Standardisation, poor customer service bane of hospitality industry – Prof. Kobby Mensah              

By Ernest Bako WUBONTO 

The Chief Executive Officer (CEO)-Ghana Tourism Development Company (GTDC), Prof. Kobby Mensah, has highlighted a critical need for improved service delivery within the country’s hospitality sector – citing a lack of standardisation and poor customer service as major impediments in the sector.

Speaking at the ‘Hospitality and Tourism Conference & Expo’ 2025 held in Accra, he addressed some behavioural issues and bad practices that have plagued the local hospitality space in Ghana as he stressed consistently poor customer service as the primary obstacle hindering industry growth.

Prof. Mensah addressed a range of behavioural issues such as ‘Ghanaman-time’ and other negative practices which have become normalised within Ghana’s local hospitality scene, emphasising that these factors are major impediments to the sector’s development.

He described hospitality as a feeling or experience; hence, when customers do not experience excellent service at the tourist centres or hospitality facilities, they don’t become ambassadors who will sing praises of the place and refer other people to visit.

For instance, facial expression, body mannerisms, time-consciousness and effective communication among other service expectations are key lookouts for clients – but are poorly executed in most service provision locations, he indicated.

Prof. Mensah lamented that standards are missing in almost all hospitality value chains in the country, making it challenging for foreigners to easily move around and enjoy their stay.

He indicated that standards ensure consistency, thereby enabling guests to know what to expect across locations, just as it happens at all airports across the world – an excellent hallmark of the aviation industry.

It also promotes efficiency as streamlined operations reduce training time and operational costs while fostering scalability – easier to replicate successful models across branches or regions.

Prof. Mensah underscored the importance of setting and maintaining high service standards to ensure a positive and memorable experience for both domestic and international visitors.

In 2024, Ghana’s tourism sector saw record-breaking growth with historic revenue, increased international arrivals and a surge in domestic tourism.

According to the 2024 Ghana Tourism Report, the sector generated US$4.8billion in revenue – highest in the country’s tourism history. It also recorded 1.288 million international visitors in the year, a 12 percent rise from 2023.

Despite the significant performance, persistent challenges such as inadequate access to some tourism sites, need for improved customer services, limited private investment in high-value production and regional disparities in tourism development, as well as the aforementioned issues, require a collaborative effort by all stakeholders to address them.

Executive Director and Convenor, Hospitality and Tourism Conference & Expo, Eugene Vidzro, described the conference as a critical platform that brought key stakeholders together to deliberate on industry challenges and find solutions for challenges, as well as sensitise players to render their best service.

“The conference brought together industry experts from Togo, Nigeria and other African countries, but the focus is to improve the hospitality service industry in Ghana and ultimately close the gap in service delivery here in Ghana to be at par with other parts of the world,” he said.

Alluding to President John Dramani Mahama’s recent statement that service quality is dropping in the hospitality sector, Mr. Vidzro indicated industry players have the mandate to improve service quality in their various facilities and the conference aimed to foster such a mindset.

Mr. Vidzro further seconded the Ghana Tourism Development CEO’s call for standardisation of operations in the sector, stressing a need to tailor-make the standard in Ghana by learning from top global brands that are already operating in the country and apply same to standalone facilities.

General Manager Hotel 2 Fevrier, Lome-Togo, Thomas Noll, in his presentation on the conference theme ‘Standardised processes, personalised experiences: Unlocking hospitality’s dual advantage’, highlighted key strategies to improve service quality – such as personalisation, technology integration, employee training & development and sustainability models.

He provided in-depth ideas to unlock hospitality’s dual advantage – exceptional guest experience and sustainable profitability.

Mr. Noll elaborated that applying tested and proven tools judiciously enhances guest experiences, increasing revenues while ensuring operational efficiency and cost savings. Thus, being innovative and competitive.

2025 Hospitality and Tourism Conference & Expo

The 2025 Hospitality and Tourism Conference & Expo is presented by the 90 Degrees Group with support from leading stakeholders in Africa’s hospitality and tourism sector.

Presentations and panel discussions delved into key performance indicators (KPIs) that organisations can use to track the success of their efforts in balancing standardised service with providing personalised guest experiences.

The post Standardisation, poor customer service bane of hospitality industry – Prof. Kobby Mensah               appeared first on The Business & Financial Times.

Read Full Story