The Call to SERVICE

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Serving notice on EntItlEMEnt

Whowill pick upthe baskets?

CustomerserviCe: the truth

The CallSERVETo

serving othERS

is

servingChRISt

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ConTEnTSVoICE oF thE PRoPhEtsorry Jesus, but there is no one to pick up the baskets 6

hEARt oF thE PAStoRserving notice on the spirit of entitlement 10 serving Christ by serving others 14

hAnD oF thE hARVEStERit breaks my heart! How much more it must break his? 16service is greatness 22Customer service - the truth of the matter 24 empowering yourself for service 28

In EVERY ISSUEWhere to find CoNNeCt 3Letter from the editor 4the rest is History 28advertising information 30

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HAND OF THE HARVESTER

Service delivery is a huge issue for many people these days, and with consumers become more educated and more

demanding, just being ‘good enough’ isn’t cutting it anymore. But service is a word with a host of other connotations too – for business, for governance, for our roles in the Church, and even at home. it’s time to shake this precious concept free of all the negative associations it’s acquired – and even of some of the lip-service we’ve paid to it in business circles – and take a serious look at why, who, where and how we serve.

Jimmy Duguid challenges us with an article that deals with the spirit of entitlement which is rife in our world, nation, churches and homes. gary Kelly’s article on servant leadership builds on Jimmy’s argument by pointing out that “servant leaders emerge as true leaders when they realise that life is about what they continually give rather than what they get.” For patrice tsague from the usa, service is the key to success.

Kim White from New Zealand brings the issue closer to home by pointing out what we miss out on when we are reluctant to serve in the Church. and in the business context, adele Benvie gives us some delightful, practical tips on how to deliver service that will keep your customers coming back.

personally, i have seen that as i have served others, i have grown as a person and as a business owner. i am increasingly conscious of the fact that my gifts, talents and skills were placed in me for a mission and that mission is to serve others with it. as i do this, my satisfaction and fulfillment levels increase. We weren’t designed to be selfish; we were designed to love and serve others. and when we do it, it makes us feel aLive! and god gets the glory!

a special friend of mine has been incredibly touched by Baby reef, a little boy who has been battling graft-versus-host disease (we featured an editorial on reef in our last issue).

this friend has decided to do a golf day to raise funds to help reef’s parents pay some of the staggering bills required to make him well again. my friend told me the other day that serving this family has literally changed his life; that the reward he is getting out of doing this has been a satisfaction that his high-flying life has never given him. Bearing in mind that this same person has been to Bill gates’ house for dinner, i’d say that speaks volumes.

another thing serving does is reveal your gifting. each time i have stepped up to serve in my local church or even at work, i have learnt new skills and discovered giftings i didn’t realise i had. serving the Working Women at our church stirred up my passion to encourage marketplace Christians and you are holding the result of that in your hands.

so get involved! sitting in the pew in church, or behind your desk in a company or just taking a back seat in life will not open up your destiny. roll up your sleeves, identify a need and get stuck in! there are plenty of opportunities for that outlined in these pages alone. We are made for community and when we are loving and serving others, we’re doing what we were born to do – glorifying our savious Jesus and being His hands and feet in our world.

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Make HIS mark on your world

We make a living by what we get, we make a life by what we give. - sir Winston Churchill

i f Jesus came back today i believe He would not be surprised by the lack of ‘signs and wonders’ but by the lack of

serving in the church! there, i’ve said it – it’s out in the open

and i’m not ashamed of it. every pastor and ministry leader can come out in the open with me now – go on, don’t be afraid. say what’s really on your mind – “Where are all the people helping me advance god’s Kingdom, or even where are all the faithful sons and daughters helping me

build the church with a little serving once in a while?”

Now i’m a server/administrator extraordinaire (so my wife tells me) so i don’t have an issue with helping people out. But honestly, in the church today it’s

more of a miracle to find people serving than it is to see healing in the church.

and some of it is the church’s fault. it’s the way we are building and it’s the way people are understanding their roles.

god gave me a revelation about this the other day.

matthew 16:18 says that god is building His church. and psalm 127:1 also comments that “unless god builds the

church”...we labour in vain, etc.But instead We are building the church and

the only career path for our people is

believer, server, deacon, elder

and then maybe

church

‘Sorry Jesus but there is no onE to pick up the baskets’

But honestly, in the church

today it’s more of a miracle

to find people serving than

it is to see healing in

the church.

voiCe oF tHe propHet



planter or apostolic team. most people don’t see themselves on that path, so they don’t see any need to step up and help in the church – because if they do serve they will be fast-tracked into leadership!

so people sit and let those anointed (or silly enough like me) to serve, preach and clean the toilets every sunday. they see their real calling outside the church – and to be honest, that is the point! god’s plan for us was not for us to build His church but to build and advance His Kingdom!

matthew 6:33 tells us to seek first His Kingdom. When the church refocuses on helping its people find their talents and passions, equips them and releases them into the WorLD to be the light – the transforming power of god’s Kingdom in an increasingly dark world – then we will see

the minds and attitudes of our people change. so where does serving in the church come in?

When we set people free to be who god made them, then serving in the church comes from a motive of love, of sonship, of ownership – and not from expectation or pressure.

You see, under the Kingdom mandate we are to raise up ‘sons and

daughters’ and these will care for and look after the Father’s house. up until now, under the church mandate we have just built servants (and sometimes slaves). a servant does not own any ‘inheritance’ in the church, so does not commit him- or herself to its wellbeing and success. a son, on the other hand, recognises that the church is part of his/her inheritance and so willingly joins in to ensure the growth and

When we set people free to be who God made

them, then serving in the church comes

from a motive of love, of sonship, of ownership – and not from expectation or

pressure.

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A servant does not own any

‘inheritance’ in the church, so

does not commit him- or herselfto its wellbeing

and success.A son, on the other hand,

recognises that the church is

part of his/her inheritance and

so willingly joins in to ensure

the growth and wellbeing of the

family business – because it’s also his inheritance.


voiCe oF tHe propHet

wellbeing of the family business – because it’s also his inheritance.

on the other side of the spectrum, many churches are fully committed to producing sons – but as the power of god manifests in their meetings, the new freedom and power being released is producing sons who ‘eat at the table’ but never clean up after themselves.

Whatever your church or your personal experience, here are three key things to think about as you consider how or if you can start helping/serving in your local church.

Firstly psalm 127:1 again. it suggests that We should be labouring, but on the Lord’s work.

secondly, for those on the ‘manifest presence and power’ journey, god gave me acts12:13-16. Basically there is a really cool prayer meeting going on with everybody praying for peter’s release from prison. miraculously peter is released and comes to the house. a lady called rhonda goes to the door when peter knocks but the people don’t believe her and go on praying. Without rhonda taking the time to open the door, no-one would have known about peter’s release. Where are the door openers in the church?

thirdly, for the more traditional churches where many people sit around watching the service and then doing nothing, god gave me the story of the loaves and fishes in John 6:1-14. picture this. Crowds of people laying back on the grass

on a sunny day, beach blankets and comfy chairs – all gathered to listen to Jesus. replace the blankets and put in rows of chairs and you get most sunday church meetings.

so Jesus wants to feed them. He gathers a bit of bread and a few fish and gives

thanks to His Father in heaven. the baskets are there, the food is there. all is prepared for a great miracle. “sorry Jesus,” says one of the disciples, “there’s no one to hand out the food!” “oh no,” Jesus cries, “how will the people know there was a miracle without someone giving out and collecting the baskets? i’ll have to rewrite John’s gospel somehow!”

You want to see miracles in your local church – it does not happen without serving!

You want to find your passion and calling for your ministry in the world – become a ‘son’ in the house and help the local church.

Without serving there would be no miracles.

Kim Whitehorizon Church, nZ

www.dreamingwithpurpose.co.nz


Heart oF tHe pastor

Serving notice on the Spirit of Entitlement

W hen i was a kid i saw a picture of children in german after World War ii,

dragging a cart full of money. it was worth less than monopoly money, and they were using it as toilet paper. Just recently i was reminded of that picture again, and it got me thinking.... What was it about germany and Japan that, after the devastation of the war, caused them to grow to the economic and technological powerhouses that they are today? think about it – how did those two nations that were the cause of so much loss to the whole world, return as two of the top nations in the world?

Now there must be many factors contributing to this, but one jumped up in my mind – both nations were greatly humbled! there was no, as i call it, spirit of entitlement. the more i look around, the more evidence i see of this. Look at

mozambique. their civil war was the cause of great

loss and suffering, compounded by the natural disasters they

have experienced over the past few years...yet they are

powering forward as a nation.

Entitlement? Not me!the spirit of entitlement is more insidious than you think. You can see it in all spheres of life, and No area of

life is exempt from it – family, church, business, government. Here are some examples:

• Asafather,areyouentitled to rest as soon as you get home from work? For sure! But just look at your wife and kids’ reaction when you don’t give them an ear, or lend a helping hand around the house. the spirit of entitlement stirs up resentment!

• Astheownerof a small business, are you entitled to all the profits from the business? For sure! But what will your employees get up to when they see that you do not take care of them as you should? productivity might drop, people might

take sick leave when they are not sick, or they might help themselves to company assets. all this to compensate for their resentment.

• Ifyouwereaseniorgovernmentofficial, would you be entitled to some ‘gifts’ from those who support you? For sure! But think about how those under you see those ‘gifts’. the spirit of entitlement will spread, and in the areas that you are responsible for, you will see corruption growing and money and assets going ‘missing’ on a regular basis.

My hero, Nelson Mandela, cameinto power in 1994. Was he

entitled to a super-generous salary –

maybe even a huge gift for all those years

of his life he lost while in prison?

For sure! But what did he do?

In his humility he united a nation.


Heart oF tHe pastor

my hero, Nelson mandela, came into power in 1994. Was he entitled to a super-generous salary – maybe even a huge gift for all those years of his life he lost while in prison? For sure! But what did he do? in his humility he united a nation. there was promise and hope for everyone. as he pioneered a way for us to rise like germany and Japan did, there was no reason why we could not do so much more than them. Yet now, nearly twenty years later, we are nowhere near where we should have been.

so what happened to us? actually, if we are honest with ourselves, we must admit that we have all contributed to this situation in some measure. in my own life i have let the spirit of entitlement creep in and let it erode who i am. it’s only when we recognise it and take responsibility for our own lives as south africans, that we will rise to become the powerhouse we were meant to be.

Serve, and see the differenceWhen we speak of service, the essence of the word is “serve”. a way to counteract the spirit of entitlement is to serve one another. How this looks depends on the context of your life. How do you serve your family? How do you serve your employer or employees? How do you serve your neighbour? You decide what that measure looks like.

there are so many people, like Nelson mandela, who have served us in so much, to give us all a chance at becoming who we were meant to be. Let’s serve one another, reach into our future, and bring it into the present.

Jimmy DuguidPastor at highway

Christian [email protected]

A way to counteract

the Spirit of Entitlement is to serve one another.

It’s only when we recognise it and take

responsibility for our own lives as South Africans, that we will rise

to become the powerhouse we

were meant to be.


Heart oF tHe pastor

‘Serving and leading’ has always been a point of controversy, especially within the body of Christ. true

leadership, according to god’s Word, involves being a servant. John rosenblum once said, “servant leadership at its heart is openness, an ability to listen and an ability to speak in a way that engages people directly affected by the choices to be made. it positively encourages commitment….”

What is being implied by this statement is the following: servant leaders nurture and develop a greater commitment on the part of the people that they lead/serve.

John 13:12-17 in The Message tells us that “After he had finished washing their feet, he took his robe, put it back on, and went back to his place at the table. Then he said, ‘Do you understand what I have done to you? You address me as ‘Teacher’ and ‘Master’, and rightly so. That is what I am. So if I, the Master and Teacher, washed your feet, you must now wash each other’s feet. I’ve laid down a pattern for you. What I’ve done, you do. I’m only pointing out the obvious. A servant is not ranked above his master; an employee doesn’t give orders to the employer. If you understand what I’m telling you, act like it – and live a blessed life.”

many people don’t understand that being a leader has two distinct aspects: vision and implementation. Because of this many people – and especially positional leaders –

believe that you can’t lead and serve at the same time. to be honest, nothing could be further from the truth.

thE hEARt oF SERVAnt lEADERShIPif leading and serving simultaneously (otherwise known as servant leadership) sounds like a contradiction in terms, then it would be appropriate to consider what Jesus said to his twelve disciples as He sent them out: “Those

who try to gain their own life will lose it; but those who lose their life for my sake will gain it” (matthew 10:30, good News Bible).

servant leadership is not some type of new terminology thought out over the years, but rather something that flows out of the perspective that Jesus offered to each of us. When the disciples were jockeying for position and concerned about who would be the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven, Jesus was straightforward in His response: “But among you, those who are the greatest should take the lowest rank, and the leader should be like a servant” (Luke 22:26, New Living translation).

When things go well for the typical performance-driven or positional leaders, they tend to look in the mirror, beat their chests and tell themselves how good they are. When things go wrong they look out the window and blame everyone else. on the other hand, when things go well for servant leaders, they always give everyone else the credit. When things go

SERVInG ChRIStothERSBY SERVInG

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wrong or don’t go according to plan, servant leaders look in the mirror and ask questions such as “What could I have done differently that would have allowed these people to be as great as they could be?”

too many leaders today think that their position and the power it gives them is who they are. But that’s not entirely true. their authority is not gained or achieved from position; but rather from the people whose lives they continue to touch. servant leaders emerge as true leaders when they realise that life is about what they continually give rather than what they get.

ultimately, Jesus Christ came to earth not as the example for mankind but rather the example of mankind. through His example we have been instructed in ephesians 5:1 “to be imitators of Christ” and duly authorised to serve and to meet the needs of other people. often this means assuming “a position” in the eyes of men, but we are not to revel in this. if we find ourselves in a position of

man-made authority, our focus should be on doing everything with the intention of serving, even if that means making decisions for others.

in conclusion it would be a grievous error to state that a servant leader merely waits for others to take the initiative, is timid or does not know what to do. a servant leader is a true leader; one whose mission includes building and empowering followers instead of just using them.

Gary KellyCampus Pastor

Doxa Deo Pinetown [email protected]

SERVInG ChRISt

South africa, with all its beauty and abundant resources, is our

gift from god. it is a land of great potential; a land with more than enough to provide for everyone. Yet the true beauty and potential of our rainbow nation eludes us. We have a myriad of problems and many apparently irreversible negatives which would take pages to list, and volumes to unpack.

For the past four years, i travelled extensively and worked throughout south

africa, doing missionary work as the southern africa Director of an exceptional programme which reaches out to poor and marginalised communities. From cities to the most rural of areas, we visited those unfortunate enough to live in places where extreme poverty and every form of abuse and more can be found. During these travels, i attended many different church services. individual Christians and some churches are serving and doing amazing and awesome work, and this

HaND oF tHe Harvester

To all who claim to be Christian,

my challenge to you is that your ‘service’

should actually start on leaving the church door

and end when you return a week later for an hour, to be fed the Word and be refuelled and encouraged for the days ahead.


it breaksMY HEART!

HOW MUCH MORE MUST IT BREAK HIS?

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must surely please the Lord. there are many other church bodies, however, which sadly are nothing more than ‘fair-weather, inexpensive coffee clubs’. to all who claim to be Christian, my challenge to you is that your ‘service’ should actually start on leaving the church door and end when you return a week later for an hour, to be fed the Word and be refuelled and encouraged for the days ahead. the bottom line, regrettably, is that the majority of us (the writer included) should be doing a lot more to serve our saviour who gave everything for us.

For some, the mandate given in the Bible to look after the poor and the needy comes down to probably one in five dropping off a can of baked beans in the box at the church door before taking the family to mid-morning brunch, often costing hundreds of rands. i’m not sure that is what Jesus actually wanted!

today, we are a country which at so many levels parallels the sins of sodom and gomorrah. We all know the sins those cities were guilty of, and their outcome. some might smugly say, “Yes, but not me!” However, let us re-read ezekiel 16:49. one Bible translation puts it so: “Behold, this was the guilt of your sister Sodom: she and her daughters had pride, excess of food, and prosperous ease, but did not aid the poor and needy.” ouch! that may be a bit too close to home for some of us. it is also a clear reflection of our country, its leaders and their wasteful excesses (and those in many other parts of the world too).

i have held babies, children and adults who are dying from starvation, preventable illnesses and Hiv/aiDs. Yet the inertia is astounding! the lack of action is criminal and often genocidal! elderly pensioners in rural areas are being left with grandchildren whose parents have succumbed; and desperately poor, child-headed

households are not only in distant other african countries, they can probably be found within 1 to 10km of where you are sitting right now!

our very neighbours are in extreme distress, but we generally say and do nothing. maybe because it’s because we don’t believe we can do anything real to change the situation. But we

can! We have the power of god, the power of the Word, and the power of numbers. We have no excuse, really.

many churches and Christians do not get involved for a number of semi-valid, but usually totally invalid reasons. and unfortunately, many well-meaning interventions unintentionally perpetuate the problems rather than fix them. simply by ‘doing good’ and delivering hand-outs to the poor (like clothing and food, although they are

desperately needed), we are creating a situation which – linked to the government’s burdensome, top-heavy and ever-increasing social grant approaches – is developing a nation of beggars and victims... and a stack of cards which must collapse some day.

it is my contention, working in unbearable situations as i have, that many Christians do more damage than good to the name of Jesus, when their only contribution is to tell starving people that “Jesus loves you”. Honestly, these people sometimes have to cut short their visit so that they can go and have their lunch!

my primary aim then is to tell you briefly about a holistic solution which focuses on needs where and when they are required. it moves away from many traditional approaches such as the hand-out approach. it restores pride and dignity (the right sort), and it is a 100% break-away from the growing entitlement approach, adopting instead a ‘nothing-for-nothing’ attitude. the only thing that is 100% free is god’s

You are never too old, too young,

too poor, too insignificant to

make a difference. Look at the people Jesus used; He can

certainly use you now!


undeserved grace and mercy! this intervention is structured and co-ordinated, thereby avoiding duplication and wastage. it is very practical and implementable. it could literally change lives and the world. But, only if you get involved!

it is my hope and prayer that the rest of this article excites you, and makes you want to get involved, directly or indirectly, individually, corporately or as an entire church, school or organisation. You are never too old, too young, too poor, too insignificant to make a difference. Look at the people Jesus used; He can certainly use you now! in fact some of the greatest role models i have seen have absolutely nothing of worldly value.

You do not have to go far to do great mission works. Just think of the impact we can have on this country, its people and its future, both now and for eternity, if every Christian got involved in one way or another. of course, money and many resources are needed (if 1 million Christians contributed just r10 per month, we would have r10 million per month to make phenomenal changes!).of course people, skills and expertise are also needed. Networking and referrals are absolutely essential too. most importantly, prayer, awareness and advocacy, action and commitment, together with service to and for our Lord Jesus, are called for.

ABoUt U3 tRUStU3 trust (said u-cubed trust) is a brand new trust and is also in the process of becoming a registered Ngo/Npo. to some extent, it was born out of ‘on-the-ground’ frustrations and

real life experiences with wasteful, ineffective, duplicated programmes which resulted in unsustainable interventions with minimal long-term benefit to the target communities. they were simply good ideas whilst the money lasted – and there were no downstream benefits the day the money died! i can show you thousands of these.

U3 trust came about through a combination of much prayer and simply listening to the

voices of the ‘voiceless’. prior to working within the Ngo environment where my practical knowledge and understanding grew, my experience in senior management within a tertiary institution laid the base-rock of my study. the cube of u3 represents a physical space, ie. the entire local community to be helped. the 4 u’s of the trust refer to upcycle, upskill, upscale and finally uplifting the entire community. the raised three (3) also reminds one, when deeply involved in the trenches, to look up to the power of three – the trinity – and above all else, to give thanks and praise.

a huge component of the thinking behind U3 trust is to be good stewards and to maximise resources and outcomes whilst minimising

dependency, wastage and failure. to date, all funding has come from my pocket and from a number of micro- and small businesses i am setting up specifically to help fund the work we do, instead of simply standing there with the begging bowl ourselves. But i cannot fund it alone! it needs national roll-out to have any impact. it is purposely not linked to, nor a threat to, any denomination – it will not take away

For some, the mandate given in the Bible to look

after the poor and the needy comes down to probably one in five dropping off

a can of baked beans in the box

at the church door before taking the family to mid-

morning brunch, oftencosting

hundreds of rands.


members, in fact it will grow members when its relevance is seen. simply put: “You follow and believe in Christ Jesus, it’s for you!” this becomes abundantly clear when you see the full powerpoint presentation which i am happy to present on invite, anywhere in the country. Because it looks at the entire community (non-paternalistically) starting with their primary needs and then placing interventions that grow in parallel and exponentially, a huge and broad-based impact and tangible, noticeable and sustainable change can be seen in a very short time-frame.

through the trust’s strong skills and entrepreneurial slant, grassroots and micro/small businesses are started, nurtured and supported as well. these create jobs instead of adding burdens and frustrations where work-related opportunities simply do not exist. the ‘pay-it-forward’ approach allows it to add vibrant colour and hope to otherwise desolate communities, providing care and dignity for all – especially woman, children and the elderly.

if only you could meet some of the exceptional human beings called Gogos, you would be persuaded! Crafts and skills, work and self-worth, human dignity and respect for self and others give recipients real, dignified hope and purpose – something they really thank god for! and as their primary needs are met, their spiritual needs are also attended to more meaningfully!

You are invited to help make this country a better place for all – to give hope for the future and to give praise, honour and glory to our god. it is not and will never be about me, the founder and the person entrusted with the vision. Without god, nothing is possible, and all glory to Him alone! However, if we do not stand up soon, someone or something else will – that must be abundantly clear to everyone by now.

it breaks my heart, regularly. it breaks His heart, i am 100% sure of that. it will probably break your heart, too. the good news is gooD NeWs in that you get a renewed heart, passion and purpose as you resolve to really, deeply and profoundly, serve. With a can-do approach, let us stand and show what afri-can-do!

Richard northmore082 455 1959

[email protected] www.u3trust.co.za

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of products and services we offer, which you may wish to support, please ask.


american business philosopher Jim rohn once stated that “Whoever renders service to many puts

himself in line for greatness – great wealth, great return, great satisfaction, great reputation, and great joy.” service is the hallmark to success, a life of fulfillment and significance. although not all servants are necessarily leaders by position or financially wealth, all great leaders and those who consider themselves financially wealthy must be servants. service is the prerequisite to all worthwhile achievement. unfortunately the art of

service is being lost in our culture today. politicians are no longer viewed as public

servants, employees are no longer loyal servants, government workers are no longer civil servants, and entrepreneurs are more committed to serving the mighty dollar than serving their customers. the challenge with service is that those in positions of leadership are more interested in the perks of the position than the responsibility. moreover, those who are not

in leadership resist service because they believe it undermines them and they view those who


Service isgREATnESS!

Service is the prerequisite to all worthwhile achievement.

Unfortunately the art of service is being lost in our culture today.

“Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you shall be your servant” - mark 10:43



serve as the least valued in society. service is an unconditional act done on behalf of another without expectation or above expectation. a servant is an individual with an inner conviction to consider the needs of others before his or her own.

Jesus Christ, the greatest leader who ever lived, modeled service for us by providing the greatest act of service that anyone could ever provide. He laid down His life for humanity and instructed His disciples to do as He did. He made it clear that as He came to serve and not be served, those who consider themselves His disciples must do likewise – for he who wants to be great must first serve.

What about those whose service within an organisation or a community may never ascend to a leadership responsibility, no matter how faithful they are… or those who may never attain a wealthy status no matter how well they serve? What then is their motivation to serve? remember: service is unconditional.

We do not serve because it will bring us into greatness, we serve because service alone is greatness. great people serve no matter what their position within the organisation and service affirms your greatness rather than brings you into greatness. greatness is not a position but an attitude. You are great no matter what your position, your social or economic status is. You are great because you are a child of god. god made you great, He created you in His image and likeness. You are fearfully and wonderfully made and that makes you great. service does not diminish your greatness; rather it brings dignity to your acts of service because god made you great.

if god created us in His image and likeness and expects us to serve with dignity, how should we approach service?1. serve as unto the Lord. 2. serve with a submissive spirit.3. serve with a heart of obedience.4. serve with a sincere heart.5. serve with confidence. 6. serve according to god’s will. 7. serve with the expectation that god will reward you.

unfortunately, no matter how great a servant you are in your business or place of employment, it may go unnoticed or unappreciated. You could even be taken advantage of, but do not let that deter you from exercising your act of greatness. servants serve not for the rewards of men or their applause but for the internal satisfaction of having served and for the expectation that the one who gave them life will reward them. my prayer for you today is that you will double up your service and go the extra mile, bringing dignity to everything you do.

Copyright © 2012 Patrice tsague

All rights reservedwww.nehemiahproject.org

We do not serve because it will bring us into

greatness, we serve because service

alone is greatness.

The last decade has seen a definite increase in customers’ service expectations. With more and more

people being exposed to international standards through trade and travel, and with our culture of instant gratification diminishing our patience and tolerance, our customers are expecting more and more from us and our businesses. this challenge has a definite positive aspect to it: our customers are voicing what they want!

CUStoMERS VotE WIth thEIR FEEtin the past, unhappy customers just disappeared – they never told us why they were not using our business anymore, but they told others and took current and potential customers with them. the scary reality is that only 1 in every 10 unhappy customers actually complains to the business. the other 9 just disappear. to make matters worse, stats tell us that every unhappy customer will tell 9 other people why they are unhappy. if 9 out of 10 don’t tell you why they are leaving, and they each tell 9 others, that is 81 current and potential customers lost to your business. Can you afford that kind of loss?

okay, let’s move onto some positive stuff. there are some really powerful aspects to consider so that you can avoid creating unhappy customers and ensure customer loyalty and sustainability. it really is not too difficult, but most companies only do these things when they

lose customers in large numbers – and then it’s often too little, too late. Looking after customers is a daily activity that needs our priority focus. our customers are the reason for our business’s entire existence! it is their needs that we are meeting!

if we look after our customers really well, they in turn will tell others about our great service. the stats tell us that 1 happy customer tells about 5 people about great service in a 12-24 month period of time. out of those 5, 2 may request your service. that means that for every 1 client you currently have, you could get another 3 customers. take your current client base and multiply that number of customers by 3. How would your business look if, within 12-24 months, you had that many customers? Wow, now you are seeing the power of great service!

Adele Benvie [email protected]

Customer Servicethe truth of the matter


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ad


A capable, intelligent, and [b]virtuous woman--who is he who can find her? She is far more precious than jewels and her value is far above rubies or pearls.The heart of her husband trusts in her

confidently and relies on and believes in her securely, so that he has no lack of [honest] gain or need of [dishonest]

spoil. She comforts, encourages, and does him only good as long as there is life within her. S loaded with food from a far [country]

THE PROvERBS 31 PAgEthis page serves to honour the women who choose to work from home to answer the noble call of full-time homemaker. Just like the mothers who have answered the call into the marketplace, many of these women have micro-businesses which allow them to use their talents and giftings and earn extra money. For as little as r195 per month you could be CoNNeCteD to a market that will support your product and service. Call sherrene on 082 456 0348 to find out more.

FIVE tIPS FoR toP SERVICEHere are some key items to focus on to ensure customer loyalty:

1Get rid of the war between Sales and After Sales (Customer

Service). You are one team! the promises of the sales people are proven (or disproven) through customers’ after sales experience. similarly, good after sales service helps sales because it’s what drives a company’s reputation in the marketplace.

2Focus equal attention on Retaining and Attaining new

customers. We often focus so much on winning new customers that we lose our current ones! We have to retain our current customers and then attain new customers in order to grow our businesses.

3Pay special attention to Reliability. i have found that

reliability is the key aspect to customer loyalty – often over and above price. Be a company that your customers can rely on, no matter what.

4Ask your customers what they love and hate about your business

at least every 6 months. Keep the things they love and change what they don’t like – quickly!

5train, train, train. Never stop training your staff to know how

to handle customers and treat them. When you stop learning, you get complacent – and that’s when your service levels start to slide.

as you implement these five simple items, your current customers will become an extension of your sales team. You will be amazed as you watch the incredible result of exponential customer growth. and, if you keep to your strategy, you’ll have a customer base that will keep your business thriving far into the future.

Client Care for Success Programme• Find out how your clients actually feel about your service levels.

•TeachyourstaffhowtocreateMomentsofMagnificence when they deal with clients.

www.successco.co.za/client-care-for-success-programme

“Thank you for the valuable information shared with us all, which has enriched our attitudes toward customers and colleagues alike.”

– Delegate (Barloworld)

AdvERTISE HERE! Contact Sherrene 082 456 0348

or email [email protected]

to get our rates


it was martin Luther King Jr. who once said, “Not everyone can be famous but everyone can be great because greatness

is a matter of service. Likewise, in times past, men were entrusted with power as a result of their passion, vision and propensity to serve. also, leaders were established as an answer to a particular need and as a response to a specific function. in our current reality there is an erroneous concept that only the least among us can serve, because we have reduced service to servitude. Yet if any man shall consider himself to be great he must first become a servant. Jesus, the supreme embodiment of leadership, has introduced to us the true characteristics of being a leader. therefore, an effective leader is a servant leader. servant leadership is not a new idea; but as a result of conceit and self-interest, men have perverted the original concept of leadership. as a consequence, we find that we are led by people who do not have a passion to serve people but rather a desire to be served.

so instead of empathetic, compassionate and influential leaders, we are exposed to manipulative, egotistically detached dictators.

it is my belief that there is a destiny that made each of us individually as well as collectively necessary. But if you do not

know who you are, there is no way that you will embrace the fact that there is a destiny and a purpose that you were designed and empowered to fulfill. You were not created as an experiment of an omnipotent, omniscient god! god is purposeful and strategic, and in His infinite wisdom has created you for such a time as this. even before the foundations of the earth, you were pre-destined for a specific purpose that no one else can realise. this thought removes your excuse to be hateful, envious or jealous.

Believing and knowing that you were created for a particular purpose encourages you to identify and develop your unique tag (talent, ability and gift), thus empowering you to maximise your potential and optimise every opportunity. You

EmpowEringyOURSElf fOR SERvICE

A servant does not own any

‘inheritance’ in the church, so

does not commit him- or herselfto its wellbeing

and success.A son, on the other hand,

recognises that the church is

part of his/her inheritance and

so willingly joins in to ensure

the growth and wellbeing of the

family business – because it’s also his inheritance.



should be so occupied with achieving your god-given obligations that you do not have the time to be resentful or indignant towards anyone else. Furthermore, it’s only after we have discovered who we really are that we can live our life passionately and deliberately. By discovering and developing our peculiarities, we are better equipped to serve our uniqueness to the world and make a significant contribution to our generation.

When you know the reason for your existence, you will begin to live a purpose-driven life and money will no longer be your master. moreover, whenever your self-perception and self-worth improve to the point that you are willing to serve yourself to the world, life will reward you disproportionately. it’s not always about how much money you can make but rather about the service you can provide. moreover, if you find a need and fulfill it, the money will follow; but if you follow the money and forsake the need you will lose it all and sink into the abyss of obscurity and obsoleteness.

old assessments will never yield new revenue. You have to evolve without digressing from your core principles. productivity requires cross-pollination. it is within our differences that we are most fruitful. John Donne also alluded to our need to exchange our ideas, concepts and our life when he said that “No man is an island”. Yet we are almost offended by the need to cater for the needs of people

who are different from us – forgetting that our growth and development depends on our surrounding ourselves with people who do not compete with us but rather complete and complement us. Whoever you are inclined to be around represents who you are, which is why they say “Birds of a feather flock together” and “show me your friends and i’ll tell you who you are”. We don’t attract who we like, but rather who are like us.

Nelson mandela said, “Whether you change the linen or stitch up wounds, cook the food or dispense the medicines, it is in your

hands to help build a public service worthy of all those who gave their lives for the dream of democracy”. this quandary about service can be addressed by a shift in our consciousness as we embrace this concept in the scriptures that states, “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you”. ultimately service is an expression of love.

Astell Collins

Believing and knowing that

you were created for a particular

purpose encourages you to identify and develop your unique TAG

(talent, ability and gift), thus

empowering you to maximise your

potential and optimise every opportunity.

imagine a city without people living on the streets, struggling to find food or shelter. imagine a city where all are employed and have

a sense of purpose in their lives. a city with very little crime. a city that embraces diversity and the marginalised and brings about real, sustainable change. this is the Durban that god wants. and this is the Durban we see possible.

the “We are Durban” initiative was born in 2009 out of a desire to make a real change in our city. though there were many organisations doing good work already, many of them were battling with a lack of volunteers, structure and good management. it wasn’t our vision to reinvent the wheel or duplicate what others were already doing, but to come alongside them and offer what we already had – access to people who want to help. We believe in empowering individuals to volunteer, and in combining together to give back to the society we live in, working together to make Durban all it can be. our aim is to release Durban’s potential to shine.

there are approximately 200 kids living on the streets of Durban at any one time, and far more

than that are exposed to negative influences as a result of poor supervision. and there are over 2000 homeless adults in Durban: 83% male, 92% Black, and 65% south africans. Less than a quarter can afford to stay in shelters. these people – and the many others who are unemployed – need our intervention.

spiritually parented by the olive tree Church in morningside, our work is driven by a mission to ensure social justice (human rights, dignity and equality) for the marginalised people of our city… and in the process to show them the tangible love of our saviour Jesus.

our activities are hands-on – ranging from event-type assistance like Children’s Home garden cleanups and home-building, to volunteering for other social justice-related organisations in the area. We also raise and allocate funds to support local social upliftment projects, and we provide a legal structure through which these funds can be sourced and channeled to fund the activities.

We believe that every resident and business in Durban has been given influence to bring about sustainable change in our city. if we work together we CaN eliminate poverty, unemployment, and marginalisation.

if all you have is a small amount of time - a day, a week or a month – there are a number of ‘event-type’ volunteer opportunities available (have a look at our webpage, www.wearedurban.com for details). For those with specific skills, we are always looking for people who can donate some time to organisations or projects – our latest one being the qalakahle eCD (early Child Development) Centre in the mansell road market

Becoming who we Are Meant To Be


area. Builders, engineers, plumbers, electricians, doctors, nurses, web designers, book keepers, admin assistants… if you have a skill and some time to donate, there is something in Durban that you can do.

a project of this nature requires funding for a number of reasons. each ‘event’ we co-ordinate is always paid for by ourselves and does not require any financial input by the Ngo we are assisting or the people who benefit. We also employ people to ensure continuity of services and a high standard of accountability is maintained. our current partners are olive tree Church, tDH (the Development House), mcCord Hospital, umthombo, impendulo Community project, unilever and vum.

We would love you to consider partnering with us as a business or as an individual. every bit counts, and i dare say it counts as much for the people we assist as for ourselves! to give you an idea what i mean, i’ll close with a few of the comments of our volunteers who have been

blown away by the blessing that their work has brought them.

“The first time we were told we were going to be serving dinner at The Nest, I was NERVOUS. When I walked up the stairs, and into the doors, the nervousness intensified! What were these people like, what if they were dirty or try rob us? How naïve! As we served dinner, home cooked Spaghetti Bolognese, we saw the people for what they really were, normal people who have had been knocked down by life circumstances.… I thoroughly enjoyed my fellowship time with the people I chatted to that evening. I was humbled by them and realised how ungrateful I have been in my own life. (megan Bosh – volunteer at the Nest Commune, November 2011)

When i heard we were going to umthombo i was excited. i love kids, and i was keen to play around and have some fun! However when i got there and realised these were the same street

children i turn away at the robots, some dressed in just an oversized t-shirt, i was nervous at how they would respond to us. i couldn’t have anticipated a warmer welcome! there was absolutely no hostility towards us, only welcoming smiles, laughs and conversation. Like any 10-14 year old child, they were curious of us, wanted to play around and have a good time! When time came to go home, there were heartfelt hugs all round, they were sad to see us leave…. it was a humbling experience and i felt i had made a small difference, given those kids hope in some way. Hats off to umthombo for taking children off the street into a home with a lounge, kitchen and beds to sleep. (Clair-Louise mortimer – volunteer, Fun Night at umthombo, November 2011)

the last word must go to athenkosi Koyana who, on witnessing the 2011 olive tree sewing school graduation ceremony, commends the spirit of unity and love that unites the volunteers and the ladies they teach to sew. “the reality,” says athenkosi, “is that in order to have a renewal of

mindset, it starts with the individual; are we being the change we would like to see in our city? it’s no use to have conversations at dinner parties asking these questions. there is so much we can learn from each other, but we need to be vulnerable to volunteer because when we give of ourselves we open room in our hearts to receive. the need is great in Durban but we can’t change it with one grand gesture.”

it takes you, me, a godly discontentment with the way things are, and a love for others that Jesus will use to turn our water into His wine. Just you give it a try.

if you would like to get involved in any way, please email Linda at [email protected] or call her on 079 6936 219.

Dave [email protected]

service |'sərvis|

noun1 the action of helping or doing work for someone: millions areinvolved in voluntary service.

• an act of assistance: he has done us a great service | he volunteered his services as a driver.

• assistance or advice given to customers during and after the sale of goods: they aim to provide better quality of service.

Documents

The Call to SERVICE