Speed up job creation processes - BOCCIM

Staff Writer | Thursday March 15, 2007 00:00

 

Her plea comes at a time when foreign investors face delays in trying to get work permits or register a company in Botswana as government tries to lure Foreign Direct Investment (FDI). She said that by losing prospective entrepreneurs, because of hostile officials, the 'country loses jobs, and corporate taxes'.  Ellis said that it was important that if the campaign to attract FDI and economic diversification was to succeed, informal sector operatives, government, NGOs and private sector employees must not be found wanting.

She cited the first ports of call - borders and airports - that give visitors first impressions about the country. Officers manning such facilities must be polite, she said, adding 'this is very important because prospective business people are very observant and sensitive. They would not invest their money in a place that they feel unwelcome or where they have some nasty experiences.'

Ellis was speaking at a Botswana National Productivity Centre (BNPC) seminar where she called on Batswana to improve customer service to make the country's economy more competitive.

'The catch with customer service is that a customer has to be satisfied and you cannot negotiate satisfaction under any circumstances'. According to the BOCCIM director, the country has a great potential to grow economically 'if only we could all be committed to efficient customer-service'.

She added that well treated business people would not hesitate to invest in a friendly country, which also stands to benefit in terms of increased tourist arrivals and gross domestic product (GDP). Meanwhile, Ellis expressed concern that there are people who do not recognise the significance of customer service especially in regard to its contribution to the growth of the national economy.

However, she was optimistic that with concerted efforts in educating 'our employees and the population at large', things would change for the better.