FARMERS Rwanda’s efforts to tackle malnutrition have been reinforced by Africa Improved Foods’ US$60 million facility which produces high quality nutritious foods. The Plant, which was officially unveiled on 31st May 2017, is a joint-venture between the Government of Rwanda and a consortium of Royal DSM, IFC, Dutch Development Bank (FMO) and DFID Impact Acceleration Facility managed by CDC Group plc. Speaking at the Launch, the Minister of Agriculture and Animal Resources Dr. Gerardine Mukeshimana observed that the Plant was a welcome development in the country’s concerted efforts to address the challenges of malnutrition. “As a nation, we feel that ending malnutrition is our moral obligation to make sure that no child is deprived of his/her future,” she said. Her remarks are complemented by AIF CEO Amar Ali who reiterated that proper nutrition within the first 1000 days of a child’s development is the safest route towards addressing malnutrition. “Our mission is primarily about nutrition. Currently, our products are mainly targeting the first 1000 days - which means the 9 months of pregnancy and the first 6 months of exclusive breastfeeding, and then the period from 6-24 months where complementary foods should be introduced in addition to continued breastfeeding,” he highlighted. The foods are produced with locally grown maize and soya; and then milled and blended with micro-nutrient pre-mix, skim milk powder and soy oil. The primary beneficiaries of these complementary nutritious foods are pregnant and breastfeeding mothers, older infants above six months as well as young children.

Minister of Agriculture and Animal Resources Dr. Gerardine Mukeshimana during the AIF Launch Gala Dinner at Kigali Convention Centre 14 The SERVICEMAG June - August 2017

AIF’s establishment was inspired by the fact that the first 1,000 days, from conception to a child’s second birthday, are critical for its physical and mental development, and that the child should be exclusively breastfed for the first six months of life to achieve optimal growth, development and long-term health.

HAVE YOUR SAY ADVERTORIAL

DSM CEO Feike Sijbesma played a pivotal role in the establishment of the Plant

Dr. Gerardine Mukeshimana cuts the ribbon to officially unveil the AIF Plant at the Kigali Special Economic Zone as AIF Rwanda CEO Amar Ali (left) and Feike Sijbesma (right) look on.

Older infants above six months and young children should also receive nutritionally adequate and high quality complementary foods, while continuing to be breastfed at least until a child is two years of age or older.

Rwandan Farmers to benefit Lack of reliable markets is always a key challenge to farmers so the establishment of the multi-million processing Plant provides a new lease on life. This year, AIF which boasts of an annual production capacity of 45,000 tonnes, is expected to hit a production output of at least 35,000 tonnes. However, to achieve this target, the factory needs about 23,000 tonnes of maize and 7,000

tonnes of soya. “There is no reason why farmers will not increase production given the ready market the factory provides,” said Florence Umuraza, a maize farmer in Muhanga District. AIF is already working with 9,000 smallholders and employing 300 full-time workers in addition to 500 jobs that were created in the construction of the factory. “The concept is that the staple foods - maize and soya should be locally sourced, the nutritious foods manufactured here and sold to Rwandans, World Food Programme and other partners,” Feike Sijbesma, the CEO of AIF’s majority shareholder Royal DSM, said. Minister Mukeshimana acknowledged the need to sensitize farmers on the significance of the factory. “What we have been doing is to make sure that we sensitize farmers on the enormous benefits of this plant to them,” she said. Since quality is a core aspect of AIF’s produce, Amar Ali insists that the company will continue to work closely with local small-holder farmers along the entire value chain to make sure that quality is not compromised.

AIF range of products contain micro-nutrients which are crucial in fighting malnutrition The SERVICEMAG June - August 2017 15

HAVE YOUR SAY FEATURE

HOW IMPORTANT IS CREATING JOBS? By STRIVE MASIYIWA

any years ago, I was given a very interesting proposal, whilst visiting a certain wealthy country:

“Would you consider moving permanently to our country?” The man asking was a very senior government official, in that country. “If you move to our country, we will give you residence, a passport, and fast track to citizenship. We will even consider funding to support some of the ventures that you do here.” I could hardly believe my ears; someone was actually trying to recruit me, to change my citizenship! “Why?” I asked surprised. “You are a proven ‘job creator’. We need people like you, to come and create jobs. Entrepreneurs create jobs, and you are good at what you do. We have done our research on you. There is nothing more 16 The SERVICEMAG June - August 2017

important for us than creating jobs for our young people.” I smiled, thanked him politely, before declining the generous offer. I nevertheless proceeded to lead a venture that created jobs for his country. Businesses and ventures that I have started or been involved with as a business person, over the last 29 years, have created more than 100,000 jobs, directly and indirectly. Entrepreneurs create jobs. There is nothing more important than creating jobs for our young people. I cannot imagine anything more important at the moment, and more urgent, particularly in Africa. Our very future depends on it! With 60% of our population under the age of 30 years old; creating skilled jobs for our young people, is the greatest challenge facing Africa.

The most sustainable way to create jobs is to create policies that encourage entrepreneurship, and through it investment. We have to value our entrepreneurs, as real partners of development. We cannot choose to treat them as criminals. We must acknowledge their contributions, and celebrate them. Some of the most successful countries in the world actually have active programs to recruit entrepreneurs from other countries. Such is the recognition they give to people who create jobs. Even if you employ just one person; even if that person is your daughter or nephew, you are an employment creator and a very important person to your country. THE AUTHOR IS THE FOUNDER OF ECONET (www.econet.com)

FEATURE

DO YOU REALLY NEED TO INVEST IN BRANDING? By Didier Joyeux

ver the last six months, I’ve been privileged to meet different CEOs and business managers in Kigali and discuss with them how to enhance their communication strategies and grow their brands. One thing that shocked me is the fact that the majority of them think that branding is an unnecessary expense for their companies and they would rather not venture into it. Is branding an unnecessary expense? Here are some points that are going to show you that it is an investment rather than an expense: 1. Brands make it easy for customers to buy Let’s take a simple example: Would you buy a black soft drink in an unlabeled transparent bottle thinking that it is a

Coke? I believe your answer is a big NO. Our minds have recorded which shape, color and logo Coke has. Every company needs to invest in conquering the mind of the consumers.

pair of shoes. The majority of people will probably buy Nike without thinking twice, simply because people buy what they trust.Brands win our trust and our trust influences our buying decisions

2. Brands allow businesses to charge high prices

So, Is branding an unnecessary expense? Of course not. Is it an investment? Certainly! Are you ready to join me in this exciting adventure of investing in branding? If you don’t know where and how to start, our team at Lange Technologiez is ready to give you a free consultation and guide your brand to perfection.

Have you noticed that almost everyone who wants to buy Apple products doesn`t think twice, even though they are expensive? A majority of people including myself, agree that their products are worth their price just because of the way they brand themselves. Proper branding defines why your product is worth every penny that you charge.

didier@lange.rw www.lange.rw

3. Brands speed up buying decisions Assume that a local pair of shoes with brand X is the same price as a Nike The SERVICEMAG June - August 2017 17

ADVERTORIAL

BEST RWANDA BANK 2017 Banque Populaire du Rwanda (BPR), part of Atlas Mara Group has been recognized as “the best bank in Rwanda” at the Banker Africa 2017 awards for the East African region held in Nairobi, Kenya. The annual awards are organized by CPI Financial, the publishers of Banker Africa magazine and seek to recognize outstanding performance and excellence in the financial services industry. In an interview with The Service Mag, Sanjeev Anand, BPR’s Managing Director, said the award recognizes the bank’s efforts toward embracing innovation and technology to enhance efficiency and product development. Anand added that the bank has invested heavily in capacity building, and digitized its systems to improve service delivery. Below are excerpts from the interview; TSM: What does this award mean to BPR and what did you do to ensure the Bank won? Sanjeev Anand: This is a very prestigious award and my team and I are very pleased to have won it. We came into this bank less than a year and a half ago, at that time, Banque Populaire du Rwanda and BRD Commercial (BRDC) had been merged and both were institutions that had very good potential but were not performing up to it. I am so glad that we have taken a number of steps in the last 16 months that have put us in a position to be awarded as the best bank. TSM: What were some of the issues that were hampering the bank from achieving its true potential in the past? Sanjeev Anand: Firstly, our balance sheet and non-performing loans; Secondly, we were not an efficient bank and had a high cost of funding. We also had very high expenses and as a result our cost to income ratio, which measures a bank’s efficiency and should be in the region of 60% for a well performing bank, was around 110%. I am glad to report that we broke even last year. TSM: What did you do to achieve this significant turnaround?

Sanjeev Anand BPR’s Managing Director 18 The SERVICEMAG June - August 2017

Sanjeev Anand: First of all, we streamlined the processes in the bank. We introduced technology to carry out the processes that were formerly done manually. This allowed us to be more efficient and serve our customers better.

ADVERTORIAL

Secondly, we managed to carry out a successful integration of BPR and BRDC. As of 30th June last year, we successfully merged BRDC with BPR. Thirdly, BPR was traditionally a retail bank with various traditional retail products that were lacking in scope and not dealing with all retail segments. We needed to expand our retail clientele and serve our existing ones more efficiently. In addition, we wanted to build a new platform for corporate clients and put up a very strong SME unit.

are serving them a lot better now. Therefore, this award is not just about achieving our profit targets but a combination of many things including the performance of every member of staff at BPR.

We have introduced many digital products that are available on mobile USSD codes, which majority of our customers still use as they don’t have access to internet yet. We have introduced a state of the art mobile banking application to allow our clients to seamlessly access banking services on their smartphones. We have integrated with a number of firms and utilities such as the Rwanda Energy Group (REG), allowing people to pay their bills. We have also integrated with several schools and universities to allow students to make their payments online and in real time, without hard cash. We are integrating with other mobile money operators such as MTN Mobile Money, Tigo Cash and Airtel Money, which will allow clients to carry out push pull transactions where they will be able to transfer money from their mobile money accounts to their bank accounts and vice versa, which gives so much flexibility and leads to more financial inclusion.

Mr Eric Rutabana 2nd left, BPR’s country head of corporate and investment banking , Ms. Prossie KALISA 2nd right, BPR’s Head of Marketing and communications together with a team from Banker Africa after receiving the Award.

Today, we are a full service bank that caters for SME, retail, corporate and most importantly, banking the unbanked, which is our biggest target. TSM: What is your main focus this year now that the bank is stable? Sanjeev Anand: We want to keep our costs under check, build on our revenues and initiate a very active loan recovery stroke. We still have very high non-performing loans which we need to address. We have a dedicated team that is working on a very sharp recovery process and my goal is that by the end of this year, we should have a non-performing loan ratio within the regulatory guidelines of 5 to 6%. We have invested in a good team by offering training and changing the corporate culture to be more customer oriented. We are not perfect yet but I am getting feedback from our customers that we

The faith you have placed in us is the cornerstone to our growth & success. Thank you for your continued trust and support.

@BPR_AtlasMara

@BPRAtlasMaraRw

Your Bank. Your Future. Banki Yawe. Ejo Heza. www.bpr.rw

BPR_AtlasMara16

BPR ATLAS MARA

BPR Atlas Mara

The SERVICEMAG June - August 2017 19

HAVE YOUR SAY FEATURE

KWITA KU BAKIRIYA NI BUMWE MU BURYO BWIBAGIRANYE MU GUTEZA IMBERE IBIKORWA BY’UBUCURUZI Na Camille Sinclair

Ni ibintu byinshi bituma umuntu agira igitekerezo cy’umushinga rukana. Harimo kuba hari icyo akeneye, kuba akeneye inyungu nyinshi, cg kuba hari icyo abona kibura. Abantu bakoresha igihe kinini bategura imishinga, bigatuma bavumbura uburyo bushya. Ikintu cy’ingenzi baba batekereza ni ugukurura abakiriya. Bakora buri kintu cyose gishoboka babiyegereza bakabagezaho icyo babifuzaho n’ibindi n’ibindi. Ibi bigereranywa n’umuntu usinzira akarota kubera ko yanyweye inzoga nyinshi ariko yakanguka bikaba birangiye. Bigenda bite iyo umuntu yakoze umushinga ukaba mwiza? Ni iki gituma abakiriya bagaruka? Ni iki gituma bumva ntahandi bajya? Ni iki cyatuma batagukubita? Cg utekereza ko batabikora? Kuba hari abandi bantu mukora bimwe, kutagira konti ukaba wibikaho imitungo yawe, kutarangura kenshi bituma abakiriya bagenda bagucikaho.

20 The SERVICEMAG June - August 2017

FEATURE

ibintu byinshi bituma umuntu agira igitekerezo cy’umushinga rukana. Harimo kuba hari icyo akeneye, kuba akeneye inyungu nyinshi, cg kuba hari icyo abona kibura. Abantu bakoresha igihe kinini bategura imishinga, bigatuma bavumbura uburyo bushya. Ikintu cy’ingenzi baba batekereza ni ugukurura abakiriya. Bakora buri kintu cyose gishoboka babiyegereza bakabagezaho icyo babifuzaho n’ibindi n’ibindi. Ibi bigereranywa n’umuntu usinzira akarota kubera ko yanyweye inzoga nyinshi ariko yakanguka bikaba birangiye. Bigenda bite iyo umuntu yakoze umushinga ukaba mwiza? Ni iki gituma abakiriya bagaruka? Ni iki gituma bumva ntahandi bajya? Ni iki cyatuma batagukubita? Cg utekereza ko batabikora? Kuba hari abandi bantu mukora bimwe, kutagira konti ukaba wibikaho imitungo yawe, kutarangura kenshi bituma abakiriya bagenda bagucikaho. Ntabwo bihagije gutekereza ibyo uzakenera wabibona ugahita ufungura ibikorwa byawe by’ubucuruzi

JOIN THE #TSMChallenge AND STAND A CHANCE TO WIN EXCEPTIONNAL PRIZES

Uburyo bwiza bwo kubikora ni ugusangira n’abakiriya, kuko iteka baba bashaka kumva ko bafite agaciro. Nubwo bamwe batakaza ku bakiriya $100 abandi bagakoresha $ 1000 imishinga yabo irushaho kuba myiza kandi ntakibazo bagira. Kwita ku bakiriya si ibintu bihambaye cyane bitangira igihe witabye terefone, igihe usuhuza uje akugana, kwakira neza abakiriya byumvikana mu magambo bikagaragarira ku isura yawe, n’ibimenyetso ukoresha. Waba warigeze kwigira nk’umukiriya wawe ngo urebe mu by’ukuri serivisi ubaha uko zimeze? Wakwikorera umushinga wawe? Wagira uwo ubwira serivise utanga uko zimeze? Gutanga serisi nziza ntibigusaba amafaranga na make. Icyo bigusaba ni ukureba umushinga wawe ukawuha intego n’icyerekezo, ukiyemeza n’uburyo uzabikoramo. Niba hari icyo abakiriya bawe bigeze binubira ukabitesha agaciro, bazageraho bumve ko ntacyo umaze

Waba warigeze kwigira nk’umukiriya wawe ngo urebe mu by’ukuri serivisi ubaha uko zimeze? Wakwikorera umushinga wawe? Wagira uwo ubwira serivise utanga uko zimeze?

Camille.sinclair@yahoo.co.uk

Knowledge is Power

Use #TSMChallenge and stand a chance to win

1 New Challenge Every MondayFrom June 5th To June 30th 2017 Winners To Be Announced Every Friday

Prizes Include Helicopter Rides, Exclusive Weekend Getaways And Many More

The SERVICEMAG June - August 2017 21 @theservicemag

MANAGEMENT

SELF-REFLECTION FOR GREAT LEADERSHIP By Shiphrah Kiiza

As leaders, our most important job is not to write mission statements, develop strategy or increase revenue. Our most important job is to inspire the results of those we lead with an aim to enable them improve productivity and reach their highest potential.

We do this by, among other things, critically observing and analyzing those we lead as well as the environment in which we operate in order to obtain information that informs our leadership direction and decisions. While it has become part of our work ethic to think critically and deeply about our work, our environment and our people, we often forget to apply this concept to ourselves as individuals. Slowing down and taking a break from our crazy lives for a moment of self-reflection isn’t always the easiest thing to do in the fast paced society in which we live and work.

22 The SERVICEMAG June - August 2017

The practice of self-reflection goes back many centuries and is rooted in the world’s great spiritual traditions. Early advocates of this practice include ancient philosophers a n d

teachers like Confucius, Socrates and Plato. These scholars set their push for self- refection on the belief that as human beings we possess the heartfelt desire to know ourselves and find deep meaning in our lives, and that we have the capacity to do so through self- reflection. Socrates in support of this said; ‘’ The unexamined life is not worth living, and a life that has not been examined has no author, for the individual did not live his life but merely followed the force of nature or others.’’ In our modern day, psychologists and leadership scholars continue to confirm the benefits and importance of selfreflection. In his book “ Fro m

MANAGEMENT

Values to Action’’, Harry Kraemer asserts that one of the most important principles of effective leadership is self-reflection. He urges every leader to regularly have a moment of silence, where they take a fearless personal moral inventory of self. This gives the brain an opportunity to squarely face and sort through experiences, examine the past and the present, review one’s lifestyle, choices and even faith; and in the process create meaning. This meaning becomes learning, which can then inform future mindsets and actions. As leaders, this “meaning making” helps build emotional awareness, giving us the ability to understand our mental content, emotions, strengths, weaknesses, drives, goals and fears and enabling us to recognize their impact on us and on those we lead. In John Maxwell’s book, ‘’How Successful People Think’’, he states that reflective thinking gives you true perspective. It gives a clear understanding of your purpose, core values and beliefs, putting them at the forefront of your mind which informs your decision making first hand and greatly strengthens those decisions,

allowing new ideas to emerge in the process. It is important to stress that selfreflection differs from self-absorption. While, self-reflection is about having an accurate view of oneself for the sake of self-understanding and growth, selfabsorption on the other hand is focusing on oneself in pursuit of vanity, egotism, and an inflated sense of self-importance. In order to get the most out of a selfreflection exercise, experts advise the following:

1. Get into a suitable mental state and environment: Put all of your attention on the process and remove any distractions. Carry a journal and pen, so you can capture your thoughts and decisions throughout the process.

2. Ask the right questions: Questioning is a great way to challenge your beliefs and assumptions as you dig deeper into who you really are and where you are at. Here are some questions that could guide this process: • Who am I and what is my ultimate personal mission?

While, self-reflection is about having an accurate view of oneself for the sake of selfunderstanding and growth, self-absorption on the other hand is focusing on oneself in pursuit of vanity, egotism, and an inflated sense of self-importance

The challenge for us as leaders, is to take the time off from our busy schedules and be enriched by these valuable moments of self-reflection

• Where am I headed and what small and large victories have I achieved? • Am I living up to my core values and personal mission? • What is most important in my life? Is my allocation of time congruent with what I find most important? • What mistakes have I made in the past and what can I learn from these mistakes? • Who are the 5 people I spend the most time with? Are these people enabling me move towards my personal mission? • What are my responsibilities, if any, to my community and to make the world a

better place?

3. Be 100% truthful, follow reflection with action: The power of self- reflection lies within telling yourself the complete truth and determining to act on it. As Johann Wolfgang von Goethe once said: “Never by reflection alone, but also by doing is self-knowledge possible to one.” The ultimate purpose of self-reflection is selfimprovement, which can only happen through intentional action that leads to growth and improved effectiveness. Peter Drucker affirmed this many years ago when he said, “Follow effective action with quiet reflection, from the quiet reflection will come even more effective action”. The challenge for us as leaders, is to take the time off from our busy schedules and be enriched by these valuable moments of self-reflection. Only through selfreflection can we discover our true selves, destroy false myths, terminate ego-centeredness and set ourselves on the path to be the most effective leaders we can be. Wishing you great leading! kkshiphrah@gmail.com

The SERVICEMAG June - August 2017 23

FEATURE

NTA CYARUTA KUGIRIRWA ICYIZERE Na Bruce Kasanoff

Kugira imbaraga, amafaranga, ubwenge no kwigirirwa icyizere byose ni byiza ariko ugiye guhitamo icyiza gihatse ibindi, ntekereza ko wahitamo kugirirwa icyizere n’abandi bantu.

USHOBORA Ushobora kuba uri mwiza ariko ubwiza bwawe ukabukoresha mu nyungu za we bwite, abandi nabo bazakora ibishoboka byose ngo bitandukanye nawe kandi bagusige wenyine.

24 The SERVICEMAG June - August 2017

kuba ufite imbaraga cyangwa se ubushobozi ariko imbaraga zihutaza abandi ntabwo zibiyigereza cyangwa se ngo zibakurure, usibye kwizera ko utazakoresha izo mbaraga mu kubateza ibyago. Ushobora kuba uri mwiza ariko ubwiza bwawe ukabukoresha mu nyungu za we bwite, abandi nabo bazakora ibishoboka byose ngo bitandukanye nawe kandi bagusige wenyine. Kuva mu myaka yashize kugeza ubu, nakunze kujya nsubiramo amagambo y’ubwenge y’inshuti zanjye Don Peppers na Martha Rogers ari mu gitabo cyabo cyitwa “Do things right. Do the right thing Proactively” ugenekereje mu Kinyarwanda wavuga ko bishatse gusobanura “Gukora ibintu neza, gukora ibintu byiza kandi ukabikorana umuhate ubyerekejeho umutima.” Ibi nkunze

kubigarukaho cyane kubera ko ari ho abantu benshi n’inganda nyinshi zigwa. Ibi bishatse kuvuga ngo kora ibintu byiza kabone niyo yaba nta muntu ukureba, kabone niyo nta numwe wamenya ibyo wakoze, kabone niyo ibyo wakoze ntacyo byaba bibwiye abandi. Kugira ngo birusheho gusobanuka hari ingero nyinshi zikunze kugaragara. Ibigo by’ubucuruzi byinshi bikunze guca amafaranga buri kwezi kuri serivisi bitanga aha twavuga nko kujya kuri webusayiti, guhabwa serivisi z’indirimbo, cyangwa gukora amashusho ya videwo. Ibyo bigo biba bizi neza umukiriya utarakoresheje serivisi yabo tuvuge nko mu mezi 15 ashize. Nta kintu cyagombye gusabwa abo bakiriya batakoresheje serivisi. Ariko ibyo bigo ni ho byungukira bigaca abakiriya amafaranga kuri serivisi batakoresheje.

FEATURE HAVE YOUR SAY

Ikintu cyiza wakora ni ukwerekeza umutima ku mukiriya ukamubaza uti: “Hari ikitagenda neza?Hari ikibazo mwagize ku bijyanye no gukoresha serivise zacu?Hari ibyo mwibagiwe? Hari icyo nagufasha?

Bagenzi bawe bazamenya ko ugirirwa icyizere igihe ibihe bikomeye ntabwo ari igihe uzaba uganira n’abandi muri sosiyete.

“Reka kunkoresha nabi, ita ku bakiriya muri ubu buryo” ishobora kutaba uburyo wakoresha bw’igihe gito ariko ni yo nzira nziza yo kugirirwa icyizere. Icyo ni ikintu cyiza cyo gukora. Mu gihe kirekire, icyizere ni uburyo bwiza wakoresha. Mu buzima bwite bwawe, icyizere kigomba kugaragarira mu kintu cyose ukoze kandi abantu ntabwo bashobora kugenda ntacyo bagukuyeho. Ugirirwa icyizere cyangwa nta cyo ugirirwa. Abana bawe bazamenya ko ugirirwa icyizere cyangwa utakigirirwa kubera ibikorwa byawe ntabwo bazabimenya kubera amagambo. Bagenzi bawe bazamenya ko ugirirwa icyizere igihe ibihe bikomeye ntabwo ari igihe uzaba uganira n’abandi muri sosiyete. Igihe mpindukiye nkureba, bigenda gute? Iyo wihuta cyane, ukora ibyiza cyangwa urabihutaza? Icyo nzi kuri bamwe: nubwo mu byumweru bike bashobora kumva ko icyizere nta kamaro gifite, icyizere ni ingenzi cyane. Ni nk’ikigega kibitse amafaranga y’izabukuru umunsi umwe uzishimira kuba warabikije ubwenge. brucek@gmail.com

The SERVICEMAG June - August 2017 25

COVER STORY

PRINTEX Ltd

TAKING RWANDAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S PRINTING INDUSTRY TO GREATER HEIGHTS What started as Imprimerie de Kigali in 1984 is today a leading company in the printing industry in Rwanda. It was renamed Printex in 2010, after the new Managing Director Gilles Mporanyi took over the modernization, and drive to implement the latest equipment and technologies focusing on high quality printed products and a better customer service.

WITH

a goal to reach out regionally, the owners have invested heavily in modern equipment, advanced training and recently in a new facility at the Special Economic Zone, which made Printex not only the biggest but also the first printing company in Rwanda to employ environmentally friendly, world-class machines similar to those used in Europe.

story of Printex.

We met up with Mr. Mporanyi, who shared insights into the

Mporanyi: Printex was created in 2010 after taking over the

26 The SERVICEMAG June - August 2017

Below are the excerpts; TSM: Please share the history of Printex and how you have been able to provide the best of services over the years.

COVER STORY

When we felt we had somewhat achieved this target, we then focused on growing the client numbers by increasing our production capacity. That is when we started constructing our new world class facility at the Kigali Special Economic Zone. This has helped us to focus on printing for the region as well because countries such as Burundi and the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) lack such printing facilities. The new facility enabled us to quadruple the space we had and allowed us to specialize in printing of textbooks for local or regional schools. We strongly believe that books for Rwandans should be printed in Rwanda and not outside the country as they used to be. We now work with a number of local publishers and two years ago we won the biggest tender - printing 2.2 million books for all primary schools in Rwanda. The project, financed by the USAID was one of a kind because we had to print, distribute and report to USAID and the Rwanda Education Board (REB) at the same time. The distribution was also done in record time of one and a half months thanks to our good organization. It would have taken other firms probably three months.

Gilles MPORANYI Managing Director of Printex Ltd

assets of Imprimerie de Kigali. It is a family-owned company and in 2010, it had reached a point where we needed to invest more considering the growing need for printing in Rwanda because all the big printing jobs were done outside the country, mainly in Uganda, Kenya and Dubai. Printex started with a modernization of the Printery with new machines and the complete refurbishment of the old ones. This was intended to target clients who were previously printing from outside the country; these clients needed to see that we could print the same or even better quality than they had obtained outside.

Recently we won a tender in Malawi, our vision to expand into the region is coming to reality. We are currently the biggest printer in Rwanda in terms of production and export capacity and we can say that we are proudly a â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Made in Rwandaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; brand serving Rwanda and the region. TSM: Apart from books, what else do you print? Mporanyi: We print all paper-based materials ranging from posters, fliers, books, business cards, reports and magazines. TSM: What would you say about quality? Mporanyi: We have the best quality in the region because we are the only facility equipped with such machines. We invested US$ 2.5 million in the machines and clients are

The SERVICEMAG June - August 2017 27

HAVE SAY COVERYOUR STORY

always highly satisfied with the quality that comes from them, which is what matters most. TSM: Apart from the tenders you’ve won in Rwanda and the region, are there any corporate clients you’ve worked with in the past? Mporanyi: Actually, we have three types of clients, the NonGovernmental Organisations (NGOs), government institutions and the corporate companies. We work with 90% of all the commercial banks, insurance firms among others in Rwanda. TSM: What makes clients choose Printex over other printers? Mporanyi: We have a good structure, apart from the quality, we have good customer relationships and put emphasis on our delivery times, which I would say are our strong points. If we tell you two days, we keep our word. Our after sales services are also the best in a way that if a client is not happy about anything, we try to make things right. As a result, we have increased our client base exponentially since 2010 because we have increased our value in the market. TSM: What have you done to increase awareness to those that still print from outside the country yet they can do the same here more affordably? Mporanyi: Though we have a marketing department, I can attest that word of mouth has really been key to our growth. We let our quality speak for itself so that clients keep on referring us to others. We also have sales people who go around town looking for clients. 28 The SERVICEMAG June - August 2017

Additionally, we recently entered a partnership with a large European media company called Burda East Africa, who acquired 25% of Printex. It is a subsidiary of Burda International that makes up to US$ 3billion a year and has some of the biggest printing facilities in Germany, France and India. Burda East Africa will not only help Printex grow financially but also enable us grow further to other markets. TSM: With the new partnership, how are you looking to expand to other media? Mporanyi: We want to go more into digital printing, which is growing in demand in the country.

PRINTEX REACHING OUT TO COMMUNITIES As a company, Printex is not only concerned about making profit for its shareholders but also changing the livelihoods of Rwandans. “We reach out to orphans and genocide widows every year and help them. In addition, we take up as many interns and try to get them to learn as much about printing as we can,” Gilles Mporanyi, the Printex Managing Director explained. “We also have other initiatives with partner NGOs and participate in the monthly community cleaning initiatives Umuganda and other programs aimed at benefiting communities. We sponsor developmental events as well.”

COVER STORY

In addition to the financial capacity, Burda East Africa has over 100 years of experience that they can share with us. They are here to help us grow from being a small and medium enterprise (SME) to a proper industrial company. This will involve a lot of restructuring, good planning, getting the right technicians to maintain the machines in a better way and carry out trainings to our staff. TSM: Speaking about the affordability of printing at Printex, how would you say you are competitive compared to other markets such as Kenya where people have printing? Mporanyi: We are actually cheaper or at the same level as other printers in Kenya and Uganda because to print from outside, you have to add transportation and taxes. I would say that people print from outside for various reasons and not necessarily the cost because when it comes to that we have competitive pricing. TSM: How do you source your paper for printing? Mporanyi: We source it from abroad and the advantage of partnering with Burda East Africa is that since they are the biggest paper consumer in the world, we have an advantage of working with them thanks to their economies of scale gained from buying large quantities at discounts and selling to us small quantities at the same lower prices. TSM: How many jobs have you created for Rwandans since Printex was created? Mporanyi: We have created between 30 to 50 new jobs and our vision is to employ over 100 people by 2020.

CLIENTS SPEAK OUT ABOUT PRINTEX Denis Dernault, General Manager Radisson Blu Hotel and Kigali Convention Center said they receive excellent service from Printex. “They are always ready to take on a big amount of work and deliver in a short time without compromising on quality.” He added that at Printex, the client relationship is personalized such that any problems are easily solved and besides, they are financially flexible. Olivier Mpenzi, Procurement Manager Ecobank Rwanda said the service from Printex is very good and fast. “Their experience is reflected in our collaboration, beyond producing, they understand our business and our specific constraints,” said Olivier Duterme, from NSI-Monetiques. “Their availability and responsiveness, listening and initiative is conducive to us doing business with them and their problemsolving ability when they occur is remarkable.”

We introduced the shift working system for our staff and are the only printing company that works in two shifts at the moment because we hired many young workers who graduated from technical schools with top grades. We are also committed to training them thanks to technicians from our partner. Thanks to the shift system of working, our production runs over 24 hours a day. This has enabled us to increase our production more than twice over.

Mr Mporanyi Gilles with his partner Mrs Zeter Stephanie M.D of Burda East Africa The SERVICEMAG June - August 2017 29

FRUSTRATIONS HAVE YOUR SAY

OUR FRUSTRATIONS WASAC Kuri @wasac_rwanda nishyuye ideni ry’amazi nari nakoresheje yo muri Gashyantare 2017. Nerekeza ku ishami rya Wasac rya Remera gutanga impamyabwishyu nishyuriyeho nsaba ko banyereka ko bayabonye. Nsanga ideni rikirimo. Numva u Rwanda rukwiye kugira urugaga rw’Abacamanza bashinzwe gukemura ibibazo bijyanye kugira ngo tutazajya tugira akarengane. Ibi bizafasha kuzamura imitangire ya serivisi mu Rwanda. JAWAHAR MANICKAM

BAHO INTERNATIONAL HOSPITAL Imitangire ya Serivisi ku mukiriya iracyari inzira ndende mu Rwanda. Ntabwo niyumvisha ukuntu umuntu yashinga ibitaro hanyuma akemera ko hatangwa Serivisi mbi. Baho International Hospital in Nyarutarama. Kuri reception hari abadamu batazi ijambo rivuga “KWAKIRA UMUKIRIYA”. 30 The SERVICEMAG June - August 2017

Birababaje cyane. Mukeneye gusobanukirwa icyo iryo jambo rivuga. Mutandukanye cyane no ku cyicaro cyanyu cyo mu mugi. ALAIN THIERRY KANAMUGIRE

ISSUE WITH MY BANK I have an issue with my bank’s customer care. Last month I made a transaction on Amazon which I cancelled and Amazon reversed the transaction and refunded the money. This was on 5th of March. Automatically it should show on my account but KCB bank claimed to know nothing about it 5 days later when I went to inquire at their branches in Kisimenti and town. They told me to send proof of refund which Amazon did 7 days later. They said it would take 5 days to show on my account. It’s been a month and 8 days and every time I call to ask what the status is, they act like it’s a new problem and they say they will investigate, talk to the reconciliation team then get back to me. They never call back and I am tired of

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their stories. This is not the first time I have had issues with the bank and they do not assist. Last year they gave me a new ATM card which never worked and every time I went to the bank to ask why I couldn’t withdraw using the card, they said it was a technical issue and they were looking into it. 6 months later I got tired and flew to Nairobi to report the issue which was fixed in less than 2 minutes. Turns out the Nairobi office never got info about my card issue and Rwanda customer service claimed Nairobi was working on it. This bank has held my month for over a month claiming they are investigating yet I have all the evidence from Amazon that the money was refunded after 5 days. If we can’t trust a bank with our money where are we going to keep it? TWEETIE AZ

CHEAP POWER APPLIANCES AND CONSTANT OUTAGES Most electrical extension cables and adapters on sale to us are low quality and can only handle 2.5 kilowatts of power, so you cannot switch on your kettle and toaster at the same time. I have melted or burnt through at least 4 of these extension cables recently - some will even cut out when I have just my kettle on, they have not burned out from using them above their rated output - which is 1.8 to 2.2 kw, well below the stated capacity of the extension cables. As for adapters, I had my fridge freezer plugged into one and it burned out after maybe 2 months or so of use. It says “high quality British standard”, but is of course made in China. I returned it to Simba (where I have returned 3 other extension cables), but they could not refund me nor exchange it as I do not have the original receipt. C’mon guys, who keeps all their Simba shopping receipts for months on end? You can also clearly see your bar code on the item. The continual switching on and off the mains power supply in this part of Kicukiro probably does not help. We usually suffer an average of 5 or 6 black-outs DAILY. Despite calling out the technical engineer, and sending him constant text reminders - which he usually answers politely, I have yet to receive a believable explanation for this phenomenon, which has been ongoing since I moved to Kicukiro in January. If these are affecting my electrical components, who pays? Does the electricity provider’s charter not cover equipment destroyed from brown-outs and other effects in their supply?

I love the TSM Compliments and Complaints site! It gives us the opportunity to share concerns, and for those named to respond and correct my obviously tainted way of thinking. JOHN MC KENNA

SHEMA GROUP Je suis allée faire du shopping avec ma mère pendant le week-end en ville. J’ai souvent entendu parlé d’un magasin de vaisselle, Shema Group, à côté de City Plaza. En arrivant là-bas, je me suis rappelée que j’avais besoin de bols en plastique pour garder a manger au frigo. Je me tourne vers un employé pour lui demander ou trouver ces bols vu que le magasin est grand. Très aimable, l’employé m’accompagne et me montre. Je lui demande de m’emballer 5 bols. A ma grande surprise, l’employé me répond que c’est impossible et qu’il est trop tard pour aller en chercher dans leur stock. Je me pose cette question : « Si un employeur ou responsable ne satisfait pas la demande des clients juste parce qu’il est trop tard pour aller chercher la marchandise dans le stock. Comment peut-on parler de service à la clientèle ? » CYIZA ALINE

HAVE YOUR SAY WOW!

THEY WOWED US SERIVISI NZIZA MU KIGO GISHINZWE IMISORO Mperutse gusaba Icyemezo cyo kutabamo Imyenda mu Kigo gishinzwe Imisoro nshaka gutanga ibyangombwa byo gupiganira isoko. Mbanza kwishyura maze nerekezayo. Mpasanga umudamu witwa BRIGITTE ushinzwe gutanga ibyo byemezo. Ntibyatinze ahita akimpa ako kanya . Ndamushimira byimazeyo kuko yatumye ntakererwa mu gutanga ibyangombwa by’iryo soko. Warakoze cyane BRIGITTE. JOELLE GASASIRA

EXCELLENT SERVICE AT KIGALI BUTCHERY TOWN

bordereau pour signature et en a gardé une copie. Quelques jours plus tard, je reçois un message de ma collègue de travail me disant qu’elle n’a pas reçu son paiement. Je lui réponds que je l’ai déposé il y a 2 jours. Alors je reprends le bordereau pour lui envoyer une copie scannée ; quelle fut ma surprise en voyant que le paiement n’a pas été effectué sur le compte de ma collègue en question. J’y retourne le lendemain pour me renseigner auprès du gérant. Comme il n’était pas là, j’ai été reçue par le « Customer Care Agent » une dame très charmante qui m’a beaucoup aidé. Elle m’a promis que la transaction sera annulée et redéposé sur le compte de ma collègue qui avait mal enregistré les deux derniers chiffres. La dame m’a dit de revenir le lendemain, dimanche, pour parler avec le gérant de la branche. J’y suis retournée le dimanche comme convenu. En entrant dans le bureau du gérant, j’étais ravie de voir que le paiement a été redéposé sur le compte de ma collègue.

I usually buy meat at Kigali Butchery. I love the quality of their products especially processed meat.

Je tiens à remercier du fond du cœur tous les agents de la branche de Remera II de la Banque de Kigali pour votre qualité de service.

FOTOLAB STUDIO

MUTONI GORETTI

Has great customer service. Their employees are very competent. Kudos to their management. GWIZA

EXCELLENT SERVICE À LA BRANCHE REMERA II DE LA BANQUE DE KIGALI Je me suis rendue à la BK déposer le paiement d’une de mes collègues de travail. J’ai rempli le bordereau de versement comme d’habitude avec le numéro de compte et le nom du propriétaire du compte. Arrivée au guichet, le guichetier s’est rendu compte que le numéro de compte ne correspondait pas avec le nom de la personne inscrite sur le bordereau. Il m’a demandé de revérifier que c’était correct, ce que je fais. Il était bien noté. Alors, il a du changer le dernier chiffre et fait le dépôt sur le compte. Comme pour chaque transaction, le guichetier m’a remis le 32 The SERVICEMAG June - August 2017

Je me suis abonnée dans un petit studio appelé « CARDINAL » dans mon quartier qui loue des films et séries. Comme j’avais entendu parler de quelques nouvelles sorties, j’ai demandé au propriétaire de me les procurer. Vu qu’il ne les avait, il s’est démêlé et me les a trouvé en quelques jours. Je le remercie de ce respect et amabilité qu’il montre à ses clients. Voici le genre de service qu’il faut au Rwanda. Bon Travail Aimé. JAROD

FEATURE HAVE YOUR SAY

4 CAUSES D’ÉCHEC CHEZ LES NOUVEAUX MANAGERS Par Marcellin Gandonou

« Il faut que je fasse du chiffre », c’est la devise classique que nous entendons de la part de beaucoup de nouveaux managers pour pouvoir montrer leur compétence. Sauf qu’ensuite on se rend compte qu’audelà des chiffres performants, le nouveau manager s’est retrouvé à faire le travail à la place de tous ses collaborateurs pour obtenir les félicitations du conseil d’administration. 1. Ils veulent se légitimer par leurs chiffres La plupart des nouveaux managers veulent gagner leurs légitimités à travers les chiffres à produire, or cela ne suffit pas. Un objectif s’atteint en équipe. Or, étant présent dans l’entreprise depuis plus longtemps, ils n’ont plus la même motivation que vous et ils vont vous regarder vous débattre, attendant que vous vous essouffliez et que vous revenez à eux. Le reste de l’équipe se transforme donc en saboteuse. Quand finalement vous avez vos chiffres, vous vous rendez compte que personne ne vous suit et que malgré les chiffres qui devaient normalement soudés l’équipe, les gens sont mécontents et ne suivent pas le rythme et en plus vous critiquent.

2. Ils ne rentrent pas dans l’esprit du poste La plupart des nouveaux managers se comportent en ouvriers, quand ils prennent la direction. Ils ne voient pas une équipe, ils voient un champ, une parcelle qu’ils vont cultiver comme les autres. J’ai l’habitude de dire que chaque poste est constitué de deux parties : l’esprit du poste et le poste en lui-même. Je vous donne un simple exemple, prenez des jeunes gens qui deviennent parents, mais qui avant la venue de l’enfant, étaient habitués aux virées nocturnes. S’ils ne rentrent pas dans l’esprit de leurs nouveaux rôles de parents, ils vont continuer à agir comme avant et perpétuer ce mode

de vie. Alors que cela implique plus de responsabilités. C’est simple dans leur esprit, ils n’ont pas encore compris qu’ils ont changé de statut et ne comprennent même pas encore ce qui leur arrive. C’est exactement le même scénario avec les nouveaux managers, ils ne comprennent pas encore le nouveau rôle qui leur est assigné, ils pensent qu’ils sont toujours des ouvriers et pour mériter leurs places et leurs paies à la fin de la journée, ils doivent cultiver une parcelle. Vous devez comprendre donc votre nouveau rôle et faire comprendre à votre esprit ce que vous êtes désormais, sinon vous allez continuer par vous comporter en chef de division, chargé de clientèle… que vous étiez avant. La question à présent est comment y remédier ?

3. Prendre possession de sa fiche de poste John Maxwell conseille aux leaders d’aimer plus leurs collaborateurs que leurs propres situations. Il est fondamental de créer une relation avec vos collaborateurs et de construire avec eux une relation de confiance. Si vous ne bâtissez pas un système, vous allez devenir ce que nous appelons à H&C « UN MANAGER ESCLAVE » qui s’occupe des tâches des autres parce que s’il baisse les bras, les résultats vont chuter. Ainsi au lieu que votre nouveau poste vous épanouisse, il vous aliène plutôt. Richard Branson dit de prendre soin de nos collaborateurs, de sorte qu’ils prennent

soin des clients et qu’à leur tour les clients prennent soin des actionnaires. Vous avez remarqué que dans l’ordre il y a les collaborateurs, ensuite les clients et enfin les actionnaires.

4. Faire de la structuration en construisant un système en même temps que vous faites du chiffre Bâtir un système sous-entend que vous utilisez les bonnes pratiques qui marchent et qui produisent du résultat. Par contre, assurez-vous que vous formez des gens pour le faire et vous aider sinon vous serez la seule personne à connaitre les choses et vous serez votre esclave. Votre challenge en tant que nouveau manager, c’est non seulement de faire du résultat mais au-delà de tout de bâtir un système de sorte que vous ne restez pas là, mais que vous puissiez progresser dans votre carrière. Si vous êtes la seule personne qui sait faire les choses, on va devoir vous garder longtemps parce qu’à part vous personne d’autre ne peut faire le travail. C’est vrai qu’il y a certains qui éprouvent ce malin plaisir à avoir le sentiment d’être irremplaçable. C’est un gros piège, vous risquez d’être frustré de n’avoir pas progressé dans votre carrière. Je connais des managers à qui on refuse des promotions parce qu’on n’a pas de remplaçant pour eux. Je ne pense pas que vous avez envie de vous éterniser à votre nouveau poste. A votre réussite ! marcelling@gmail.com The SERVICEMAG June - August 2017 33

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4 RÈGLES POUR DEVENIR AUTHENTIQUE, S’ASSUMER ET S’AIMER Par Marcellin GANDOUNOU En Côte d’Ivoire il y a une pensée populaire qui dit que c’est le matin que l’on voit qui est beau, parce qu’on est apparaît sans artifice. Alors, certaines filles dorment maquillées. C’est triste mais nous avons de la peine à nous assumer, que nous présentons des visages et personnalités différents en fonction des situations.

1. CONNAIS-TOI, TOI-MÊME Beaucoup de gens aujourd’hui ne se connaissent pas véritablement, nous sommes des inconnus pour nous-mêmes. Il nous arrive parfois d’avoir des réactions dont on ne s’attendait pas à être capable de faire. Certaines personnes sombrent dans des remises en cause, des questionnements après des scènes de colère, par exemple. De même, les trois dernières générations à savoir X (année 80) Y (année 90) et Z (année 2000) vivent une crise référentielle et identitaire car ils cherchent des modèles, des sources d’inspiration. Ensuite, la plupart des jeunes sont nés dans les villes et n’ont connu que la ville et les technologies, qui favorisent des crises identitaires, où beaucoup se demandent qui ils sont et d’où ils viennent. Et souvent lorsqu’on vit ce genre de crise, on cherche des voies et moyens d’expressions pour se retrouver et être en paix avec soi-même. 34 The SERVICEMAG June - August 2017

Il est donc primordial de se connaitre soi-même et de savoir d’où l’on vient. Cette question est tellement importante que des Afro-Américains rentrent d’ailleurs en Afrique pour connaitre leurs histoires, origines et la terre de leurs aïeuls. Comme on dit « BACK TO MY ROOTS ». Sans cette connaissance de soi, vous allez devoir porter un masque pour vous faire accepter par vos pairs. Et selon John Maxwell le rejet par les pairs est la grosse source de manque de confiance des gens.

2. ACCEPTEZ-VOUS VOUS-MÊMES ET AYEZ CONFIANCE EN VOUS La première chose à faire c’est de regarder dans son miroir et de s’accepter. Vous devez même le proclamer. Regardez dans votre miroir et déclarez par exemple : Je M’accepte Tel Que Je Suis, Moi……. (Appelez Votre Nom En Lieu Et Place)

Chat with a service provider on service related issue with

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Knowledge is Power

TweetChat Every fortnight Friday 11 am -12 pm Send your questions using #TsmTweetChat

@theservicemag Je Suis L’œuvre Parfaite De Dieu Sur La Terre Je Suis Unique En Mon Genre Et Personne N’est Meilleure Que Moi Sur Cette Terre J’accepte Mes Imperfections Parce Que Ce Sont Elles Qui Me Permettent De Me Depasser Et Me Surpasser Tous Les Jours

Un jour, elles peuvent oublier de le faire. Il s’en suivra, dans beaucoup de cas, des disputes, des regrets, des moqueries, voire des séparations douloureuses, de la méfiance. En règle générale lorsque le masque tombe, il y a toujours des dégâts considérables.

4. SACHEZ QUE QUELQU’UN AIMERA VOS Je Suis La Meilleure Version De Moi-Meme Qui Puisse IMPERFECTIONS Exister Sur Cette Terre Dans Cette Generation

La pensée positive et une acceptation de soi inter-agissent sur notre futur et notre vision. Et lorsque l’on agit vis-à-vis des gens comme une belle personne avec des qualités, ils nous le retournent généralement. Il y a un adage en Ewe qui dit que, c’est en fonction de la joue que tu présentes qu’on te giflera. Si vous ne vous assumez pas, personne ne viendra faire cela à votre place et soyez sûr qu’un jour votre masque tombera.

3. UN JOUR, LE MASQUE TOMBERA Il est difficile de jouer pendant longtemps un rôle qui n’est pas le vôtre. Parce que jouer un rôle en désharmonie avec votre être intime demande beaucoup d’énergies, d’attentions, de concentrations pour ne pas se trahir. Vous finirez par baisser la garde un jour. Si nous reprenons ces jeunes filles qui dorment maquillées dans le cas où elles recevraient un appel vidéo.

J’aime le titre de cette dernière partie de l’article, ce sont des propos que j’ai emprunté à la campagne publicitaire d’un site de rencontre en ligne. On y voit des acteurs accumulant les faux pas et qui finalement sont pris de panique et de manque d’estime de soi. Personnellement je reste en admiration devant ce slogan ‘’ ….Quelqu’un d’autre aimera vos imperfections’’. Vous n’avez pas besoin d’être parfait, je pense que beaucoup de gens ont du mal à l’admettre. Il faut vous accepter, améliorer et optimiser ce que vous pouvez. Et le reste … quelqu’un d’autre les aimera pour vous. Si vous êtes cette personne qui souffre, qui a du mal à s’accepter, répétez l’affirmation en point 2 quotidiennement et croyez-y fortement. Soyez heureux, aimez-vous ! marcelling@gmail.com The SERVICEMAG June - August 2017 35

FEATURE

HR BUSINESS PARTNERSHIP By Denise Umunyana

For a long time there have been whispers of Human Resource Management (HRM) being aligned as a strategic business partner but the merge is still pending!

The instability of the market means the turnovers and restructures are eminent and must be handled by the right personnel using the right strategies and procedures. At the same time, globalization is allowing for a global exchange of talent. It is important that all these moving elements are well managed. Businesses (irrespective of their size) need to ask themselves, whether HR will increase the flow of business or slow it down? I doubt it will be the latter! For this to happen however, HR Leaders must evolve as the role evolves; it is high time they start focusing on creating a growth environment for employees rather than just managing hiring and payroll. They must take their seats in influencing the interaction between company leaders and employees with an end goal of retaining top performers and ultimately achieving business success. The workforce is increasingly changing; people are now looking for careers and not just jobs. They want to connect with a mission. It is important for HR Leaders to continue adjusting accordingly; they must continuously look for ways to understand and motivate employees on an individual level; reduce punitive measures and instead spot signals when employees feel undervalued. Emphasize on human interaction rather than policies and procedures; as much as the latter are important and need to be in place, HRâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s role is to help managers and employees build trust. Instead of spending an equal amount of time, attention and resources on everyone equally, prioritize investments in the most critical roles and critical people â&#x20AC;&#x201D; not just in terms of compensation, but in terms of development, opportunities, retention, engagement, and human capital planning. Business leaders must understand the role of HR in their respective companies, support HR leaders as their thought partners and growth enablers. This will contribute to the overall strategy of the organization and ultimately its success. denise@rightseat.rw

36 The SERVICEMAG June - August 2017

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THREATS ON THE INTERNET : TYPES OF SCAMS By Willy Liambi

From conducting business, shopping or simply staying in touch with friends, nearly everything can be done via the internet. Unfortunately, scammers try to collect sensitive data from your web activities to use for their own purposes. In this article, you will learn which methods scammers often use, and what precautions you can take to avoid losing sensitive data. PHISHING This method of data theft made enormous headlines last year. Two types are common: Mail is sent in the name of a well-known company such as a bank, internet provider or online shop. Recipients are prompted to “update” their data, such as address or account information, by clicking on a link. Both the mail and the page behind the link look deceptively genuine, but they only serve to steal your data. Dunning letters inform recipients of allegedly outstanding invoices and threaten dunning fees and legal consequences. Details about debt or invoices are allegedly included in an attachment, but these files usually contain viruses that not can steal your data and harm your PC.

Tip: If you are receiving email that seems strange, check the website of your bank or online provider for instructions on how to proceed when you forget your password. If you are unsure, ask customer service. It can also help to do a quick internet search for the sender or email subject. Search results can often reveal if the email is spam. Still in doubt? Just keep your hands off.

SCAMMING “Congratulations! You are the 1 millionth visitor of this website. Click here to claim your prize!” It’s not uncommon for popup notifications like these to appear on a website, but don’t be fooled—you’ve won nothing. These notifications are only meant to collect your data to sell it or use it for criminal purposes.

DRIVE-BY DOWNLOADS This type of download occurs without the knowledge or consent of the user. By clicking on a button or opening a website, viruses or other types of malicious software are downloaded automatically. Before you notice that a download has begun, it is usually already too late and the malicious file appears on your computer. In order to avoid damage, it is important to have installed reliable anti-virus software and update your browser on a regular basis. Make sure you know what you are clicking on and which files you are downloading or opening. Cybercriminals are only waiting to harm internet users. Protect your IT infrastructure against such attacks, especially for small businesses and the self-employed; cyber-attacks can quickly compromise your online presence. willy@programage.com The SERVICEMAG June - August 2017 37

FEATURE

GIVE FEEDBACK TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE! By Sandra Idossou

Customer service is going to be a ‘hot topic’ in Rwanda for many years to come. Somehow, we are all service providers one way or the other. We all have something to sell or buy and therefore deserve good service.

COMPLAINING

about poor service is every consumer’s right. I am glad that today many customers in Rwanda know this; thanks to the huge campaign from government or private institutions on the need to refuse poor service. As a customer when you keep silent about poor service, you are encouraging the service provider to continue offering that kind of service. But then, how do you give feedback on service effectively? Apart from the obsolete ‘SUGGESTIONS’ boxes, today there are simpler and fastest ways of complaining such as writing, emailing, using social media etc. In today’s modern world, the most popular form of giving feedback around me is without any doubt social media. Usually, customers are prompted to complain by the frustration and injustice they feel they have faced. Most dissatisfied customers do not wait for their anger to diminish before they complain. Always remember that it is not because you have easy access to social media on our phones that In order to complain effectively, there are basic principles that one should consider even before one takes advantage of the easy access to social media. Here are few tips to make your complaints yield positive results:

38 The SERVICEMAG June - August 2017

1. Be factual and precise The main reason we complain is to have solutions to our problems. It is important we describe the situation as it happens without exaggerating. State when, how, who, etc so that the receiver understands the issue well. Remember, the one receiving feedback is probably not the person you dealt with directly. As time is money, value the time of the reader by avoiding the long stories. Be precise.

2. Be polite No matter how genuine the complaint is, it is paramount to remain polite in the way we complain. If you use abusive or insulting words, your complaint will lose its effect. Avoid being emotional and hostile to the reader because being enraged will simply kill the complaint itself. Treat the person you speak or write to with respect. Remember, you can catch more flies with sugar than with vinegar. So make the person you are complaining to a partner and not an enemy.

3. Be patient and persistent One email or one post on the company’s twitter account might not

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If you use abusive or insulting words, your complaint will lose its effect. Avoid being emotional and hostile to the reader because being enraged will simply kill the complaint itself.

be sufficient if you want a solution. Especially as most of these organizations just create their social media pages without necessarily having someone manage them. You might need to be persistent and send several reminders until the service provider sees or reads your complaint.

4. Take the case further In case your complaint is not dealt with, consider taking it to the manager and even the CEO. You could also write to the media, publish an official complaint in the newspapers or post that complaint online on a website that has influence. For instance, you could join The ServiceMag Facebook group page www.facebook.com/groups/TSM. TellUS where most customers with a compliment or complaint are linked directly to service providers. Until we get associations in Rwanda that protect consumers and advocate for their rights, know that it is our individual and collective responsibility to seek for good service. Use your right to refuse poor service. Complain positively so that it can help raise the level of service delivery in Rwanda. Email:sidossou@theservicemag.com

The SERVICEMAG June - August 2017 39

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ESPACE COACHING Par Marcellin GANDOUNOU

QUESTION : J’ai créé mon entreprise et je pense qu’elle a un fort potentiel et je vois aussi la demande sur le terrain. Je redoute quand même de quitter mon emploi et être sans revenu fixe ou de salaire. J’ai besoin de vous coach (Hugues) RÉPONSE : J’avoue que votre préoccupation est une question fréquente. Et en réponse, je voudrais vous raconter l’histoire de ce général chinois, qui partit en guerre avec ses hommes sur une île. A destination, il demanda à ses hommes de brûler le bateau avec lequel ils sont venus. Selon vous, gagneront-ils la guerre, ou la perdront ils ? En effet, Ils ont utilisé la stratégie qui consiste à brûler les ponts derrière soi pour ne pas avoir d’autres voies que la victoire. Votre emploi constitue une porte ouverte derrière vous et tant qu’elle est ouverte, vous ne pourrez pas vous donner à fond pour développer votre entreprise. Maintenant il y a un piège à éviter généralement lorsque l’on hésite. En fait, vous aurez de moins en moins la possibilité de partir de votre emploi actuel, si pendant ce temps d’hésitation, les charges personnelles (loyers, famille, emprunts…) augmentent. Sachez également 40 The SERVICEMAG June - August 2017

qu’aujourd’hui, entre les spécialistes et les généralistes, les plus recherchés et les mieux payés restent les spécialistes. Pour finir, je vous suggère de vous préparer et de quitter cet emploi le plus tôt possible parce qu’il y a de l’abondance dehors. Je vous recommande la lecture du livre « AVANT DE QUITTER VOTRE EMPLOI » de Robert KYOSAKI. Bon courage QUESTION : Comment peut- on savoir si un projet est viable ou réalisable ? (Prisca) RÉPONSE : Je trouve que c’est une très bonne question parce que la plupart des jeunes startupers se demandent si leur projet marchera. Votre projet doit répondre à ces trois questions : 1. Est-ce que cela constitue une passion pour moi ? 2. Est-ce que je peux devenir le meilleur en le faisant ? 3. Qu’est ce qui va faire tourner la machine commerciale ou

FEATURE HAVE YOUR SAY

est-ce que je peux gagner de l’argent en le faisant ? (Si votre idée ne peut pas faire gagner de l’argent, vous allez créer une ONG et non une entreprise) Si vous répondez positivement à ces trois questions, il y a de fortes chances que vous ayez en main une bonne idée. Maintenant il est important de savoir qu’en réalité, aucune idée d’entreprise ou projet n’est mauvais en soi, c’est le porteur de projet qui est le premier indicateur de réussite. Si vous n’avez pas l’esprit d’entrepreneur, cela vous sera difficile. Je vous suggère d’aller à l’école de ceux qui ont déjà réussi dans le domaine, dans lequel vous désirez entreprendre. Ne chercher pas à recréer la roue, apprenez auprès de ceux qui ont déjà réussi. L’état d’esprit d’entrepreneur dont je parle, vous permettra de tenir face aux difficultés qui adviendront nécessairement. QUESTION : Comment je peux gagner de confiance en soi ? Je me rends compte que ma timidité est un handicap et je perds même des opportunités à cause de cela. J’ai peur de prendre le devant des choses. (Samson) RÉPONSE : Je vous comprends parfaitement, cher lecteur, et c’est même une problématique partagée par beaucoup de personnes aujourd’hui. Sachez que rien n’est perdu et que vous pourrez être la meilleure version de vous-même à condition que vous décidiez de prendre votre vie en main. Cela vous surprendra certainement mais il n’y a rien que l’on appelle confiance en soi. Il y a juste un renforcement ou une désinstallation de nos attitudes et de notre capacité à faire les choses, suite aux choix que nous opérons quotidiennement. Lorsque quelqu’un dit qu’il a peur de parler en public, en réalité cette personne fuit ou a toujours fuit le fait de parler

en public et au fur et mesure qu’il refuse de s’exprimer en public, son incapacité à parler en public se renforce. Par contre, chaque fois qu’il acceptera de le faire malgré les moqueries des gens, il sera entrain de renforcer sa capacité à parler en public. Maintenant pour renforcer votre en confiance en soi et tuer la timidité, faites tous les jours trois choses que vous détestez vraiment (faire des blagues en public, parler anglais devant les gens, refuser de manger après 20h , se réveiller à 4h pour aller courir… etc) . Lorsque vous faites tous les jours des choses que vous n’aimez pas ou qui vous causent de la gêne, vous serez entrain de renforcer votre capacité à faire d’autres choses et votre confiance, à affronter vos a priori. Comprenez que la confiance en soi est comme un muscle, si vous l’utilisez, il se renforce et vous devenez de jour en jour plus confiant. Par contre, si vous ne l’utilisez pas, il s’atrophie et vous conclurez que vous manquez de confiance en soi. Si vous avez la possibilité de vous faire aider par un coach en accompagnement, n’hésitez pas. CONSEIL BONUS A TOUS: « Sortez de l’illusion des moyens » La plupart des gens sont convaincus, que s’ils avaient tous les moyens ils seront des gens extraordinaires. Or personne n’est devenue extraordinaire rien qu’avec les moyens. C’est la force de vos rêves et objectifs qui font votre force. Rappelez-vous de cette parole de Winston Churchill qui dit : « Là où il y a la volonté, il y a un chemin » marcelling@gmail.com

The SERVICEMAG June - August 2017 41

HAVE YOUR SAY WELLBEING MATTERS

TO BOOST YOUR HEALTH, GET SOME MANUAL WORK DONE! By Dr. Rachna Pande

Physical work is the work done manually by hand i.e. involving the body. With advancing technology, manufacture of machines, much of the work done earlier by hand is being done by machines. It has greatly reduced the amount of manual work people do. In developing countries, where domestic help is readily available, many do not do any physical work.

42 The SERVICEMAG June - August 2017

WELLBEING MATTERS

NATURE

devised limbs to be used as tools, but with increasing affluence, their use has been progressively reduced. It is time to review the situation and consider the advantages of physical work.

Working manually for at least 30-60 minutes per day provides adequate physical exercise to the body and prevents obesity and helps reduce extra weight. Thus it would prevent obesity related diseases like diabetes, high blood pressure, coronary artery disease, e.t.c. The joints become strong and flexible. When one sweats after doing some physical work, grime and dust is removed from the body and it imparts a fresh glow to the face. The blood circulation is improved to all vital parts of the body like brain, heart, lungs, kidneys, intestines, thus improving their functioning. Thus overall physical health of the body is improved. The body is refreshed, removing lethargy, making one feel relaxed. This helps one to concentrate more on work at hand and improves efficiency at work. All these benefits can be achieved by physical exercise. But physical exercise alone does not present a sense of accomplishment which a completed task does. One may work out in the gym for an hour daily but would not get the sense of contentment, which working in the garden for one hour would offer. Lacking this sense of satisfaction, many persons including successful professionals, suffer from insomnia and/or depression. Rising crime rate among teenagers is a cause for alarm around the world. If teenagers do some manual work physically for some time every day or even on fixed week days, they would find an outlet for their abundant energy, which otherwise makes them aggressive and even at times delinquent. Physical work also provides a sense of thrill to youngsters, seeking which they resort to crime, drugs and promiscuous sex.

Doing physical work is very helpful for the society at large. When the affluent people of the society do some manual work, it helps them to realize the hard work put in by their workers, thus making their outlook towards them, more humane. Children from a young age, understand the pain and labor involved in simple chores, after doing part of it themselves. Thus they learn to respect the workers and even the women of the house if they are doing this work. These children definitely grow up as better human beings. When the manual workers (for whom it is a source of livelihood), see their rich brethren doing the same work for some time, it definitely boosts their morale and increases work output. The practice of, â&#x20AC;&#x153;UMUGANDAâ&#x20AC;? for all in Rwanda, is laudable and worth emulating. When everybody is busy doing something creative in their free time, the society definitely improves in a positive way. Therefore people should understand the importance of physical work. Try working in the garden manually with tools, cleaning the house, painting or even carpentry, anything to be done manually with minimum use of machines. One can take up a single work or variety of them, depending on his/her choice and physical stamina. It is not to say that gyms or other form of exercises should be shunned. But along with routine work, individuals should try to do some physical work. It will help them be more healthy physically and mentally. E-mail- rachna212002@yahoo.co.uk

The SERVICEMAG June - August 2017 43

FEATURE

NI NDE UKUGENERA UKO WAGABANYA IGISHORO MU BUCURUZI ? Na Bonnie Kim

Ese kugabanya imari ushora mu guteza imbere ubucuruzi bwawe ishobora kuguteza imbere cyangwa kuguhombya? Nasanze ko ibigo bimwe na bimwe bihitamo gutakaza imari aho kuyishora mu birushaho gukurura abakiriya. Usanga bishimishwa no gutunga za mudasobwa zishaje, kugira abakozi badafite ubumenyi akenshi babitewe nâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;uko badashaka kugira icyo babishoramo. Buri munsi usanga abacuruzi bahora bashakisha uko bagabanya imari bashora.

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FEATURE

Mu bucuruzi ni ngombwa kongeramo imari ishorwa mu bikurura abakiriya aho kuyizigama. Nshimishwa cyane n’ukuntu amahoteri, ubucuruzi bwo muri Kimironko busigaye bwarateye imbere mu gutanga serivisi kubera ko usanga bashora imari mu kugaragaza neza aho bakorera, bagura ibikoresho bisa neza kandi bigezweho, barushaho gutaka aho bakorera, bahashyira indabo, parikingi no kuhasukura. Abafite amazu manini arimo ibiro cyangwa amacumbi usanga bateganya parikingi nini, interineti ya wifi, televiziyo za DSTV, abashinzwe umutekano kandi ugasanga badahenda. Abantu usanga bakunda serivisi nziza kandi biteguye kuyishyura. Muri iki gihe abacuruzi bakwiye kureba batagabanya imari ishorwa mu bucuruzi bwabo kugira ngo bakomeze bagaragare neza, barusheho kunguka, nibatabikora bazahomba nkuko byagendekeye Kodak mu ikoranabuhanga. Bagomba gukora ubucuruzi buhora butera imbere aho gukora ubucuruzi busubira ibyuma. Kodak yakoze neza irunguka ndetse bari bafite n’intero nziza cyane: “Kanda buto, ibisigaye turabyikorera”. Ikibazo gikomeye bagize ntibigeze basobanura ibyo bindi bakorera umukiriya, baricaye baratuza. Abantu benshi baje babagana basaba impinduka, ariko ntibagira icyo bakora. None haje ikoranabuhanga rya digital ni ryo ryagaragaje ibisigaye Kodak itakoze, iba itakaje igihe gutyo. Mu bucuruzi bwawe ugomba gusobanura neza impamvu ugabanya igishoro. Ushobora ko wagabanya imari ishorwa uyizigama aho kuyishora mu bucuruzi bwawe ubuvugurura, ugura za mudasobwa nshya, telefoni, za porogaramu za mudasobwa zigezweho, CCTV mu gukaza umutekano, gutaka aho ukorera, kugura intebe, imyenda mishya no gushora mu ikoranabuhanga rigezweho. Ugomba kumenya ko ubu ikoranabuhanga rigezweho ari irya

dijitali. Ubwo Ikibuga mpuzamahanga cya Jomo Kenyata cyarimo gishya muri 2013, hari incuti yanjye yari muri Uganda twahuye mu ma saa tatu tuganira ku bijyanye n’amahugurwa akomeye twateganyaga. Nuko twumva itangazo rivuga ko nta ndege yahagurukaga cyangwa ngo igwe kuri icyo kibuga. Muri yumvaga yataye umutwe, aho gutekereza iby’inama ahubwo yitegekerereza kubaho cyangwa gupfa. Yari icaye hanyuma ku buryo bwamutunguye abona ikompanyi y’indege imukoreye ibintu

Kongera cyangwa kugabanya imari ushora ntibigomba gutuma serivisi ihinduka. Ikiguzi cyagira ingaruka ku bwiza bwa serivisi, kigira ingaruka no ku rwunguko cyangwa imikurire ya serivisi.

bidasanzwe. Bakodeshereje abakiriya akadege gato ku kibuga cya Wilson gatwara abakiriya bose bari biteguye kugenda. Turashimira cyane kompanyi y’indege ya Uganda; uwafashe icyemezo cyo kongera gushora indi mari yigaruriye umutima wa ya ncuti yanjye atuma aba umukiriya uhoraho wabo. Uko bise ku bakiriya babo ntibisanzwe. Kongera cyangwa kugabanya imari ushora ntibigomba gutuma serivisi ihinduka. Ikiguzi cyagira ingaruka ku bwiza bwa serivisi, kigira ingaruka no

ku rwunguko cyangwa imikurire ya serivisi. Sinzi bizinesi ukora ariko ugomba kwitondera kugabanya imari ishorwa kugira ngo uhe abakiriya serivisi bifuza. Byanze bikunze amakosa ntabura kabone n’ubwo twakwitwararika gute, ariko aho si ho hari ikibazo. Ikibazo kiboneka mu buryo witwara mu kugikemura. Ugomba kubaka ubushobozi bw’abakozi bawe kugira ngo bahore bahanga udushya kugira ngo bashimishe abakiriya,kandi nawe bikuzanire inyungu. Abakiriya bahora biteguye kwishyura birenze ibisanzwe kuri serivisi nziza bahawe. Nugira icyo ushora kirenze bizatuma uhora uri imbere y’abo muhanganye mu bucuruzi. Mugomba guhora ugaragara hejuru y’abandi kandi ukagira icyo ushora mu guteza imbere ibyo ukora. Bonniekiminspires@gmail.com

Sinzi bizinesi ukora ariko ugomba kwitondera kugabanya imari ishorwa kugira ngo uhe abakiriya serivisi bifuza.

The SERVICEMAG June - August 2017 45

WELLBEING MATTERS HAVE YOUR SAY

UKO WAKWITA KU MATWI YAWE Par RACHNA PANDE

A Ni byiza kugira akantu wambara gatwikira amatwi igihe uri koga muri pisine cyangwa andi mazi magari. Niyo ugenda mu ndege umuntu agomba kugira icyo atwikira ku matwi

46 The SERVICEMAG June - August 2017

matwi ni imwe mu mpano y’agaciro gakomeye twahawe. Amatwi agufasha kumva bityo ugashobora kumvikana n’uwo muri kumwe. Amatwi adufasha kumba kandi akanatuma ibice by’umubiri bikorera hamwe. Igice gituma ibice by’umubiri bikorera hamwe kiri mu matwi imbere. Iyo ugize ubumuga bwo mu matwi bigira ingaruka ku buzima bwawe, ni yo mpamvu tubashishikariza kwita ku matwa yanyu. Nk’ikindi gice cyose cy’umubiri, ni ngombwa kugirira amatwi isuku, bigakorwa bahanagura amatwi imbere n’inyuma ukoresheje akenda korohereye kandi gasukuye cyangwa kamesheshejwe amazi meza. Iyo amatwi afunguye cyane, noneho ugutwikugarura amajwi n’igice bambikaho iherena byose bishobora

gusukurwa. Ubukurugutwa buba mu matwi bugiye gusa n’umuhondo kandi bufasha mu gusukura no gutuma ugutwi korohera imbere. Ubukurugutwa butuma mu gutwi hatinjiramo za bagiteri, udukoko n’amazi. Iyo ubukirigitwa bubaye bwinshi cyane, bushobora gufunga umuyoboro utuma ugutwi kumva biranababaza, umuntu akumva aremerewe mu gutwi kandi bishobora no gutuma amatwi apfa. Umuntu ashobora kugabanya ubukurugutwa akoresheje udutonyanga twa bikarubonate ya sodiyumu cyangwa saline. Niba ari bwinshi cyane bugomba gukurwamo n’umuganga/umuforomo agate kariho koto ntigakoreshwa kuko gasunikira ubukurugutwa imbere mu gutwi. Ikindi kandi utudodo duto twa kotoni tuguma imbere tukaba dushobora gutera infection.

HAVE MATTERS YOUR SAY WELLBEING

Birasanzwe ko abantu basukura amatwi yabo bakoresheje agakoresho babona hafi nk’agati, agashinge n’ibindi. Ibyo kandi ushobora kubikora igihe wumvise uribwa mu gutwi. Kuribwa mu gutwi bishobora guterwa n’uko humagaye, harimo udukoko twinjiyemo tukahatera infection cyangwa kuryaryata bitewe n’ibyo bahogesheje. Niba wumva hari utuntu turyaryata mu gutwi ariko tworoheje watureka ntacyo byagutwara. Niba ukomeje kugira uburyaryate bukabije ushobora kujya kwa muganga bakaguha imiti y’igihe gito. Iyo bikomeje kumera nabi, ugomba gusubira kwa muganga. Ugomba kwirinda kugira ibintu winjiza mu matwi bishobora kuyangiza cyane cyane ibishobora kugukomeretsa no kugutera infection imbere mu gutwi. Kugira igikomere mu gutwi imbere bishobora kukumerera nabi cyane. Infection mu gutwi igaragara ukuribwamo imbere, havamo ibintu bisa nk’amashyira, kumva uburyaryate, kugira iseseme, kuruka n’ibindi bimenyetso. Niba iyo infection idakira, ishobora kwica amatwi. Kwegera cyane udutonyanga duturutse ku bushyuhe cyangwa ubukonje dushobora kwangiza amatwi bigatera ububabare no gufungana. Niba uri mu bukonje bukabije cyangwa umuyaga ujye wibuka gupfuka amatwi yawe. Niba uri ahantu hari umukungugu mwinshi cyangwa uri mu rugendo, wihutire gupfuka amatwi yawe kugira ngo hatinjiramo umwanda, udukoko cyangwa utundi tuntu mu matwi imbere. Iyo hagize icyinjira mu matwi bishobora gutuma abyimba akanarwara infection. Urusaku rukabije rushobora narwo kwangiza amatwi. Guhura igihe kirekire n’urusaku rwo mu mijyi minini cyangwa urusaku rwo mu nganda zifite ibimashini binini bishobora kwangiza amatwi ku buryo bworoshye cyangwa bukabije. Ibyo bishobora gutera ukwiheba n’agahinda bikabije n’ibindi.. Nkuko itegeko ry’umurimo ribiteganya, ni ngombwa gukingira abakozi amatwi yabo kugira ngo atangirika. Akenshi usanga hari za ekuteri abantu bakunda gukoresha bumva imiziki igihe bari mu kazi cyangwa mu rugendo. Gukoresha kenshi ekuteri za telefoni bigabanya ubushobozi bwo kumva kandi bishobora kwangiza amatwi. Nyuma yo gukoresha za ekuteri mu minota 30 ugomba kuzihagarika amatwi akaruhuka. Si byiza kandi gufungura umuriro mwinshi wa televiziyo cyangwa radiyo. Koga muri pisine ni byiza ariko bishobora kugira ingaruka ku matwi. Amazi ashobora kwinjora mu matwi bikaba byayatera kutumva cyangwa umuhaha. Ni byiza kugira akantu wambara gatwikira amatwi igihe uri koga muri pisine cyangwa andi mazi magari. Niyo ugenda mu ndege umuntu agomba kugira icyo atwikira ku matwi. Niba hari ububabare cyangwa ibintu biva mu matwi ugomba kwihutira kubikemura. Ugomba kwitwararika kugira ngo amatwi yawe akomeze akore neza. E-mail: rachna212002@yahoo.co.uk

We help brands to

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+250 789720480 www.lange.rw KN 82 St Kigali, Rwanda Lange technologiez

The SERVICEMAG June - August 2017 47

FEATURE

THE AFRICAN PERCEPTION OF CUSTOMER SERVICE By Sandra Idossou

TSM Service Awards 2014

When I started receiving my work anniversary messages on LinkedIn, I was reminded that it’s been eleven years since I opened my first training and consulting company on Customer Service. The journey has been challenging but rewarding in so many ways…hold on, I have not yet become a Billionaire, neither have I been fortunate (yet) to be featured in the prestigious pages of Forbes Magazine.

MY STORY

is one of passion and optimism to improve the level of service delivery in Africa. It started in 2000 when I became a trainer going round over twenty-seven African countries preaching the good news of Service Excellence and Quality Standards.

TSM Service Awards 2013

I still remember the level of service in Rwanda when I first came to train the staff of the then “Novotel Umubano” managed by the Accor Hospitality Group. In 2007 my husband accepted a job offer to work in Rwanda and I followed him with my dreams, determination and zeal to make an impact in this beautiful land of a thousand hills. The peculiar component of my work on educating, sensitizing and raising awareness about the importance and benefits of Customer service is that the Government of Rwanda embarked on a campaign to raise the level of service in the country at that time. As a proud African, it breaks my heart that the general

TSM Launch in Burundi 48 The SERVICEMAG June - August 2017

FEATURE

And that is exactly where I have an issue. Why should Africans keep quiet about poor services they receive? Why is it normal for us not to be demanding? How can we improve the level of service, if mediocre service is what we all accept especially on services we pay for with our hard-earned money?

I want to believe in that Africa and would want you to join me to demand, give and receive high quality services. You and I can shape that image. We can change that narrative. Africa is beautiful, rich, resourceful and its people are able to offer the same level of service offered in other parts of the world

perception or mindset most Africans have is that everything “Quality” or “Excellence” cannot be African. Recently during an interesting conversation, a friend said that it is utopic to believe that service excellence is achievable in Africa because the continent is faced with many urgent challenges. Who says that we cannot develop our continent by tackling the issue of poor service as we deal with our numerous other challenges? In Rwanda, we talk, criticize and demand good service. Through the platforms of The ServiceMag www.theservicemag.com, we name and shame service providers, whether they are government or private. We organise events to train and sensitize service providers on Customer Service. I have even offered some training sessions for the Rwanda National Police on Customer Service. In Rwanda when a citizen doesn’t get water or electricity for several days, he/she is able to tweet and get a response. The sense of accountability in all areas of service has helped the country to be where it is today in terms of development.

I read recently that in most Western countries, service accounts for more than 75% of GDP – a share that will probably continue to increase. I don’t have exact figures for Africa but I know for sure that if Governments and service providers improve the quality of their services, they could have similar results. Technology has become a major aspect of improving service delivery in several aspects of our lives. Today, service excellence is a differentiator that makes an investor decide to do business in Togo rather than in Bénin, my home country for instance. Obviously, competition is key in raising the level of service in the continent. How can Africans push for service excellence? Simply by being demanding, refusing poor service all in the name of “We are in Africa”. If your service provider sucks, no need to remain there, change and look for better service. Service attitudes and aptitudes are attributes that help sustain brands, companies or a country’s image. Try hospitality, health, education, banking, airlines in Africa and you will agree with me that improving service delivery is a pre requisite for our development as a continent. Harvey Firestone says that the growth and development of people is the highest calling of leadership. We can all be leaders in different ways, but in my opinion, the best leadership is being able to impact on people’s knowledge and development and that is why I am extremely proud of this milestone of sensitizing for good service delivery in Africa. My wish is that when my son is older, he will not need to travel outside the continent to get quality education. I hope Africans get quality healthcare in our hospitals where even our leaders will not need to travel outside to be treated. I want to believe in that Africa and would want you to join me to demand, give and receive high quality services. You and I can shape that image. We can change that narrative. Africa is beautiful, rich, resourceful and its people are able to offer the same level of service offered in other parts of the world. sidossou@theservicemag.com

When I took to social media in Congo Brazzaville recently, to complain about a service centre of an Internet provider that could not give accurate information about their poor services, I was made to understand that I was making too much noise. The SERVICEMAG June - August 2017 49

YOUTHYOUR TALKSAY HAVE

TOUSSAINT Mpoze, HELICOPTER PILOT Toussaint Mpoze is a Helicopter Pilot with Akagera Aviation. The 29-year-old was born second of three children. He has worked as pilot since 2007 and as Instructor pilot since 2013 and now specializes in tour, charter and instruction flights.

50 The SERVICEMAG June - August 2017

HAVE YOURTALK SAY YOUTH

AFTER

High School, Toussaint responded to a call from Akagera Aviation for applicants interested in joining their team of pilots. They were offering training to grow their team and build capacity. He has since, found the career as Helicopter Pilot an amazing fit for him. He fell in love with his job and has continued to love it over the years. As a trainee, he was blessed to be under the tutorage of a flight instructor who loved her job too and she took him up, shared her knowledge with him and inspired him. Toussaint credits her for moulding him into what he is today. He shared the same love for flying he saw in his instructor and says jokingly, “If flying was a girl, I would marry her!’ As it were, despite the love he has for the air, Toussaint admits he did not choose his career, in fact, he jokes that it chose him. “Think of me, fresh from high school, bumping into an opportunity of a lifetime that led me into a career that has enabled me realise my potential and do a job I love doing.” In addition to the ecstasy of flying that his job gives him, Toussaint is gratified when he puts a smile on his client’s face after enjoying his service on a charter or tour. He is also thrilled when trainees he has worked with are able to fly the helicopter.

people are terrified of flying and yet their experience must be made as pleasurable as possible. On a typical work day, this young pilot is at work by 7.00am. He checks on the helicopters to ensure that they are in the same state they were at the end of the previous day. He then prepares for the day’s programme which includes flying various clients and instructing trainees. Work ends at 5.00pm and he leaves by 5.30pm unless he has to stay over and finish some paperwork. Having had the privilege to do a job he loves, Toussaint advises young people to put their heart and soul in everything they do. “That way, you will be successful because your job will be your passion.” He notes that it is not enough to earn a living from one’s job, if one hates their job, it will be a difficult experience. In his opinion and from his experience, Toussaint believes a helicopter pilot needs to be patient, flexible and with a hunger for knowledge, because, he says, every day is a school day and knowledge is power. During his leisure time, Toussaint will often be found jogging. He says it helps him clear his mind and is relaxing and therapeutic for him.

Much as he loves flying, the service is offered to a wide range of personalities and Toussaint’s only challenge is being able to deal with every category of client in the best way possible. It is not always easy to tell what is the best approach. Some The SERVICEMAG June - August 2017 51

FASHION

TRANSFORMING DREAMS INTO A REALITY By Efua Hagan

From unique African print shelving to vibrant colored textiles and readymade outfits, Claudine Uwamahoro’s shop is undoubtedly captivating, leaving even mere passer bys curiously impressed. To top it all, Claudine’s customer service gives her a definite edge as I experienced firsthand when she welcomed me into her shop with a warm smile, and an offer to a cup of coffee.

Short Kitenge Dress

Claudine, Owner of Cocomod’ 52 The SERVICEMAG June - August 2017

FASHION

Bread holder and glove set

Table cover and set

Hand woven textiles from West Africa

SINCE

her childhood, Claudine has loved kitenge (African print). After her contract with the UN ended, she decided to pursue her business and actualize a life-long dream. “People used to appreciate my designs when I wore them, and this further encouraged me to start my business.” Remarked Claudine, who happened to be wearing the very first outfit she designed. Although Claudine begun by selling her products from her home, she believed that having a shop would be highly beneficial. In March 2017, she opened her shop, Cocomod’ at CHIC Complex. This location, in the heart of the city was ideal for her because it is strategic with ample parking. “Knowing that my customers are able to park their cars at ease and take their time in my shop is important to me.” Noted Claudine.

Quality textiles

When asked what makes her shop unique, she remarked “I mix kitenge with other African materials not yet known in Rwanda.” Although she buys unique fabrics and ready-made outfits from West Africa, her clients have the option of choosing a preferred fabric from her shop and having it made locally and professionally by her tailors. Claudine’s passion for her business is evident. With great ambitions, she plans to invite an expert tailor from Ghana or Abidjan to train her local tailors. Her aim for the future involves producing a wide range of interior décor products on a bigger scale, with the use of high quality kitenge.

Fabric toilet paper holders

Quality textiles

Tissue holders

Cube Stools made from unique and durable textiles Comfortable Kitenge Sofa

CHIC Complex, C068, KN Ave, Muhima, Kigali, Rwanda Tell: +250788 500 232, +250 788301 250 cocomodbwiza@gmail.com The SERVICEMAG June - August 2017 53

MANAGEMENT

LEADERS MUST ‘SELL” CULTURE TO STAFF By John Kageche

The greatest stumbling block to transforming an organization’s culture is it is not seen as a sale, and worse, those selling it (leadership) don’t see themselves as salespeople.

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MANAGEMENT

CONTRARY

to popular belief, a company is not driven by strategy. A company’s day to day activities and destiny lay squarely in its culture. What is organizational culture? Edgar Schein, a prominent theorist of organisational culture, referred to it in general terms as, “A pattern of shared basic assumptions that the group learned as it solved its problems of external adaptation and internal integration, that has worked well enough to be considered valid and therefore, to be taught to new members as the correct way to perceive, think, and feel in relation to those problems.” Shared thoughts and feelings make or break organisations. Peter Drucker puts it this way, Culture eats strategy for lunch. In the case of a far-reaching change in culture (a transformation) the product feature on sale may be the change, but the product offering (why staff should buy) are the benefits of changing their mindset. We don’t buy the shirt for its features, that is, to cover our nakedness or because it’s blue and long sleeved; we buy it because it makes us feel good, or, it is in vogue or it emphasises our enviable shape or some other emotional reason. Like average sellers, most organizations, sell the feature of the product: we are in an increasingly competitive sector with increasing customer needs, and we must change to retain our leadership; or, we are performing below industry standards and must transform to survive. These are logical, feature-based arguments, and they are not useful because buyers (the staff) are driven by emotional benefits. In the same way, the objectives of buyers and sellers are at polar opposites, employees are not hugely motivated by their employer’s reasons for change. Employees (like buyers) are more moved by what the change means to them. The average seller (employer) will quickly latch on to money (a feature) e.g. bonuses and increased salaries. In essence he is looking at price as the reason why the buyer (employee) should purchase the product. It’s cheap, it’s affordable; buy it. Yet, any stellar performing seller will tell you that price doesn’t sell, value does. Warren Buffet puts it best: price is what you pay, value is what you get. And value to the employee is in contrast to value to the employer and according to McKinsey & Company, could go beyond the organization to say the customer, or community. As such, focusing the sale solely on the organization is unlikely to inspire genuine commitment to the organization. Some leaders reading this may dismiss it as fluff

stating ‘shape up or ship out is our maxim’. Buy or leave. This is tragic. The change will have those who will not embrace it and will leave and that is fine; in any case, change or not, attrition happens. However, this does not exempt the sellers (leaders) from winning the hearts and minds of existing buyers (staff) with the desired cultural change. After all, doesn’t cross-selling to existing buyers make more economic and long term sense over acquiring a new one? To change the culture of an organization calls for a change in how those in it perceive, think and feel. Bereft of a sales style of management which allows staff to buy (not just buy into) the new direction, strategic, structural and systemic changes will only attain so much traction. According to a Mc Kinsey & Company report on change management, “the perception that behavior is a “soft” topic leads managers to assume they can rely on their own instincts, an approach that seldom leads to sustainable long-term change. Instead, managers need to take the time to understand some of the factors that influence human behavior.” In other words, learn to sell. Email:lendmeyourears@consultant.com

We don’t buy the shirt for its features, that is, to cover our nakedness or because it’s blue and long sleeved; we buy it because it makes us feel good, or, it is in vogue or it emphasises our enviable shape or some other emotional reason.

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