Monday, August 31, 2015

Despite setbacks, our nation can hope in its youths

A company like Camair-Co epitomizes all what is wrong with ‪#‎CustomerService‬ and proper functioning of companies in ‪#‎Cameroon‬ .

Here we are yesterday evening (Aug.26), my husband receives an SMS from ‪#‎CamairCo‬ telling him “dear customer your flight DLA-LBV of Aug. 27 is cancelled. Sincere apologies.” 


That’s it. 

 No proposition for an alternative flight, damage control, or some sort of solution. 

Charlie who was already in Douala to catch the 9:00am flight the next morning was left to himself to find other options to get to Libreville, before the beginning of the New York Forum Africa (NYFA) Aug. 28-30. He especially felt bad about it because on the 1st day of the conference (the 28), he was going to be highlighted with other peers to the hundreds of investors in attendance at the NYFA. He had prepared for this forum one month in advance, had contacted investors already and booked meetings to discuss his www.1task1job.com startup and some real-estate projects. He could not afford to just “not go” because Camair-Co failed, or wait for the next Camair-Co flight to Libreville (none in view till August 30th – end of the ‪#‎NYFA‬).


Today, first thing in the morning, he went to some travel agencies to find the closest flight departure to Libreville. He purchased a ticket worth twice the price of a regular price ticket, but he will miss the entire first day of the forum. He managed to get reimbursed by Camair-co for the flight ticket. But they have completely disregarded the consequential cost this has added to his pockets: buying a ticket twice the price, returning from Gabon 2 days later (hotel room costs), the cost of missing an introduction before investors and media at such a forum, and the extra nights spent in Douala… I mean, repaying for the ticket is not enough. They must take responsibility for the damage and prejudice they cause on all their passengers. Charlie told me that at the airport, some passengers were crying, others wanted to succumb to vandalism – some businesswomen were planning to go to Cotonou (a trip that was equally cancelled) to buy products for the school year, their trip was postponed by 5 days. It helped him to rationalize his own losses, when he saw others distraught. Most of all, despite the frustration and inconvenience of this situation, he said he trusted in God and His plan and timing. He is finding a silver lining to this situation somehow. He told me, “Look babe, I’m trying to transform this problem into an opportunity.” I couldn’t have been more proud to hear that sentence at this time. That’s the attitude! That’s the winner’s attitude! (And a good reminder that we should endeavor to live up to what we preach.)


Back to the customer service problem we have in this country: I’m puzzled and wondering how we can collectively find a solution to denounce mediocre services, and how can we make companies accountable to their mistakes, short-cuts, or failures? There’s too much impunity and laissez-faire in the way companies handle their customers. What can we do? What should we do? What are we capable of doing?

Join the conversation here: https://www.facebook.com/olivia.mukam/posts/903301769142:0 
UPDATE # 1: 

He might be one day away from joining the ‪#‎NYFA‬ event, but he is definitely present on their mind. View the tweet (below) by the New York Forum Africa asking participants to connect with him to " discuss African job market realities."
**I mean, if that isn't a sign of God's favor, I don't know what is... ** 
Rom 8:28 in action.








UPDATE # 2: 

 Alain Nteff did it again!!! 

Winner of The New York Forum Africa Grande Prize. Soooo proud, so happy, so thankful. 

***I may have complained about so many things going wrong in Cameroon , but ONE thing going right with our country is the power, brilliance, impact, dynamism, and relevance of its youth. I tell y'all , if the government believed a tiny bit in its young and precious minds, and if it dared to invest in the movers-and-shakers, I bet Cameroon would have nothing to envy from Nigeria, Gabon, Côte D'ivoire , Kenya, Senegal, even South Africa. Because we are a country of geniuses, a country of go-getters and above-average people, we are a country of great minds from every paths in every domains doing amazing things here and around the world. If given the chance to transform this country at the macro-level we will do wonders, we won't need to wait till 2035 - Cameroon's "emergence" could be attained 10 years earlier. That, I firmly believe, if only the macro-level decision makers bet on its dynamic movers-and-shakers. 

** We, Cameroonians, not our resources or our government, offer the best that Cameroon could produce. 

Be Proud of your "Cameroonianity."
I am Proud to be living in this times with this generation, in this country, on this continent. 

-- Cameroonians oyeeeehhh !!!!



UPDATE # 3:

1task1job (www.1task1job.com) named one of Africa's most innovative start-ups at the NYFA, France 24 and le Point.











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