We are away on our bi-annual trip to the Kruger National Park and I have been pleasantly encouraged hearing the different foreign tourist languages/accents at the camps we pass through and sightings we stop and interact at. But the resurgence of tourists and our country’s natural beauty is not enough to WOW visitors – exceptional customer service at our hotels, lodges, casinos and conference centres is the key to holding it all together.

It occurred to me that hospitality establishments have unique opportunities to fly the flag in terms of branding ourselves as a preferred destination to what seems to be a resurgence of foreign visitors. Every single interaction is an opportunity to galvanise the word of mouth chain to our collective advantage. The challenge though is to be able to back it all up with consistent, exceptional, hands on service. There’s no point waxing lyrical about our great country over a leopard sighting to then have it all blown to hell when the lunch service is a disaster.
We go to great lengths in our training to drive home the absolute necessity to consistently get it right with our service delivery. As South Africans, we are renowned for our friendliness and open-arms culture. Yet we seem unable to capitalise as a collective. Customer centricity – a catchy buzz word for sure. But vital if we are to achieve the long haul of economic recovery in our industry.
Theres no point waxing lyrical about our great country over a leopard sighting to then have it all blown to hell when the lunch service is a disaster.
MARK HIBBERD
The need for Daniel’s
There are individual gems out there. People who are going above and beyond with little effort because they are natural people persons. Daniel, security officer at Ngwenya Lodge main gate is a case in point. He is relentless and exudes customer centricity from every fibre of his being, all day every day. Priceless. We need more Daniel’s, many many more. I have no doubt at all that there’s a Daniel in every single one of us. And so with this in mind, we focus on helping the youth entering our industry to dig deep. To find the best version of themselves that they don’t yet know, realise or believe they are capable of being. The results are truly gratifying.
It takes time, commitment and perseverance. But is so worth it, not only to the individual, but also to the bottom line. Because getting customer centricity right has a natural positive impact on financial health. Trust the process.

If your team need help with customer-centric mindsets, consider our Customer Service training workshop. A set of trainings that teach staff about Guest Expectations, Professional Mannerisms, Dress Codes and more.