Dear Editor,
The Government of Guyana is making a serious effort to promote tourism in Guyana. Minister Manniram Prashad has been at the forefront of this drive and for that he must be commended. The private sector has also been active in ‘building out’ a tourist infrastructure. Despite the massive effort by government and the private sector in this industry, Guyana still has a far way to go in order for us to be a viable tourist destination. Please allow me to offer some critical but constructive comments in this regard.
Before I proceed, readers should know that my comments are based on direct experience both in and out of Guyana. Over the years I visited Guyana about seventeen times. I have also visited about seventy-five cities and tourist spots in Europe, Asia, the Middle East, North America, and Latin America and the Caribbean. If I may say so, I think I know something about this industry.
In what follows I make six specific recommendations to those involved in the service industry. Here we go:
Alertness. Lack of alertness is almost a trademark of Guyanese service staff. More often than not your greeting is received with a blank face, almost as if you the customer did not say anything. Many staff members seem to be lost in space when you are speaking with them. Service members need to be alert and show that alertness by responding in meaningful ways.
Show interest and care. The service staff and management must show real interest in whatever their clients/customers want. If you are not in a position to meet the needs then find a polite way of saying so. Make suggestions for alternative activities. The stress must be on caring for the customer. Those who are in upper management must recognize that care is itself a product. It is not ‘extras’.
Build a relationship. The best customer service is delivered when the service staff builds relationships with the customers. This can be done in various ways. The challenge is to get the customer into a conversation without violating their sense of privacy. You just don’t put the food down and walk away!
Time is everything. I won’t spend time beating up on our time issues here. We know them well. At the same time most foreigners are extremely time sensitive. Most tourists who come here and are likely to come here are clock oriented. Respect that and make it work for you the provider.
Anticipate needs. The good service provider will anticipate the needs of the customer rather than react to those needs. In order to master this ‘skill’ the provider has to be observant and take good notes. Look at the things that seem to ‘crop up’ on a recurring basis and work with the customers to help them avoid pitfalls.
Be flexible. Guyana can be a bureaucratic place and this culture of bureaucratizing goes beyond the civil service. Service providers need to cut their own red tape and see flexibility as an important element of excellence in service.
Finally, take customers of Guyanese background seriously. Many service providers here (and elsewhere) think that because you are Guyanese you do not really care for great service. Wrong. Service excellence should not be reserved for ‘white people’. The Guyanese diaspora wants outstanding service as much as anyone from anywhere. Same goes for Guyanese living here in this country. Too often I have seen our providers grovel to please certain foreign populations at the cost of ‘the locals. Stop it. Avoid profiling.
These are some basic points about service provision. I will follow this up with some more sociological analyses of the relationship between Guyanese culture and service provision.
Yours faithfully,
Randy Persaud
