Features
GACL’s letter to McDan: Causing ‘confusion’?
The Ghana Airports Company Limited (GACL) is reported to have ‘shut down’ the operations of the McDan private jet terminal at the Kotoka International Airport.
This was barely five days after McDan Aviation Company opened the private jet terminal at the Kotoka International Airport (KIA) in Accra, on January 28, 2022.
McDan Aviation CEO
Managing Director of GACL
McDan Aviation is reported to have defied the orders of GACL to halt the inauguration of the new private jet terminal on January 28, 2022.
Reportedly, the Chief Executive Officer of McDan Group of Companies, Mr Daniel McKorley, has confirmed the shutdown of operations of his private jet terminal, assuring that McDan Aviation will ‘engage’ GACL in the ensuing impasse.
The GACL accuses McDan of inaugurating his private jet terminal without following its orders of postponement.
GACL’s letter to McDan Aviation, signed by its Managing Director, Mr Yaw Kwakwa, ordered postponement of the inauguration of the private jet terminal because the arrangements made for the inauguration had not been approved by GACL , insisting that the event posed some safety and security concerns at the Kotoka International Airport.
GACL says, it made efforts to meet McDan Aviation so as to discuss matters regarding the opening of the private jet terminal but no official from McDan Aviation turned up for the proposed meetings.
GACL’s letter to McDan Aviation said: “One major example relates to your commencement of construction of the private jet terminal without a plan of Construction Operation approval from GACL.”
The letter further said: “We only became aware of your construction activities during our routine security patrols, and we had to ask you to stop and submit a Plan of Construction Operation for review and approval before construction continued.”
GACL’s letter again revealed that: “McDan Aviation through its actions disregarded the norms of doing business in the aviation sector, which requires strict adherence to safety and security concerns.”
The letter to McDan Aviation was copied to the Transport Minister, the Minister of National Security, the National Security Coordinator and the Director, Aviation Security.
The letter said:”GACL is unable to support the inaugural event until we iron out all the necessary issues and you prove to us that you fully understand and appreciate how things are supposed to be done in the aviation sector, in the interest of safety and security.”
A security analyst after examining GACL’s letter to McDan, however, asks: “So does it imply that the GACL has no technology to detect any ‘illicit’ construction activity which falls within the boundaries of the Kotoka International Airport?
“And that until ‘routine security patrols’ are undertaken by the Aviation Security, even terrorists or mercenaries can construct ‘properties’, including tunnels within the boundaries of the Kotoka International Airport? In this age of computer technology and digitisation?”
The security analyst adds:”The GACL’s letter signed by its Managing Director and addressed to McDan Aviation, exposes a serious security threat at the Kotoka International Airport,” stressing that, “this security threat must be urgently addressed.”
A retired public servant also examines GACL’s letter to McDan and queries: “So, in effect, McDan defied the orders of GACL and continued the construction of the private jet terminal until the completion and inauguration of the project?
“And like what the District Assemblies incompetently do; the GACL authorities were also looking on ‘sheepishly’ until the ‘illegal project’ was executed, completed and launched ?
“What is the mandate of GACL in the development of airports in the country?
“Is the current management of GACL too weak to have sanctioned McDan Aviation right from the outset of the project or the management was just afraid of the company?
“May I also ask: Were some politicians hiding behind McDan to do what he did ?”
McKweku Ayoo, a level 400 Business Student of the University of Cape Coast has also expressed surprise about GACL’s letter to McDan.
He quiries: “Did GACL management seek advice from its Board of Directors when McDan flouted its orders to ‘stop work’ and continued his construction activities at the Kotoka International Airport?
“If the GACL management sought advice from its Board of Directors, what was the nature of the advice?
“To allow McDan to complete and inaugurate the private jet terminal, before ‘crying out’ to the nation?
“What was also the principle of ‘state-corporate’ collaboration among key stakeholders, including Ministry of Transport, Ministry of National Security and State-Interest Governance Authority?
“Did the key stakeholders just stand-by , observing the ‘fight’ or ‘quarrel’ between GACL and McDan Aviation, without any ‘productive’ intervention ? And in whose interest? “
Ataa-Nii, a well-educated Accra taxi-driver also says:”McDan and his company must also talk so that we hear their side of the whole story.
“They must also issue a press release to the public, otherwise, from the tone of the GACL’s letter, the impression is created that McDan and his company are bullies, arrogant and disrespectful to the laws of the Republic of Ghana.”
Readers, much as this column shares the sentiments expressed by Ataa-Nii, we equally urge the Government to quickly intervene to resolve the impasse between GACL and McDan , since the project ‘in dispute’ can support Ghana in so many ways ; if it is properly guided ‘to thread’ the ‘appropriate channels’ to take-off.
Contact email/ WhatsApp of author:
asmahfrankg@gmail.com (0505556179)
BY G. FRANK ASAMAH
Features
Fix It Fast or Lose Them Forever: The Ever-Rising Importance of Service Recovery in Competitive Industries
Yes, in literature and in practice, differences exist regarding customer service, service failures, and service recovery.
But have you ever considered the latter (service recovery) and its potential impact on service experience, brand building, and sustainable growth?
Well, in today’s fiercely competitive service economy, customer experience has become one of the most powerful determinants of business survival and long-term success.
Across industries, from aviation and banking to telecommunications, hospitality, healthcare, retail, and digital platforms, customers now expect fast, seamless, and reliable service delivery at every touchpoint.
Yet despite technological advancements and operational improvements, service failures remain inevitable.
Systems experience downtime, deliveries are delayed, reservations are misplaced, payments fail, customer inquiries go unanswered, employees mishandle interactions, and digital platforms experience disruptions.
In the midst of these, what increasingly separates successful organisations from struggling ones is not whether failures occur, but how quickly and effectively they recover when they do.
Service Recovery
Simply put, it is the process of fixing a service problem and restoring customer confidence after a failure has occurred.
Examples of service recoveries are; an airline offering compensation after a flight delay, a telecom company restoring interrupted service and providing bonus data, a restaurant replacing a wrongly prepared meal at no extra cost, a hotel upgrading a guest’s room after a booking problem, and finally a bank reversing an erroneous transaction and apologising promptly.
As competition intensifies and customer expectations continue to rise, service recovery is rapidly evolving from a routine customer service function into a critical strategic capability.
Businesses are discovering a hard truth of the modern marketplace: fix customer problems quickly, or risk losing them permanently.
Customers are More Powerful Now Than Ever
Customers now possess more power than at any other time in business history. Digital technology, social media, online reviews, and mobile connectivity have fundamentally changed customer behaviour.
Consumers now easily compare competitors instantly, publicly share negative experiences, switch providers with ease, and influence the purchasing decisions of thousands of others online.
This evolution has made customer loyalty increasingly fragile. A single poor experience can quickly damage years of brand-building effort.
In highly competitive sectors where products and pricing are often similar, customer experience has emerged as one of the few sustainable competitive advantages.
Modern customers no longer evaluate organisations solely by product quality or pricing. Increasingly, they judge businesses by their responsiveness, reliability, transparency, empathy, and effectiveness in resolving problems.
Why Service Recovery Matters More Than Ever
Failures are no longer viewed as isolated operational incidents, especially in competitive service sectors. They are moments that directly influence customer trust, brand perception, and future purchasing behaviour.
Research across service industries consistently demonstrates that customers are often willing to forgive mistakes when organisations respond quickly, communicate honestly, show empathy, and resolve issues effectively.
Conversely, poor recovery experiences frequently create stronger dissatisfaction than the original service failure itself.
For many businesses, the greatest reputational damage does not arise from operational errors, but from delayed responses, poor communication, lack of accountability, and unresolved customer frustrations.
This has elevated service recovery into a central component of customer relationship management and competitive strategy.
Speed, a Competitive Weapon
In the modern service economy, speed is no longer merely operational efficiency; it is a basic customer expectation.
Consumers increasingly expect: immediate responses, real-time updates, fast complaint resolution, and proactive communication. Delays are often interpreted as incompetence, indifference, or organisational inefficiency.
Consequently, organisations are redesigning their service recovery frameworks to prioritize rapid intervention and customer reassurance.
A cursory assessment revealed that some businesses now operate dedicated customer experience teams, 24/7 support systems, AI-powered service platforms, automated escalation systems, and real-time issue monitoring dashboards.
The ability to resolve customer problems quickly is now a major source of competitive differentiation.
Technology Is Transforming Recovery Strategies
Technology is fundamentally reshaping how organisations manage service recovery. Across industries, companies are leveraging artificial intelligence, customer analytics, chatbots, predictive monitoring systems, and integrated digital support platforms.
These tools allow organisations to identify service failures earlier, monitor customer dissatisfaction, automate responses, personalize engagement, and accelerate resolution timelines.
Some organisations now proactively contact customers before complaints are formally lodged, using analytics to identify service disruptions in real time.
This means that the future of service recovery is increasingly preventive rather than purely reactive.
Service Recovery as a Brand Strategy
Forward-looking organisations are now treating service recovery as part of brand management strategy rather than operational damage control.
The logic is straightforward because, acquiring new customers is expensive, dissatisfied customers influence others, and loyalty is increasingly experience-driven.
Businesses are therefore measuring customer satisfaction, response times, complaint resolution rates, customer retention, and net promoter scores more aggressively than before.
In many industries, service recovery performance is now discussed at executive and board levels because of its direct relationship with profitability, reputation, and long-term growth.
A call to action
As industries become more digital, interconnected and customer-driven, service recovery will likely become even more important.
Therefore, organisations that succeed in the future will likely be those that respond rapidly, communicate transparently, empower employees, leverage technology intelligently, treat customers fairly, and place their (customers’) trust at the centre of recovery strategies.
Remember, customers now have more choices, less patience, and greater influence than ever before, a clear message to forward-looking organisations that when service breaks down, recovery is everything. Fix it fast or risk losing customers forever.
Writer: Mohammed Ali
Conflict at work is more common than you might think. According to 2022 research by The Myers-Briggs Company, more than a third of the workforce reports dealing with conflict often, very often, or all the time in the workplace.
Addressing a dispute might feel tense or awkward, but resolving the conflict is typically well worth it in the long run. Whether you are trying to mediate conflict between colleagues or are directly involved. Last week we looked at three and this week is the remaining four steps you can take to manage workplace conflict.
4. Find common ground
The best way to handle workplace conflict is to start with what you can agree on. Find common ground between the people engaging in conflict. If you are directly involved in the conflict, slow down and focus on results instead of who’s right.
If you are the mediator for conflict resolution between coworkers, observe the discussion and help point out the common ground others may not see.
5. Collectively brainstorm solutions
When deciding how to handle workplace conflict, it can be tempting to problem-solve on your own. Sometimes, it feels easier to work independently rather than collaboratively. However, if you want to achieve a lasting resolution, you will need to motivate your team to get involved.
Brainstorm possible solutions together, and solicit input from everyone involved on the pros and cons of each option until you settle on a solution that feels comfortable to everyone. This will help all team members feel a sense of ownership that can help prevent future conflicts.
6. Create an action plan
Once you have created an open dialogue around workplace conflicts, it is time to resolve them. Just like any other work goal, this requires creating a concrete plan and following through.
Create an action plan and then act on it. It does not matter what the plan is, as long as you commit to it and resolve the conflict as a result.
7. Reflect on what you learned
All conflicts offer an opportunity to grow and become a better communicator. Identify what went well and what did not.
Work with your whole team to gather learnings from the conflict so you can avoid similar situations in the future.
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Fix It Fast or Lose Them Forever: The Ever-Rising Importance of Service Recovery in Competitive Industries
