Customer Service (or the lack of) in Kenya.

Have you ever gone to a restaurant or an office in a jolly mood only to be met by a gloomy front desk attendant or waiter?

I spent three years working in a restaurants in the US (Cleaning tables, dish washing, food preparation, serving food and as a bartender). Customer Service work in stressing; you encounter all type of customers and you also have to deal with your own moods and that of your boss. Nevertheless, I think customer service in Kenya needs lots of improvement.

When I used to do bartending training I used to tell the trainee something simple: Customers do not go to restaurants and bars to eat and drink only. If they simply wanted to eat and drink they could purchase food and drinks, take them home and consume them for less money. They go to these venues for the customer service and socializing. Without good treatment, there is no reason for this customer to ever come back to that particular venue.

One of my friends attempted to make the argument that these customer service attendants adapt a negative attitude because they are poorly paid. I call that rubbish!

No one force these people to take those jobs! Someone else may say that they do not have a choice but to take that low-paying job, but I beg to differ. People always have a choice. Since its not forced labor, I personally expect these people to do the jobs and do them well.

Here is an excerpt from James Allan’s book As a Man Thinketh: “Here is a man who is wretchedly poor. He is extremely anxious that his surroundings and home comforts should improve, yet all the time he shirks his work, and considers he is justified in trying to deceive his employer (and mistreat customers) on the ground of the insufficiency of his wages. Such a man does not understand the simplest rudiments of those principles which are the basis of true prosperity, and is not only totally unfitted to rise out of his wretchedness, but is actually attracting to himself a still deeper wretchedness by dwelling in, and acting out, indolent, deceptive, and unmanly thoughts.”

I totally agree with James Allan on this issue. If you have taken on a responsibility do it to the best of your ability while you are preparing for better and more rewarding responsibilities.
I know customers can be rude sometimes and bosses can be mean but that is not a reason to reciprocate or pass on that negative energy to other people. Customer service jobs require patience, light-heartedness, and an overall positive attitude.
I would urge those who are not cut out to be in customer service sector to quit and stop ruining experience for people who do not warrant such negative treatment.

I have also witnessed discrimination from our own people here in Kenya! These waiters rationalize that Wazungus will give them a tip so they would rather serve them and ignore you. As much as I agree that a Mzungu is more likely to give you a tip than a Kenyan this discrimination is very troubling! If we start discriminating against our own how can we expect outsiders to treat us with respect? These attendants are also shortsighted since these “tip-giving” Wazungus will not be here for long as opposed to a local who can become a regular customer and a friend.

These are some of the issues that make me want to start my own restaurant where customer service will be exceptional (no compromise!); training and constant evaluation will be the norm not the exception.

Any counter arguments out there?
Have you had an experience that totally ruined your day or evening?