Ask Chuka

My friend, Vovome, nearly landed me in trouble today. She said, “Because it is Customer Service Week, you can go to your clients and ask them any kind of favour and they will most likely grant it.” Excited by this new information, I decided to visit a client whose hidden mission, I believe, is to kill our business, they have been owing us for over two months! I took some small gifts along to show that my coming was in peace, but the conversation did not go well at all. The first bashing that hit me was, “You should have asked for an appointment before coming.” Before I could even breathe, another gbas gbos followed: “If you knew your company was not buoyant enough to work with organisations like ours, you should not have participated in bidding for the job.” I quietly held back my apple gift, because I knew that this was not the kind of gift that could melt such hearts, especially the kind that promise to pay after one month from delivery but still owe you after two. And I did not argu...

Your little gifts today may be the open doors tomorrow. My friend Musa was in my office when I got an invitation to our mutual friend Paul’s birthday party. The invite clearly stated: “Access card valid for one person only.” For over an hour, Musa quietly waited for his own IV, until he finally asked: “Paul never send my own IV oh, abi him no want make I come?” Awkward moment. Weeks earlier, Paul had told me he wanted the party to be very exclusive. When I checked his guest list, Musa’s name was missing. I assumed it was a mistake, so I asked Paul. Smiling, Paul explained: “I don’t want people who never hold parties and never bring presents. They are always the first to arrive and the first to leave, with nothing in their hands.” Let me not lie, he hyped me small. He said he couldn’t remember me ever attending his house or events without a gift, even if it was something little from Jewel Publishers (like mugs, t-shirts, sports jerseys) or gadgets from Jewel Multiservices (like laptop...