Consumer Watchdog to celebrate 'Stars' at birthday bash

| Friday May 25, 2007 00:00

This year, about 200 service stars will be celebrated as a way of recognising the good customer service they offer to their customers. The Consumer Watchdog, which is the brainchild of Business & Enterprise Solutions Botswana (Pty) Ltd (BES), is published every Friday as a column in the Business Week section of Mmegi newspaper and broadcast every Tuesday on private radio station, Yarona FM.

The initiative aims to educate and inform the public on a wide range of consumer related issues, to make service providers in Botswana accountable and to celebrate success.
'During the past year, we have celebrated over 200 service stars, all of whom are invited to our birthday celebrations along with their managers and other supporters and donors to the show,' explains the Managing Director of BES, Richard Harriman.

Last year, Standard Chartered Bank of Botswana sponsored the party to the tune of P200, 000. This year's celebrations, at which there will be much entertainment, will also be sponsored by the same bank. Business Week is informed that the electronic version of the show used to be aired on Yarona FM's competitor, Gabz FM, until the show touched the wrong nerve of the station's advertisers. The show was told to tone down or face the axe, but the producers stood by their convictions, which led to the show moving to Yarona FM.

Last year, the Consumer Watchdog party celebrated 150 customer service stars nominated to their radio show and newspaper column during the previous year. The party, at which the Service Stars are presented with awards, is an occasion to celebrate both the stars as individuals and the corporations for which they work. There was much entertainment during the party last year.

Harriman says that the forum has shown that good customer service can happen in Botswana: 'As part of our social responsibility obligation, BES provides the service for free.'