A new initiative that aims at supporting ongoing efforts to improve customer service in the country has been unveiled.

The ‘Conversations at High Tea’ is a forum that brings together service providers and consumers to discuss and find remedies for challenges in customer service in an informal setting.

This initiative is timely and could play a key role in helping ensure excellent customer service, a key ingredient for the country to be attractive and competitive as a top tourism destination. Already, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has sounded alarm bells, calling for improvement in quality service for Rwanda to attract big money spenders and become more competitive.

With the country positioning itself as a conference hub, more initiatives by private sector players are needed to support the government’s ongoing ‘Na Yombi’ and ‘Serivisi Inoze’ campaigns that are aimed at helping cultivate a culture of good customer service in private and public sector organisations.

This is even crucial as the country prepares to host the African Hotel Investment Forum (AHIF) in October. The conference is projected to generate more than $1.8 million (over Rwf1.5 billion) and create over 1,000 jobs for the youth and service providers.

It is, therefore, important that sector players and consumers support initiatives that are geared at enhancing customer service and boost the country’s attractiveness as a Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, Events and Exhibitions (MICE) destination. The country should also continue to market itself as a ‘must visit’ destination.

A new report by United Nations Conference on Trade and Development indicates that tourism, including MICE, has the potential to drive transformative and inclusive growth and offers great opportunities for economic and export diversification.

However, to realise these benefits, service providers must up their game and address challenges like poor customer service for visitors to enjoy what Rwanda offers and visit again.