Botswanan safari: customer service at its best

In the previous article I gave an example of flexibility in the African bush. I also spoke about how the team at Chobe under Canvas manages to quietly maintain excellent levels of service while coping with extraordinarily difficult circumstances. 

Here, I’m providing a different example from the same trip and emphasising how the teams of ‘&Beyond’ live up to their name in going ‘way beyond’ the norms that we usually experience in customer service.  They most certainly more than ‘go the extra mile’. 

Another camp that we stayed at was the Nxabega Okavango Tented Camp.  The photo below outlines some of the restrictions which impact heavily on the normal ways in which staff can usually serve their customers (please read it – this is real!):

 And yes, at dawn on Day 2, the guides spotted fresh leopard ‘footprints’ within 10 metres of our accommodation!  So, instilling a sense of safety is inherent in the staff’s way of operating.  If guests don’t feel safe they can’t enjoy their African Experience.  They need a ‘secure base’ from which to function.  

A different aspect of safety gave yet another example of the staff’s service ‘going the extra mile.  Let me tell you about it: 

My husband, Edgar is unfortunately handicapped and we knew that this would most probably limit his ability to go on many of the game-drives, or boat trips that the rest of our party would enjoy.  And after all, our main purpose in being there was to explore the Delta with the seasonal and permanent swamp areas.  However, our personal guide Max found ways of helping Ed to participate in many of the activities.  In the Delta area he and Thembe even carried Ed from the boat.  Whenever we stopped at islands in the swamp for coffee or brunch picnics, they chose places where they could safely carry him and enable him to participate.  We are very grateful.

Brenda Eckstein photographing Thembe and Max carrying Edgar from the boat.

We are all serving others.  Every day of our lives there are opportunities for us to ‘go the extra mile’.  What are you going to do today to enrich some-one’s life?  How are you building your business through really caring about others?  Whom are you serving in your personal life and how can you improve your service to them?  How can you be your own ‘best customer’? 

‘Brenda Eckstein International’ specialises in Customer Service Strategy and training in Customer Service.  For more information please contact me – Phone: +27 33 3425432, Mobile: + 27 82 4993311, brenda@146.66.90.172.