MULTICHOICE’S TOP CHOICE
I was able to keep the business afloat for the five months of my acting tenure and I guess the organisation had the confidence that I could do it.
Having successfully acted in the role for six months, at the start of October, Lorato Mwape was appointed Multichoice Botswana’s Managing Director (MD) on a permanent basis.
Mwape’s rise to the top is all the more impressive considering she only joined the company in April 2019 as Head of Customer Care and Experience.
In this interview with Voice Money’s KABELO ADAMSON, Mwape shares her professional journey, showing off the attributes that saw her seamless ascent to Multichoice Botswana’s highest position.
You were recently appointed Multichoice Botswana Managing Director - how does it feel to earn such a big appointment?
I must say it is really exciting, overwhelming; indeed it is a privilege looking at Multichoice as a business. It has been in existence in Botswana since 1992 and it’s an entity that has been doing well. Being given the responsibility to lead is a huge milestone for me, especially looking at the young team I am working with. I believe we have a lot to offer the market.
You’re relatively new to the Multichoice family. Did your appointment to the top come as a surprise or were you expecting it?
I joined on the 1st of April last year as Head of Customer Care and Experience, and was appointed to act (acting MD) on the 1st of April this year. I wouldn’t say it’s something I expected, but what I know about myself, which is something I believe in, is that regardless of the organisation I join, I always ensure I learn outside the area I have been given.
I volunteered a lot to learn more about the business. Multichoice is quite a unique and exciting business to work for, so there is a lot to learn and I was able to do that. I was able to keep the business afloat for the five months of my acting tenure and I guess the organisation had the confidence that I could do it. I was appointed on the 1st of October this year.
Briefly tell our readers about your professional journey prior to joining Multichoice.
I started right at entry-level as a Customer Service Representative in 1998 at Mascom. As I already mentioned, I always believed a lot in learning - even as a Customer Service Representative, it did not hold me back from learning how the business runs.
That saw me being appointed as the first supervisor for Mascom retail stores. I worked my way up and joined a call center as a team leader and in less than six months I was the Call Center Manager.
I then moved to Botswana Telecommunications Corporation (BTC) as a team leader in June 2007 where I, again, got promoted to Call Center Manager. I would say I did much in the care space until I became a Quality Service Manager at BTC.
What can you highlight as the proudest moment of your career?
I am living it, so to speak! It’s been an amazing journey and I am open to learning. I am excited about the role that I have been given.
And the lowest?
I wouldn’t say lowest because in life, any challenge you encounter, there is an opportunity.
As the new Multichoice MD, what can local customers look forward to during your tenure?
Like I highlighted earlier, Multichoice Botswana has been in existence since 1992 and it’s an entity that looks for opportunities every year. There are a lot of exciting new things that are launched every year, and 2020 is no exception, though the year was most challenging due to Coronavirus.
We will continue to give support to local channels and have some local radio stations on our audio platforms. Batswana can look forward to more initiatives coming up.
In recent years, there have been growing complaints from customers about escalating subscription costs. What’s your response to this?
I think it is understandable and something we get a lot from our customers. But it is also important for us to provide a bit of education, especially around the cost of providing paid-for television services, which are impacted by a lot of variables.
One of those is the ever-rising foreign exchange and macroeconomics as well as the cost of running our branches.
All of these factors contribute and play a role in us having to ensure that we keep abreast of providing the best for our customers.
Technology is developing on an almost daily basis. How are you going to ward off the threat from Internet-based content providers?
What I would say is - when you talk of Internet-based content providers - is that we will soon localise Showmax, which is our internet-based product, and our customers will soon enjoy it as well.
And away from the office, how do you pass time?
I am a prayer warrior; I help in the community and pay other family members a visit, so I am just like any ordinary Motswana. The other thing is, I am a very private person and spend a lot of time at home with my family if I am not engaged with church activities.