As the world watches cyclists speed through Kigali’s hills during the 2025 UCI Road World Championships, the focus is on endurance, teamwork, and strong finishes. Team Rwanda promised a powerful show on the road, aiming to prove they can hold their own among global champions. But alongside the cyclists’ journey, Rwanda’s service sector is running its own race, one that can be equally defining. ALSO READ: UCI 2025 is here! Now let’s show the world Rwanda’s heart Cycling is more than a sport. It’s a discipline that demands preparation, strategy, and resilience. And in many ways, these are the very qualities that define excellent customer service. The lessons are there for us if we’re willing to see them. Just as cyclists train for months to prepare for one week of competition, service excellence doesn’t happen by chance. Staff need training, rehearsal, and mindset shifts long before the guest arrives. A warm welcome, efficient processes, and clear communication are not luck, they’re the result of practice. Businesses that invest in continuous training will always outperform those that “wing it.” On the road, no cyclist can win alone. Drafting, pacing, and teamwork are essential. In service, the same is true. The receptionist cannot shine if housekeeping falls behind. A waiter’s smile won’t save the experience if the kitchen is chaotic. When teams work together seamlessly, the guest feels the smooth ride. Cyclists also understand pacing. Start too fast, and you burn out. Start too slow, and you miss the pack. In service, pacing means managing expectations. Don’t promise the impossible only to disappoint. Under-promise and over-deliver. Keep the guest informed, just as a rider keeps an eye on the road ahead. Before the big race, cyclists always study the course. They do trial runs to understand the road, the terrain, and the climate so they know exactly what lies ahead. Service providers need to do the same through customer journey mapping. This means walking in the guest’s shoes, studying every step of their experience from arrival to departure. Where are the bottlenecks? Where might frustration build? Where can you add delight? Just as cyclists anticipate hills and turns, businesses must anticipate the touchpoints that shape customer emotions. Mapping the journey is how you prepare not just to participate, but to win. Then comes the sprint finish, the moment that defines the race. In cycling, it’s the final push after hours of endurance. In service, it’s the farewell. As I’ve written before, the last impression is what lingers. A rushed checkout or unresolved issue can erase earlier good moments. But a strong, thoughtful finish, asking sincerely about the guest’s stay, thanking them, or following up within 72 hours, can turn an ordinary experience into a lasting memory. When setbacks happen, it’s not the fall that defines us, it’s how we get back up. In both cycling and service, what matters most is how quickly we recover. President Paul Kagame once said, “Winning and losing are part of life. When you lose, don’t waste that loss, because that loss brings to you lessons to learn.” This wisdom applies equally to athletes and service providers. Mistakes are inevitable, but they don’t have to be fatal. A sincere apology, a clear explanation, and an effort to make things right can transform a bad moment into a story of care. Guests don’t expect perfection, but they do expect recovery with honesty and empathy. The UCI Road World Championships will end on Sunday. The medals will be counted, and the champions crowned. But Rwanda’s other race for service excellence, does not end. It continues every day in hotels, restaurants, airports, taxis, and shops. And like cycling, it requires consistency, discipline, and heart. If Rwanda can embrace these lessons, the real victory will not only be on the podium, but in the stories visitors carry home. Stories not just of hills and races, but of kindness, clarity, and care – because in both cycling and service, it is the finish that people remember. And the last impression lasts the longest. The writer is a certified hospitality trainer and Founder of Outstanding Solutions Afrika, a boutique hospitality and tourism consulting firm dedicated to transforming service excellence.
