Customer service crucial to business development, country's image ...

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November 26, 2012 By admin

The United States government has collaborated with Guyana on a number of areas relating to customer service, such as the USAID programme, which is working to promote eco-tourism, particularly in fishing and birding.
Deputy Chief of Mission Thomas Pierce applauded the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) for initiating a recent session on customer service and its significance to economic growth.

Deputy Chief of Mission Thomas Pierce

Pierce noted that eco-tourism is a segment of the market for which quality services is vital to attract and retain customers and to grow the reputation of businesses to gain international visitors who will journey to Guyana.
The deputy chief of mission said that it does not take very many encounters when someone visits a place to form an overall impression about the entire country.? He cited that the example of someone visiting a foreign capital and having a positive experience with the taxi driver during the ride from the airport, or the friendly hotel clerk, would reflect on the entire population.
Conversely, it would not take very many experiences such as slow service, rude hotel staff, etc to cripple a country?s image.
USAID has also been involved in the Skills, Knowledge and Youth Em-ployment (SKYE) programme, which is a partnership with private businesses to train young people, particularly at-risk youths to become productive citizens.
Pierce pointed out that customer service is a crucial component of all businesses, and can be correlated to the broader development of a country. ?Customers also go where they are welcomed, but stay where they are well treated,? the U.S. representative stated.

Enabling environment
He mentioned too that although government is charged with providing an environment in which businesses can prosper; it is the courage of entrepreneurs and the dedication of management and staff to successfully run businesses that generate individual, national and global prosperity. ?It is much easier to keep a customer than to go out and find new customers. Investors will seek stable and predictable investment climates with transparency and rule of law,? Pierce said.
He remarked that investors also weigh factors such as infrastructural development, protection of intellectual property rights, compliance with financial norms, and the quality of the labour force.
Pierce said private sector organisations have a legitimate voice in the dialogue of these issues and the business community has a role in shaping society through activities in the marketplace.
They are also expected to promote policies as an example in exercising corporate social responsibility, and giving back to the community.
The local business community has been urged to step up to the plate in addressing issues relating to staff hostility and overall customer service.
Generally, customer service in Guyana has not been up to scratch, and more effort is needed to boost the hospitality industry in terms of customer relations. Recognising this need, GCCI held a customer relations seminar at the Guyana Pegasus Hotel with the intention of helping participants increase their customer service skills, develop a greater appreciation of customer value, and raise the quality of the service they provide to customers.
Economic and commercial officer at the U.S. embassy, Eric Moore, who delivered remarks, noted that customer service begins in advance of a business interacting with customers. He stressed that employee selection, training and physical infrastructure are prerequisite elements to achieving great customer service.
Additionally, Moore said that retaining customers is always cheaper than gaining new ones, hence, the need for greater customer care. Moore detailed that the employees are a company?s internal customers; equally valuable for feedback as well as marketing the business.

Source: http://www.guyanatimesgy.com/?p=7076

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