The Take of Mokgadi — Showing Up Matters

CUSTOMER SERVICE NEWSLETTER

The Take of Mokgadi — Showing Up Matters

I recently met a lady called Mokgadi at a Checkers in BluBird. She was striking, and on my second visit I stopped to examine what exactly about her was so striking.

Yes… it was the red lipstick.

She wore subtle makeup, but something about her demeanour felt intentional, so intentional that I imagined she would never dare be seen in public without that lipstick. Some may wonder why this resonated so deeply with me. My late mother wore lipstick every single day, and somehow it never seemed to wear off throughout the day. I have certainly tried and failed to achieve the same effect. In fact, during a recent visit to Dis-Chem, a beauty assistant recommended a lipstick that supposedly lasts all day. I tried it… it lasted two days. I eventually had to remove it with micellar water.

So yes, there is clearly a solution after all.

I am just not that girl. Mokgadi is that girl.

Classy. Composed. Calm.

And she would never simply ask, “Plastik?” Instead, she notices whether you already have a bag, whether your items require one, and whether you might need assistance. When she speaks, there is eye contact, intentional eye contact. Almost intimidating at times. A quick grocery run suddenly becomes an opportunity for self-reflection. I would often find myself moisturizing my lips before approaching her till, lest I be outshined by a cashier.

But truthfully, I appreciate environments that challenge us to improve ourselves. Environments that quietly encourage us to level up.

Over time, I found myself telling colleagues about Mokgadi whenever customer experience became part of the conversation. There is an old adage attributed to Maya Angelou:

“People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”

What stood out about Mokgadi was not merely efficiency. It was presence. Care. Pride in self. Pride in work.

In recent weeks, I noticed she was no longer at BluBird. Eventually, I asked where she had gone and was told she had been moved to the new Checkers at Sandton Gate.

After church one Sunday, I decided to make the trip, partly to see whether I could find her there, and partly because new shopping experiences are always interesting. I was told she was on lunch and would return in ten minutes. While waiting, I explored the mall with my sons. We were offered fried sushi tasting, something I had never experienced before at Checkers. My son cleverly asked for a second piece “for me.” When I actually ate it, he expressed disappointment because he had secretly hoped I would decline so he could enjoy both pieces himself. Naturally, I ended up buying him sushi.

Eventually, Mokgadi returned from lunch. On time! Lipstick still perfectly intact. Some things cannot be faked. The girl is real!

But there was something different this time. She was no longer standing behind the till. Instead, she stood confidently at the forefront of the cashier section. As I approached her, I noticed her name tag had changed.

Cashier Controller.

I felt strangely proud. It seemed as though the qualities so visible to customers had also been noticed by management, and rightly rewarded. She looked perfectly suited to the role.

And that is perhaps the greatest lesson from Mokgadi:

You do not need a title to deliver exceptional customer service.

Customer experience is not a department.
It is not a KPI.
It is not a slogan on a wall.

It is a choice.

A simple appearance can communicate:

• I see you.

• You matter.

• I value your business.

The people at the forefront of any growing company are never “just staff.” They are the living representation of the brand. Long before strategy presentations and executive meetings, customers experience people.

Titles alone will never elevate us.
But self-respect, care, consistency, and pride in our work always will.

As we gear up for a new week, may we remember:

Your work matters.
How you show up matters.
Someone is always observing the small things.
And often, the smallest details leave the biggest impressions.

Show up.