Staff Writer 
THE third edition of the State of the Service Economy Survey (SOSES) will take place at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Harare tomorrow at a ceremony expected to be attended by leading corporates and businesspeople.
Bankrolled by ZB Financial Holdings, in partnership with The Financial Gazette – the country’s number one business publication and prime voice for industry and commerce – the SOSES is an annual survey that provides a platform for businesses to discuss strategies and solutions to enhance service delivery.
Speaking ahead of the event, ZB Financial Holdings Executive Head of Brand and Corporate Communications, Emilia Mabika, said the SOSES aimed to create a benchmark for service excellence in Zimbabwe and assist in policy-making.
“The State of Service Economy Survey assesses customer experience across various sectors, including hospitality, medical, financial services, and real estate.
“It aims to benchmark service excellence and inform policy-making. The survey highlights gaps in service delivery and provides insights for improvement.
“Adopting SOSES measures can enhance customer experience, drive growth, and attract visitors. Zimbabwe’s recent recognition as a favoured destination by Forbes indicates it is being benchmarked against global standards,” Mabika said.
She said ZB Financial Holdings had transformed into a customer-centric organisation, which included a brand transformation.
She also noted their partnership with The Financial Gazette aimed to amplify service importance and revealed their engagement with a regional research partner, Consumer Feedback Research Consultancy.
“We went through our transformation as an organisation to become a customer-centric organisation, and that also involved brand transformation. Tatu Advertising is very central in terms of our refreshed brand,” she stated.
“We have got the Financial Gazette, and we are very excited about that partnership because we have got to tell the story, make sure we broadcast, and bring people on board.
“This year, we have got Consumer Feedback Research Consultancy, which is a regional consultancy. And that is very significant for us because, as you can see on our theme, it is “Service beyond borders, beyond boundaries”.
Mabika further encouraged local firms to leverage technology to expand products and services globally.
“We have become globalised, borderless; there are no physical boundaries. Service has transcended our boundaries, and with the digital thrust, our services must be global,” she said.
“No organisation can strategise solely for national growth; we must look beyond borders.
ZB serves people worldwide, including customers in the diaspora.
“Service beyond borders” means our services impact the international space and must meet regional and international standards.
“We are showcasing and amplifying that as a nation and people, we must be deliberate, customer-centred, and service-focused to stand on our own.”
Meanwhile, Mabika said the full report was almost complete for presentation.
“We are just finishing the crossing line, the actual fieldwork and analysis, and everything that has to be done has been done. We are just packaging it so that it is ready for presentation on the day (tomorrow),” she said.
“We are going to go through the whole data set and all the insights that we get. So we package it so that it is palatable for the customers or for the guests when they come.
“We are just giving them snippets for each sector because our guests who are going to come are representing the different sectors that we’re looking at.”
