Vatel’s Bamukunde on how to build a culture of quality customer service in Rwanda

Institutions worldwide are celebrating Customer Service Week with a focus on the theme 'Dream Team'. To delve deeper into the importance of enhancing customer service as Rwanda strives for economic recovery, CNBC Africa spoke with Nicole Bamukunde, Director of the Rwandan Chapter of Vatel, the International Hospitality School. Vatel Rwanda aims to equip Rwandan youth and youth across Africa with top-notch education to become future leaders in the thriving hospitality industry. The school's primary objective is to address the prevalent imbalance in the industry, where locals often hold lower-level positions while management roles are predominantly occupied by foreigners. By offering quality education locally, Vatel Rwanda is working towards bridging this gap. Bamukunde emphasized that exceptional customer service extends beyond front-line staff to management. It requires discipline, consistency, and professionalism, qualities ingrained in Vatel Rwanda's curriculum. Against the backdrop of ongoing economic recovery efforts post-pandemic, Bamukunde highlighted Rwanda's resilience and innovative solutions. Given that tourism is a crucial economic pillar in Rwanda, superior customer service is paramount. As industry professionals, it is essential to capitalize on Rwanda's safe environment and sustain its reputation as a premier tourism destination, catering to both domestic and international visitors. Reflecting on past initiatives to enhance customer service in Rwanda, such as the feedback hotline by the Rwanda Development Board, Bamukunde acknowledged their positive impact. These campaigns have raised awareness that high-quality customer service is not optional but a must for all service providers. Vatel Rwanda has taken proactive steps to translate this awareness into action. The school recently launched Neura Fine Dining Restaurant as a hands-on training ground for students to hone their skills. Through practice and experience, students learn to deliver exceptional service, embodying the principles they are taught. Bamukunde addressed the criticism that Rwanda's customer service lags behind some regional counterparts, leading to an influx of foreign workers in the industry. She affirmed that concerted efforts by the government, hospitality sector, and educational institutions, like Vatel Rwanda, have elevated the standards of customer service in the country. Looking ahead, Bamukunde outlined key strategies to ensure Rwanda emerges as a regional leader in customer service excellence. She emphasized the importance of continuing awareness campaigns and expanding investments in education, particularly in light of the pandemic's impact on the hospitality sector. This period presents an opportunity to upskill staff and enhance service quality. By fostering collaboration between the government, private sector, and education industry, Rwanda can reinforce its position as a hub of exceptional customer service.