This week, Rwanda joins the rest of the world in marking Customer Service Week, which is a time to celebrate the people and institutions that serve others. Yet, beyond the banners, branded T-shirts, and cheerful social media posts, one important reminder must stand out; this week is not about service providers, it is about the customer.

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Too often, Customer Service Week becomes a marketing opportunity; a stage for companies to polish their image, hand out giveaways, and post smiling photos online. But good service should not be seasonal. It should be the daily language of respect, care, and accountability that defines how we treat one another. Whether it is a bank officer attending to clients, a teacher responding to parents, a nurse caring for patients, or a government official handling citizens’ requests, every interaction is an opportunity to demonstrate true service.

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In Rwanda, where service excellence is a national value, Customer Service Week should remind us that "umukiriya ni umwami” (the customer is king) is not just a slogan, but a standard. Furthermore, Service delivery is not the responsibility of profit-making businesses alone; it is a shared culture that should cut across all sectors; public, private, and non-profit alike.

True customer service is not measured by how loudly one celebrates this week, but by how consistently one treats others with dignity the rest of the year. As the week unfolds, let’s renew our commitment to listen more, respond better, and serve with empathy, not for applause, but because every Rwandan deserves excellence, every day.