Cresencia Chiremba

They didn’t shout. They didn’t write a review. They didn’t ask to see the manager. They simply left—and never came back.

In the language of relationships, they ghosted you.

You didn’t see it coming. One week they were regulars—the kind who knew your cashiers by name, who asked about your weekend, who picked your store over the bigger, flashier one down the road. Then suddenly: no call, no message, no complaint. Just silence.

Zimbabwe’s business culture isn’t short on hustle. In fact, we are masterful at setting up shop, advertising loudly, and moving product quickly. But when it comes to *listening*—truly listening—to what our customers are feeling, thinking, and needing… we fall short. And nothing exposes that shortfall more brutally than the quiet exit.

The Myth of “Happy Until They Complain”
One of the most dangerous assumptions in customer service is this: _if the customer hasn’t complained, they must be satisfied_. But silence is not a sign of contentment. Sometimes, it’s a survival strategy.

Customers may stay silent because they’ve lost hope. Because they’ve learned not to expect accountability. Because complaining feels like too much effort for too little change.

So they vote with their feet. No banners. No warning. Just gone.

We’ve spoken to hundreds of Zimbabwean shoppers through *Tisu Vatengi*, and the patterns are painfully clear. “I used to love that place, but they just stopped caring,” one woman shared after being ignored in her regular pharmacy. A father recounted how a cashier mocked his accent—he never went back. A nurse described a salon that refused to correct a bad hairstyle. She didn’t argue. She just took her business elsewhere.

And here’s the tragedy: none of those businesses ever knew why they lost those customers. They probably assumed competition was to blame. Or the economy. Or the weather. They never knew the problem was internal.

Emotional Intelligence Is a Business Strategy
If we want to grow stronger businesses in Zimbabwe—not just survive—we need to rewire how we interpret feedback.

Emotional intelligence is not just a soft skill; it’s a survival tool. It means noticing that the regular customer who used to smile now avoids eye contact. That the one who asked questions last month now rushes out quietly. That the complaints have stopped—not
because service is perfect, but because the customer has disengaged.

It means training staff not just to process payments, but to read mood. To apologize meaningfully. To respond with empathy, not ego.

Because ghosting isn’t always about one big mistake. Sometimes it’s a buildup—a slow erosion of trust. And every interaction is a chance to either rebuild that trust… or lose it completely.

Rebuilding Relationships Before They End

So what can businesses do?
-Be proactive: Don’t wait for complaints. Invite them. “How was your service today?” is not just polite—it’s diagnostic.

-Respond, don’t react: When feedback comes, avoid the urge to defend. Instead, seek understanding. The best apology is one that shows you’ve really listened.

– Track patterns: Notice when regulars disappear. Ask questions. Follow up if appropriate. Sometimes a simple “We missed seeing you—was everything okay?” can unlock valuable insight.

-Train for care: Customer care should be embedded in culture, not limited to job titles. Everyone from the guard to the director plays a role in how welcome the customer feels.

-Create safe channels: Not everyone wants to speak up in person. Offer anonymous feedback options, SMS check-ins, or suggestion boxes that are actually read.

And above all, remember that customers are people first. People with feelings, stories, expectations—and choices. When they choose silence, we have to be brave enough to ask why.

A Business Culture That Holds On
Let’s dream bigger than survival. Let’s imagine a Zimbabwean business culture where relationships are nurtured, where service is responsive, where goodbye isn’t something you realize too late.

We know how to build shops. It’s time we learned how to build trust.

Because ghosting hurts. But it’s preventable. And every time a customer chooses silence, we have an opportunity—not just to reflect, but to reform.

So the question is not “How do we win them back?” but “How do we stop losing them in the first place?”

*Cresencia Marjorie Chiremba is a Marketing, Sales and Customer Service Consultant | For Suggestions and Training you can contact her on: [email protected]; +263 712 979 461 / 0719 978 335 / 0772 978 335