Putting service back into public service: The transformation of Botswana's immigration services

Poor customer service at Botswana's Department of Immigration and Citizenship placed its home ministry, Labour and Home Affairs, in the bottom tier of performance rankings and made it a frequent target of criticism. After identifying the root causes of the breakdown in service, the department's leaders used a transformational approach to sharply improve customer relations. Its key elements were a focus on the organization's quality culture, management intervention, on‐site improvement projects, and nontraditional engagements with staff. The awards and testimonials that followed demonstrate that a government organization that concentrates on improving the service‐mindedness of its staff can make rapid, profound, and sustainable gains in the delivery of customer service. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.