Customer Care

I am amazed. It is generally well-known that customer service in South Africa leaves much to be desired. Service doesn't seem to be a common word in any of our languages. I phoned a College at 10h30, and got a message on the answering machine: "We are having our tea break and cannot answer your call right now. Your call is important to us. Please leave your name and number.....". I put down the phone before the sentence was completed. I was pretty much dumb-struck!

Then a bit later our Youth Pastor, Kyle, phoned a camping venue to enquire about bookings for a weekend youth camp, to be told: "Yes we do have place that month. But I can't help you now coz I'm watching the cricket on TV. Please phone back later". He too was pretty dumb-struck!

What is it with our nation? Is it plain arrogance? or couldn't really care? or is it a case of 'I'm occupying a post and get paid anyway - so why should I put myself out for anyone?'. This kind of attitude does not bode well for our country, especially if we are trying to build the economy. Maybe we should hand over officially to the immigrants. They have come here to work and find a better life for themselves - lets give the country to them.