For five days, the top management of Orange Sierra Leone left the boardroom and took the conversation to the streets.

The company’s Chief Executive Officer Aisha Touré, accompanied by members of the company’s senior management team, travelled across the country, meeting customers, traders, sales partners, local leaders and communities in Port Loko, the Western Area, Makeni, Kono, Kenema and Bo.

It was more than a series of official meetings. The tour, which ended on Friday, was designed as a listening exercise, giving Orange’s leadership an opportunity to hear directly from the people who use its services every day and from the businesses and communities that form part of its nationwide network.

For Touré, the message from the tour was clear: understanding customers means going where they live, work and do business.

“Meeting our customers, partners, and local leaders face to face allows us to better understand their realities and expectations. Listening, learning, and identifying opportunities for improvement provide the kind of insights that lead to better business decisions and stronger relationships,” she said.

Listening beyond Freetown

The engagements provided customers and partners with an opportunity to raise concerns about their experiences with Orange services, including service delivery, network performance, customer needs and business opportunities.

Touré acknowledged the concerns raised and said the company understood the importance of addressing issues that affect customers’ day-to-day experience.

Rather than simply receiving complaints, the CEO assured stakeholders that the feedback would be reviewed as management works towards practical and sustainable solutions.

That approach was particularly significant given that much of the country’s commercial and telecommunications activity is often viewed through the lens of Freetown.

The nationwide tour allowed Orange’s leadership to get a closer look at the realities of customers and businesses in other parts of Sierra Leone.

Taking the Orange brand to the markets

Some of the most informal moments of the tour took place away from conference rooms.

Touré and her delegation visited local markets, interacting with traders, customers and members of the public in their everyday working environments.

The market visits offered the CEO an opportunity to hear directly from people about their experiences with Orange products and services while also bringing the company’s leadership closer to its grassroots customer base.

Orange-branded items were also distributed during the visits, creating opportunities for informal conversations and engagement.

For the company, these interactions formed part of a broader effort to make the Orange brand more accessible and ensure that senior management remains connected to the communities it serves.

Equipping teams to reach customers

Orange Sierra Leone provided additional mobility support to its trade teams, including kekehs, motorbikes and a Hilux vehicle, to strengthen their ability to operate effectively outside Freetown.

The company says the additional mobility is intended to help field teams reach customers and sales partners more efficiently, respond more quickly to market needs and strengthen Orange’s presence across the regions.

The move is also expected to give trade teams greater operational flexibility as they engage communities and business partners in the field.

Local leaders want deeper community investment

The Orange delegation also paid courtesy visits to provincial authorities and other key stakeholders during the tour.

In Port Loko, Makeni and Bo, mayors and local leaders welcomed Touré and congratulated her on her appointment as CEO, while expressing appreciation for Orange Sierra Leone’s engagement with communities.

But the meetings were not simply ceremonial.

Local authorities raised priorities for their respective communities, including calls for Orange to increase its investment in corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives.

Mayors in Port Loko, Makeni and Bo also encouraged the company to explore opportunities to support city beautification projects, arguing that such initiatives could improve the appearance of the cities while creating greater visibility for community development efforts and corporate partners.

Touré assured the authorities, customers and sales partners that the concerns and proposals raised during the tour would be carefully reviewed and considered within the company’s priorities and available resources.

A promise to stay connected

For Orange Sierra Leone, the listening tour represents an attempt to connect corporate decision-making with the realities on the ground.

Touré said the company’s role extends beyond providing telecommunications services, emphasizing its commitment to connectivity, innovation and community development.

“Orange is in Sierra Leone to connect people in every corner of the country and improve lives through reliable connectivity and innovative digital services.”

She added that the company remains committed to working with its partners and communities to address challenges, strengthen its network and improve the quality of service delivered to customers.

The five-day tour also signals a potentially more hands-on approach from the new Orange Sierra Leone leadership — one that places direct engagement at the centre of understanding the market.

For customers, however, the real test will come after the listening.

The concerns raised in markets, offices and meetings across the country will ultimately be measured by what changes customers experience — whether in network quality, service delivery, customer support, business engagement or community investment.

Orange Sierra Leone says it intends to use the feedback gathered during the tour to help shape its priorities for better service delivery, stronger stakeholder relationships and sustainable business growth.

As the company continues its role in Sierra Leone’s digital transformation, Touré’s message from the road appears to be straightforward: listen first, then act.