Akothee, the Kenyan musician and businesswoman, has been talking about how female bankers have treated her. She says she often feels awkward and exposed after dealing with them. In a recent online post, Esther Akoth Kokeyo (Akothee’s real name) said she wants female bank employees to stop following her on social media or bringing up her fame when they’re helping her.
She said that when she goes to a bank, she just wants to be treated like everyone else. She mentioned that some employees start chats by saying they follow her online or that she’s an inspiration, which she thinks is unprofessional. Akothee wants to be called Esther at the bank since her personal accounts aren’t in her stage name, except for her businesses like Akothee Safaris and Akothee Foundation.
The singer said she’s had issues with over ten female bankers over the years. She said that things usually start friendly but then go sour, making her feel like she’s being treated badly. Because of this, she now likes dealing with male bankers, although she knows anyone can have professionalism problems.
Akothee also worries about her privacy. She feels exposed when bank workers talk about who she is in front of others, especially when they know she’s famous. She thinks keeping things private is a key part of good service.
Thinking about how customer service has changed, she said that social media has made the lines between professionals and clients fuzzy. She thinks some workers now feel like they can treat customers based on what they think of them instead of following service standards.
Despite her annoyance, Akothee said she just wants respect and professionalism. She wants bankers to keep clear boundaries and focus on doing their jobs when helping clients.