For many organisations, service excellence is no longer what sets them apart. It is what keeps them alive. PHOTO | FILE
By Mariam Maumba
Every great service story begins with a person who cared enough to make things right. Every year, Customer Service Week reminds us to pause and think about these people, the ones who keep promises, solve problems, and make good on the trust that clients place in them.
The global theme for 2025, Mission Possible, invites us to reflect on what it truly takes to turn service from a slogan into something that lives in our daily actions.
For many organisations, service excellence is no longer what sets them apart. It is what keeps them alive. Products can be copied and prices matched, but genuine service cannot be replicated. It must be built, lived, and protected.
Across Tanzania and the region, we continue to see institutions that prove this mission is indeed possible. The Euromoney Customer Experience Awards are one of the highest forms of recognition for organisations that make service part of their identity.
By the time a company earns that kind of acknowledgment, it has already created a culture that listens to its clients, empowers its people, and invests in systems that make every interaction count.
Service excellence does not start with a campaign or a marketing plan. It begins with small, consistent acts of care. It is the call that is returned, the promise that is kept, the client who is guided with patience and respect. Behind every award is a long trail of quiet choices to do what is right for the customer, even when it is not easy.
True service leadership rests on three foundations. The first is consistency, which ensures that every customer receives the same quality of care wherever they are. The second is culture, which reminds every team member that service is a value, not a task. The third is courage, which allows leaders to make decisions that protect trust even when it comes at a short-term cost.
Mission Possible is not about chasing the extraordinary. It is about keeping the standard high even under pressure. It is a mindset that says clients deserve the best every time. Service excellence begins with empathy.
Systems and technology can help, but without empathy, even the best tools feel cold. The real difference comes from people who stay patient with a frustrated client, take the time to explain, and check in after a problem is solved simply to ask if things are better.
Listening is one of the strongest tools in service. It goes beyond collecting feedback forms. It is about showing that you heard what was said and taking visible action.
When clients see that their voices lead to change, they know they matter. That kind of honesty builds more trust than any campaign ever could. Once we listen, we can design better systems that respond faster and feel simpler.
Across Africa, service delivery is changing fast. Digital channels have made it easier for people to access help, make payments, and get answers.
Yet true progress lies in keeping the human touch within this digital world. The best organisations are those that find balance. Technology should make life easier. People should make it warmer. Even a mobile transaction can carry care when it is backed by empathy, efficiency, and accountability.
Expectations are rising. To keep up, we must see service as a journey, not a destination. Excellence is not about avoiding mistakes. It is about recovering quickly, communicating clearly, and learning continuously.
The organisations that will thrive are those that treat service as a shared mission. It cannot belong to one department. It must belong to everyone. Leaders must set the tone by showing up, listening, and acting. When leadership makes service visible, the culture follows.
Mission Possible is not only about achievement. It is about belief. Belief that great service is always within reach, that every client deserves dignity, and that progress begins with listening.
Customer Service Week is a reminder of that belief. It is a chance to renew our commitment to the people who keep promises alive every day.
Awards and systems only matter when people stand behind them. Great service is never an accident. It is a choice that organisations must make every single day.
Mariam Maumba is Head of Service Management, Stanbic Bank Tanzania
