02.04.08 Smile at the Customer – It Is to Your Benefit (Orig Ng 25)

25. Kilimo Kwanza and the Benefits of a Star-Smile

It was a dusty afternoon as the farmers gathered for a crucial meeting.  They had chosen a strategic spot under a tree, to shield them from the unkind, skin-splitting hot sun.   

The farmers had been invited to meet the District Agricultural Officer who was visiting to publicise the ‘Kilimo Kwanza’ initiative.  The gathering was important, as time immemorial; the villagers had relied on maize farming for their livelihood.  

Lyimo had been waiting for this meeting with anticipation, since the yields from his small maize farm were persistently poor.  Also, he had only heard the phrase ‘Kilimo Kwanza’ repeated almost as a slogan, through his aged and almost ram shackled radio.  Therefore, as he sat down on the withered bench, he hoped that this event would provide a rare opportunity for him to hear directly from ‘the horse’s mouth’.  Looking at the faces of his mates, it was no secret that they all hoped that the ‘Kilimo Kwanza’ initiative would provide the long awaited redemption from their so-called chronic poverty. 

The meeting was short, with the agricultural officer compelling them to do away with old maize varieties.  He carefully outlined the advantages of using the improved variety, as he passed samples of the improved seed for farmers to see; promising that the seeds and professional advice would be available for those interested.  The end of the meeting was marked with a few sodas for the high table and a song on ‘Kilimo Kwanza’ performed by some village youths.  Thereafter, the gathering dispersed.

As Lyimo walked back to his home, he reflected the happenings of the meeting; musing that although the farmers had showered the agricultural officer with the routine, ceremonial “thank-you’s”, Lyimo could tell that their reactions had mixed feelings.  

His suspicion was confirmed later when they linked up for a tête-à-tête and sticks of nyama choma.  Evaristo, one of the oldest in the group retorted with defiance, “farming runs in our blood…and these varieties were passed on by our grandfathers…so, we cannot change just like that.  We need time to think!”  

Lyimo had a different opinion; for after listening intently to the advice given by the Officer, he was convinced that ‘Kilimo Kwanza’ was the best way to go.  Deciding to give a deaf ear to Evaristo, he planted the new maize variety, following the agricultural officer’s advice to the hilt.  After some months, Lyimo’s efforts were rewarded with an outstanding harvest.  The climax came when he was invited to exhibit at the Agricultural Show where he was awarded the prestigious ‘Best Farmer of the Year Award’.  When asked for the secret behind his success story, Lyimo explained that he had reaped the best harvest because of having followed the ‘Kilimo Kwanza’ advice, which had included sowing modern seed coupled with using other improved farming methods.  

Lyimo’s story reminds me of a presentation I made recently when invited to share a few thoughts with some receptionists who work for a certain organisation.  I vividly recall their surprise when I compared ‘a smile’ to a seed which when sown, would yield benefits for the one who smiles.  No sooner had I made that assertion when one of them voiced her concern, “We know that smiling is good for customers, but how can we benefit as individuals, especially given that our organisation is not profit-oriented?”

I started off by underscoring the need to smile in order to please the customer, emphasizing that customer satisfaction was the overarching purpose why they had been employed.

I then proceeded to outline the benefits that would accrue to them as receptionists, whenever they smiled to a customer.

I explained that the first benefit originates from the medical world, where doctors insist that smiling is like medicine, as it releases substances in our bodies, which cause long life and better health.  I said that basically, smiling was a ‘life-prolonging’ pill.  

The other benefit was that smiling is like ‘an air-conditioner’, which cools down the hot stresses of life, leaving one calmer, happier and in a better mood.   

I then mentioned that a smile has an ‘energiser’ effect; since the joy that smiles create in essence, acts as a source of strength; adding that this would explain why happy people usually enjoy what they do, and therefore find it easy to delight customers.

Also, a smile is like a sweet-smelling air freshener which touches those around us.  Smiles have a contagious effect, thence when we smile at customers, they tend to smile back; which makes them relaxed and much easier to handle.

But the last set of benefits was the most fascinating.  I told them that a smile is like skin-softening oil.  “When you ‘apply’ a smile on your face”, I said, “It acts as a massage that makes you younger, more appealing, fresh, relaxed and beautiful to behold.  In other words, smiling is a form of beauty therapy”.

Towards the end of our chat, one asked “what do you have to say about fake, plastic smiles?”  I answered that a ‘star-smile’ should be real, and that the secret behind a genuine smile is a happy heart.  I cautioned them to always train their hearts to focus on those things that are positive; as by so doing, the joy in their hearts would easily flow out as they smiled at customers.

At the end of our meeting, they handed me a ‘Thank you’ card, where they had inscribed, “…little did we know that by sowing a smile, we would harvest so much in return!  Now that we have discovered that secret, we will never hesitate smiling to customers!”  Back at my office, I found a conspicuous place on the shelf for my card.  And as I put it on display, I was sure that the receptionists would reap great harvests from the smiles they had promised to sow.