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Business Reporter
THE Hospitality Association of Zimbabwe have signed a Memorandum of Agreement with two local firms to improve service delivery and promote the human resource development of staff in the hospitality industry.
HAZ signed the MOUs with Vellux Africa and Padare reNhau in Harare during a Press conference to discuss the programme for the association’s congress next month,

Under the agreements Vellux Africa Zimbabwe, an ICT company, will provide a wireless waiter paying system that will reduce the time a guest takes from ordering and paying for a meal.

On the other hand, Padare reNhau, a publishing company for e-based learning solutions will work on staff development.
HAZ vice president Mr Tamuka Macheka said partnership with the two companies will go a long away in enhancing the hospitality industry.

“The collaborations that we have entered into will undoubtedly improve the industry. Padare reNhau will offer e-based learning to enhance our industry staff, which will enable them to access refresher courses at their work stations without having to travel to get tutorials,” he said.

Mr Macheka added that the Vellux system will ensure a time saving transacting process in hotels or restaurants.
“The system will involve placing small devices that have number tags of waiters which guest will then use to attract the waiter that would have been assigned to their table.

“When the guest buzzes the waiter, the message is relayed to the waiter through a wrist strap that is wirelessly linked to the paging system. This will definitely increase efficiency and it will eliminate the current practice where clients have to click their fingers or shout to get waiters’ attention,” he added.

The wireless waiter paying system is currently being used at the Rainbow Towers Hotel in Harare.
Speaking at the ceremony, Vellux head of operations for Zimbabwe, Mr Tawanda Chikosi said his organisation had noted with concern the problems that customers sometimes endure just to get the attention of waiters.

“Having realised the problems that customers go through just to get waiters’ attention, we decided to come up with a product that enhances service delivery.

“We also took into consideration our vision to improve guest experience since tourists from Europe and America where such technology is already in use would expect efficient service delivery,” he said.

Padare reNhau managing director, Rejoice Nharaunda added that apart from offering e-learning solutions they would also publish HAZ material that promotes the country’s tourism industry.

“Our MoA also obliges us to publish their material in order to communicate industry issues to the public through our World of Wonders magazine,” she said.

The HAZ annual congress will run from November 27-29 in the resort town of Victoria Falls under the theme “Putting people first” as focus will be placed on human resource development and marketing.