Dear Entrepreneurs,
There is a phrase we Zimbabweans have perfected, a phrase so common that it has become part of our daily rhythm: “I’m 2 minutes away” or “I’m 5 minutes away.” Yet more often than not, the person saying it is still ironing a shirt, still leaving the house, or even still finishing breakfast. We laugh about it in social circles, but in business, this small lie carries a heavy cost. Lateness is not just about time—it is about trust, respect, and professionalism.
The Silent Deal Killer
In business, punctuality is more than a polite gesture. It is a contract of respect. When you promise to be somewhere at 10:00 and arrive at 10:45, you are silently telling your client that their time—and by extension, their money—does not matter to you. Customers may not scold you directly, but they will remember. And when it comes time to renew contracts, recommend suppliers, or choose service providers, your reputation for lateness will quietly close doors that no marketing campaign can reopen.
How Lateness Erodes Trust
Think about how customers and partners interpret lateness:
If you are late for a meeting, they wonder whether you will also be late in delivering their order.
If you cannot keep a simple time promise, they question whether you can keep a financial or contractual one.
If you rush in with excuses, they conclude you are disorganized—and no one wants to trust serious money with disorganization.
These are not small impressions; they are the foundation on which business relationships are built or broken.
Why Entrepreneurs Cannot Afford Casual Time Habits
In social settings, being late may be forgiven. Friends may tease you, and family may shrug it off. But in business, lateness costs money. Imagine arriving 20 minutes late to pitch your service, only to find the client has already moved on to a competitor. Imagine missing a delivery deadline by a day because you treated your supplier casually, and losing not just the order but the long-term contract. Time is money, and in Zimbabwe’s fragile economy, none of us can afford to waste either.
The Culture of Excuses
We are all familiar with the common excuses: “Traffic was bad,” “ZESA went,” “I was almost there but had to make a quick stop.” These explanations may be true, but when repeated often, they become meaningless. Clients do not measure your excuses; they measure your consistency. A reputation for punctuality is worth more than clever reasons for being late.
Leading by Example
As entrepreneurs, your habits set the tone for your entire organisation. If you stroll into work late, your employees will feel justified in doing the same. If you treat customer appointments casually, your team will mirror that attitude. But if you are consistently punctual, you set a silent standard of professionalism that everyone in your business will feel compelled to follow.
Practical Steps to Instill Punctuality
1. Set internal deadlines earlier. If a meeting is scheduled for 10:00, tell your team it is at 9:45. This buffer prevents embarrassing late arrivals.
2. Schedule with respect for travel realities. Harare traffic at 5 PM is different from 10 AM. Plan accordingly instead of using traffic as a constant excuse.
3. Lead by example. Arrive before your staff. Be present before your clients. Demonstrate that timekeeping matters.
4. Introduce accountability. Make punctuality part of staff evaluations. Reward those who are consistently on time.
5. Cut distractions. Phones, gossip, or last-minute personal errands are the real enemies of punctuality. Train your staff to prioritise client service first.
6. Respect preparation. Being punctual is not only about arrival time but about readiness. Sitting in a meeting at 10:00 but fumbling through papers until 10:15 is another form of lateness.
The Emotional Impact of Punctuality
People may not remember every word you spoke in a meeting, but they will always remember how you made them feel. When you arrive late, you make them feel undervalued. When you arrive on time—or better, a few minutes early—you make them feel respected. That emotional difference is what turns prospects into loyal clients.
Building a Reputation of Reliability
In Zimbabwe, where business trust is already fragile, reliability becomes your strongest marketing tool. A competitor may offer lower prices, but if you consistently deliver on time, you will be chosen again and again. Reliability creates loyalty, and loyalty sustains businesses even in tough times.
Final Thoughts
Entrepreneurs, let us abandon the habit of “I’m 2 minutes away” when we are still at home. Let us stop treating lateness as normal and start treating time as the currency of trust. The discipline of punctuality costs nothing, yet it can secure contracts worth thousands. Respecting time is respecting money, and clients never forget either.
If you want to close more deals, build stronger partnerships, and create a business that stands out, start with something simple: be on time. Every time.
With respect for your entrepreneurial journey,
ZimLedger Admin
ZimLedger
ZimLedger is the all in one business and finance platform for Zimbabwe. It generates quotes, invoices, payslips and financial statements, manages business ledgers, tracks income and expenses, and builds shopping lists. ZimLedger offers a simple yet powerful solution tailored to local needs. Whether you are budgeting in ZiG or USD, managing business accounts, converting Ecocash statements, or tracking household expenses, ZimLedger empowers you to stay organised, make informed financial decisions, and grow your wealth—right from your phone or computer.
