Every day across Rwanda, thousands of people show up to serve. In banks, hotels, restaurants, hospitals, and offices, we greet customers, process requests, solve problems, and deliver promises. Yet beneath all the activity, one question remains; do we truly care, or are we simply completing tasks? ALSO READ: Customer service week: The roses, the selfies, and the reality check Because service is not just about what we do. It’s about how we make people feel. ALSO READ: From banners to reality: What will it take to fix poor customer service? Too often, service is viewed as a duty, not a privilege. We treat customers as interruptions to our routine rather than the reason our jobs exist. The mindset must shift, from “this is not my job” to “this is our guest.” From “I’m just doing my work” to “I’m shaping someone’s experience.” True service begins with care. Care is what makes communication clear, responses timely, and actions sincere. It’s what separates hospitality from mere transaction. Today, we are missing this ingredient in many places. We see a lack of ownership, where employees wait for others to fix issues. A lack of communication, where silence replaces empathy. And a lack of warmth, where professionalism becomes distant, not personal. ALSO READ: The voice of the customer your free market research Service culture is not built by slogans or trainings alone; it’s built in moments of choice. So, how do we know what our service culture really looks like? Every team member can start with a simple mirror test; five honest questions to ask themselves at the end of each day. When mistakes happen, do I hide or help fix them? When a customer struggles, do I listen to understand or rush to move on? When feedback is given, do I see it as criticism or as a gift? When someone goes the extra mile, do I notice and appreciate it? And most importantly, have I truly given my best today? These are not management tools; they are mindset checks because a culture of care starts within each of us. Not long ago, I visited a certain bank. I had a simple issue, resetting a password. Yet it turned into a full-day frustration. Phone lines with endless automated prompts, no option to reach a human being, and finally, after an hour in line, the issue was solved with no apology, no empathy, no acknowledgment of time lost. That experience left me not only disappointed but disconnected. I began to question my loyalty to that institution. Not because of one error, but because I didn’t feel seen or valued. And that’s the truth about today’s customer, they have choices. Even in a small market like Kigali, people no longer stay where they feel ignored. They may not shout, but they quietly move on. A healthy culture is not about never making mistakes, it’s about how we respond when we do. It looks like open communication, where problems are surfaced early, not hidden. It sounds like leaders asking, “How can I support you?” instead of “Who is to blame?” It feels like collaboration, empathy, and pride in doing things right. Research consistently shows that broken service cultures have common signs: fear of speaking up, lack of trust, resistance to feedback, and a “that’s not my job” attitude. These are not just performance issues; they are warning lights that the culture is running on low care. Building a caring service culture is not about new slogans or posters, it’s about behavioural change. It’s about closing the gap between what we say and what we do. Too often, we collect feedback and stop there. But care is proven through follow-through. When teams review their week, they should be asking: what did our customers teach us this week, and what did we change as a result? This is where culture lives, in the actions that follow our promises. A service culture matures when feedback is not feared but valued as intelligence. When one department’s lesson becomes the whole company’s improvement. In organizations that truly care, learning replaces blaming, and accountability becomes a daily habit. The shift happens when everyone, from leadership to frontline, moves from “what went wrong?” to “what can we do better together?” At the national level, this conversation is already happening. Rwanda Development Board’s “Na Yombi” campaign is one of the most visible examples, a nationwide call to improve how we receive, communicate with, and serve others. More than a tourism or hospitality initiative, “Na Yombi” represents a deeper behavioural shift toward empathy, accountability, and pride in service. It reminds us that service is not a one-day performance but a reflection of our shared values as a nation. Every public servant, hotel staff, taxi driver, and business owner becomes an ambassador of Rwanda’s image through the way they serve. Rwanda’s service vision has never been about being the biggest; it’s about being the “best”. From the Visit Rwanda partnerships with the LA Clippers and LA Rams to the country’s growing reputation as a conference and sports tourism hub, the message is clear: the world is watching not just how we perform, but how we serve. As government agencies, private operators, and local businesses align under this vision, the real work begins at the human level. Every call answered, every guest welcomed, every problem solved with empathy is an act of national branding. Service excellence is no longer a department’s responsibility; it is Rwanda’s collective signature. The next phase of our progress depends not on new infrastructure but on new mindsets. The future belongs to businesses and nations that care deeply, act consistently, and learn faster. Because before we serve, we must care. So, this week, before you open your laptop, serve your next guest, or attend your next meeting, pause for a moment and ask yourself: how do I show care in what I do? If every customer I served today gave feedback, what would it say about me? And what small act could make our service culture stronger today? The author is a certified hospitality trainer and founder of Outstanding Solutions Afrika, a boutique hospitality and tourism consulting firm dedicated to transforming service excellence.
