Everyone in Nation Media Group's got a Sunny Bindra book

It is perhaps the first firm in the country to do this: The Nation Media Group just bought each of its 1,000-plus employees a copy of Sunny Bindra's 'Crown your Customer'.

Those in the know say NMG is currently promoting customer care as a key feature of its 'New Culture' where "enablers" (Customer care, professionalism, clear career path etc) are promoted while "disablers" (back stabbing, favouritism etc) are being discouraged, or done away with.

To the extent that NMG is promoting customer care, Bindra’s book is seen as a fitting reading material – and what a read it is.

What is of note is that the firm actually bought its employees BOOKS. It didn't take the easier route of buying a few copies and dumping them in the library for those wishing to read to borrow; Or, better still, invite Mr Bindra to conduct a training on customer care.

Not even the 30-plus publishing houses in Kenya have bought a book for each of their employees. (Imagine if each of the editors in the publishing houses bought at least one locally published book a month…)

This is not only a vote of confidence in Bindra's writing and expertise (after all he is a columnist with Sunday Nation) but also a boost to the local publishing industry. It also encourages Muthoni Garland’s StoryMoja initiative.

But buying the books and giving them to the employees is just one step. The next step is to have the employees read the book … then apply the concepts so learnt.

Well done NMG.