November 2016

As it appeared in the Daily Nation on November 29th 2016 I am just from a leading local retailer. Unfortunately, I did not find some basic items that I needed. Like many shoppers, I feel disgruntled when I do not repeatedly find all that I need in stores that pride themselves with taglines such as ‘you need it, we’ve got it’!. Having worked in the retail sector, I know too well that stores do run out of stock. Sometimes being out of stock is a sign of inefficiency on the side of the retailer’s supply chain. Other times, it could be because of a shortage on the side of the supplier or it could be that there was an upsurge in demand. Either way, stores need to be more proactive in ensuring that there are no stock outs of basic items. This among other interventions would make the customer experience less painful. As we get into…

As it appeared in the Daily Nation on November 22nd 2016 ‘Thank You’ is a phrase used to express gratitude.  We use the simple expression when we want to show our appreciation to someone. It is possibly one of the most widely used phrases globally. Many of us learnt the phrase among our very first words. In some cultures, it is a common phrase across all ages. It is part of daily conversation for millions of people.  Unfortunately, for many other people and in many cultures, this phrase is rare and does not automatically fit into every conversation. The phrase remains core in the expression of gratitude in families, at the work place, in public and everywhere else. We all like to be thanked, it makes us feel good. The question though is do we thank others enough? Every day we have many opportunities to say a sincere thank you and mean it. When someone holds…

As it appeared in the Daily Nation on November 15th 2016 I visited a doctor last week. As I sat in his office, I knew that I had a responsibility of telling him how I was feeling.  When patients sit in the doctor’s office, the question – “How are You Doing?” is not just a greeting with a short response such as “bad” or “not good”. Doctors use questioning techniques extensively. They seek to know more about the patient. The patient’s medical history is important and so is their current condition. This helps in identifying the problem and the ideal treatment.  In addition, doctors look at the body’s vital signs such as temperature, heart rate, blood pressure etc. the doctor may also send the patient to the laboratory, x-ray etc. for further examinations.  Depending on the diagnosis and severity of the condition, the patient may be treated in the outpatient or one may be admitted for…

As it appeared in the Daily Nation on November 8th 2016 In the last 10 days, I have made many trips on Uber. Additionally, I have had conversations with Uber drivers and keenly observed every aspect of the experience. I find the app quite fascinating and I bet other people do. When I first heard about Uber, I thought it was about sharing a ride with a neighbour. I recall signing up to offer the service because after all I was already offering such rides to neighbours. When the app finally launched in Kenya in 2015, I could not imagine being driven by a stranger. I therefore opted not to be an early adopter. Earlier in the year, I visited New York and thought of using the app hence I downloaded it. Still, I was scared about a stranger being my driver and opted for the city’s very reliable public transport system. I thereafter deleted the…

As it appeared in the Daily Nation on Nov 1sth 2016 Happy New Month! I expect that this new month will be even better than the last one.  Last month was abuzz with customer service week activities. Many photos were shared online during the first week of October. However, a photo that was shared in the last week of October stood out and caught the attention of many. I had been away from twitter for a little while and when I logged back in there were loads of notifications tagging me to the photo. It was a photo of a Safaricom staff kneeling down as she served a customer on a normal day. The Kenyan online community was animated by the act that many considered that of a customer service hero. We learnt that the staff on the photo was Pauline at the Safaricom customer care centre in Nakuru. It was evident that she was not…