Namibia Wildlife Resorts (NWR) on Friday engaged various stakeholders to explain how the hospitality firm is addressing issues of dilapidating buildings and poor services at its vacation areas.
Nelson Ashipala, NWR’s spokesperson, said the company’s internal analysis revealed that numerous customer complaints were centered on the ageing buildings, which have become an eyesore to visitors.
“The last renovations were done about seven years ago, hence now the company has made a budget allocation of N$16 million towards refurbishment, and these are major works to be done. In addition, we now have a dedicated mobile maintenance team that will see to it that any little thing is addressed immediately,” he said at stakeholder’s engagement today.
Ashipala, pleaded with the public not to run to social media whenever they encounter something untoward, but rather directly engage the company so that the situation can be remedied.
“Don’t run to social media to bash us, let’s rather work together to improve services, that way we help one another,” he added.
The Friday engagement was also aimed at unpacking and finding solutions to customer complaints, as well as how to improve their services.
NWR was advised to stock its kiosks at various resorts, which are generally empty. In response, the company said it was planning to enlist services of some retailers to run the kiosks.
“We are working towards improving our menu and this is gradually being implemented. I am sure soon when you visit one of our resorts you will be able to have a different experience,” said NWR managing Director Mathias Ngwangwama, when asked about the company’s menu.
NWR’s Chief Marketing Officer, Epson Kasuto, said the hospitality group will be discontinuing the option of a buffet option at some resorts.
NWR, which had its workforce reduced by a quarter from 900 employees to 600 as an austerity measure to ensure that the company remains afloat during the Covid-19 pandemic, is also struggling to hire qualified chefs and construct adequate ablution facilities at its resort areas.