Tuesday 3 July 2012

NOTHING TO WRITE HOME ABOUT: Customer care and Service delivery in Nigeria


Service delivery is about delivering your services as effectively as possible to the satisfaction and delight of the customer.
If there is one thing lacking in most industries in Nigeria, I must tell you is good customer care and service delivery. One thing that still perplexes me till date is how they treat you like trash neglecting the fact that you paid for the service. I doubt if there is anyone in this country that have not been treated this way, the president of the country I guess.
The power of a pen, they say is mightier than the sword and this morning I am gonna wield mine against these industries that offer the worst customer care and service delivery in Nigeria because it is the only tool I have.
There are so many industries at fault here but I have taken my time to pick out some that are really good at giving you shit for your money, they take you for granted, treat you like trash. I present to you the TOP 3 INDUSTRIES that offer the worst customer care and service delivery in Nigeria.

EATERIES: It is only in Nigeria that we queue to eat the food we pay for. The way eateries in Nigeria attend to customers pisses me off. They have this mentality “they are hungry so we can treat them anyway we like or oh! look at these beggars” I went to SHOPRITE some months ago to get some groceries so I decided to buy rice and chicken because I was famished, after queuing for like 10mins I was finally attended to by this chick and when she brought my food, it was as cold as my late grandmother’s body. I returned the food insisting that she warm up the food. I waited for another 10mins and when she brought the food, OMG!!! It was as if she dumped the food in the freezer, I requested for my money, I activated the ‘craze’ I had in me. I did not let anybody buy food until I was refunded my money.
GSM Networks: I don’t even think they know what customer care means, sometimes I wonder if those they have at the customer care service are well trained. Many Nigerians are victims of these guys but we are complacent so we suffer in silence. You recharge your phone and call for less than a minute and by the time you check your account balance it is as empty as I don’t know. You can’t make a phone call in some places in Nigeria because the reception is bad and they tell you they are everywhere you go. Hardly will you see a Nigerian that has not had similar experience with these GSM networks. One thing that has always worked for me is that I always stood my ground.
Early this year I subscribed to the BIS, the unlimited monthly plan on one of this GSM networks but they yanked me off after a day. I called the customer care helpline series of time with different voices telling me the same bullshit that there is nothing they can do about it. I was so pissed that I decided to visit their head office on the Island; I even had to queue before I was finally attended to. When I explained to the guy in charge, he collected my phone and checked some things and he was like “sir there is nothing we can do about it” (I so love this part) “WHAT!!” I shouted after waiting for like 2hrs? I hit his table with my fist. I was so ready to fight anyone. I just kept shouting and screaming. Trust me after 10mins of ‘craze’ my data plan was restored and I was given another one month extra.
BANKS: Yes banks. They surely deserve this spot. If there is any industry in Nigeria that would treat you like trash anytime, any day, it is the banking industry.
Nigerian banks have come to take customer care for granted so much that their services have now become so incompetent. You go to Nigerian banks to make transactions and you would be told there is no network; you queue for hours before you can deposit cash, when you take a complaint to the bank you have to wait another 2weeks before it is being considered.
Even online banking is nothing to write home about in Nigeria, we are scared of the ATM machines, your account get debited without you getting no cash.
When it comes to service delivery and customer care in Nigerian banks every family has a story to tell.
There are other industries that I have not mentioned; the Aviation industry (airports and airlines) - remember DANA? Hell yeah! The Nigerian police, PHCN-they give you bills without supplying electricity. Even the government- we pay taxes and #99 for fuel and we get nothing, not even good roads. You miss a flight, you pay extra. The flight get canceled, they don’t pay you.
WHAT CAN WE DO?
The reason why these industries take us for granted is because we keep quiet. Sometimes it is not about the money, it is the principle. We have to stand on your ground. You can’t just shut up while they treat you like trash, it is a service they are offering and you paid for it.
One think that always works for me is ‘craze’, maybe you should stick to it to.