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Victoria Ruzvidzo Business Focus
Christmas is a few weeks away and the question uppermost in our minds is: What is it going to be like? How are we going to celebrate this special day given the constrained economy? Of course Christmas time is the benchmark or the thermometer by which many households and companies measure their achievements in the year.

For some, news that the bonus envelope is not coming makes the whole situation worse while for others there is back-up somewhere. Others are hoping someone somewhere can wave a magic wand to ensure the year ends on a good note.

There have been mumblings and murmurs about how tough things have become and how corporate and personal targets have not been met, contrary to optimistic expectations at the beginning of the year.

The economy has obviously not been performing to expectations and there is real danger we might not even meet the revised GDP growth target of 3,1 percent. Under such circumstances, anyone can be excused for feeling sorry about themselves and deciding to get into their own cocoon until the storm of economic challenges passes away.

There is just too much negative energy around as people resign to fate or so such negative force.
But really? Can we afford to just switch off? Can we afford to just leave it all to fate?

It is common knowledge that politics has taken centre stage presently, but that is not to say that the economic voices should be muted. It’s not to say that economic programmes and projects must be put in abeyance. Its certainly not to say that we should not pay attention to issues in the economy at both macro and micro levels.

Zimbabwe is a country with immense potential. It has always remained a puzzle to many on the continent and even beyond how, faced with a hurricane of challenges that should ordinarily sink a country our size, we always seem to emerge standing firmly on our feet. Bruised here and there, but ready to pick up the pieces and forge ahead.

This is the characteristic we are best known for and this is the one we need to put on over the next few weeks and still salvage something before the year ends.
The International Monetary Fund has already given us a thumbs-up in terms of progress made under the Staff Monitored Programme. Well and dandy, but this needs to translate into something meaningful to the ordinary man in the street. Has his disposable income increased or it has actually diminished?

What this simply means is that serious energy needs to be redirected towards making people’s livelihoods better never mind the difficult to comprehend terms used to describe the economy. Someone is asking what this means about the kind of Christmas they are likely to ex- perience.

But the truth of the matter is that Father Christmas will not be bringing solutions but mere trinkets for the kids to enjoy. In the meantime, as stakeholders in the economy we all need to pull up our socks and do the best we can in our various spheres of influence so that the economy ends the year on a better note.
The level of engagement between Government, business and other stakeholders needs to be improved so that we present a more formidable force to confront challenges obtaining in the economy, those that are threatening to usher in a miserable Christmas for us.

We could easily find comfort in the fact that the year-on-year rate of inflation continues to ease but this is more a result of tight liquidity than a true reflection of pricing. ZimStats says price adjustments have largely been constrained because of the liquidity challenges. The situation has its advantages of course and the consumer needs continuous protection.

Generally, from my standpoint it is critical that a strategy be sought as a matter of urgency to address immediate challenges that the economy is facing. Five weeks is certainly a short time to achieve sustainable results but the truth of the matter is that given our scenario it’s actually a long time and a lot can be done and achieved to deliver a better Christmas for the nation. We are fully aware of the constraints and the medium- and long- term challenges confronting the economy but certainly something can be done to bring about a more stable and relaxed Christmas package. It is obviously a difficult feat but not impossible to undertake.

There is absolutely no shred of doubt that we are on our way to the land of milk and honey. We have received prophecies, more than once that Zimbabwe,s future is bright. Prophet Emmanuel Makandiwa, founder and leader of United Family International Church, has said God has told him everything is going to be all right, the economy will rise again soon.

This should certainly give us the impetus to gather our energy once more and work towards improving the current state of affairs.
The retail sector has so much to do to ensure a better Christmas. Instead of the usual price increases towards the festive season as the laws of supply and demand are abused.

The transport sector, manufacturing, tourism and other sectors of the economy need to put up their best show under the circumstances to ensure the economy improves. All in a day’s work!

Some retail and wholesale outlets need to be reminded that the customer remains king. The last time I checked there was no exchange of roles.
In our diary sessions last week, we remarked about a retail giant bemoaning low demand for its products and everyone on the table agreed that it offered poor service and people have simply moved to other shops were they are treated as royalty.

As if to confirm the notion, a few hours later I drove to one of the particular group’s outlets. It had been raining earlier so when I saw pools of water in the parking lot I simply assumed it was because of the rains. It was getting dark so I could not see much

However, as I walked through the water there was so much stench and my son immediately showed me sewage all over the place in the big parking lot.
You can imagine my reaction. I quickly went back to the car and drove to the left side of the parking section which was drier. I asked some of the workers who said they were aware of the mess because one of the pipes had burst earlier in the day.

I asked to see the manager who confirmed he was aware of the situation. I asked him why they had not closed this section and redirected traffic to the other parking space. “Yes you are right. We actually hadn’t thought about it. Let me quickly tell me guys to do that. We are very sorry,” he said.
My word! Imagine walking through sewage in this age of cholera, Ebola and many other diseases. Imagine sewage water in your shoes and someone has the chic to say we hadn’t thought about it.

This is customer service at its worst. All the retail giant and wholesaler is interested in is our money, period. Life is not like that apparently.
Businesses need to know which side their bread is buttered.

Of course, disposable incomes are dwindling but some of these are losing customers due to poor customer service.
A few days after the incident I was passing through Chegutu and decided to go to their supermarket to get a few items. I was confronted with mountains of dusty products on most of the shelves. I would not be surprised if the bulk of their regular shoppers, if any, have now been diagnosed with sinusitis.

This group has been in this business for a very long time and they had better spruce themselves up or they will continue to lose customers in their numbers. I was not impressed at all.

Very soon we will be naming names to really send the message home! We are watching.
In God I Trust!

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