Having had the opportunity to visit other countries and experienced top-notch service from customer care personnel, it’s with great dismay that I say attendants in the service business in Nigeria are lacking in good communication skills, customer relations and zero knowledge of the company/ organisation they represent. From the banking sector, telecommunications, hospitality, tech-repairs firm and many others… I’m appalled at the way courtesy is thrown out of the window.
Out of Naija, one is met with a smile from the customer care reps and inquiry on how best they could help you with whatever service one came in for. I can start with a list of nonchalant attitude, rude behaviour and most times uncouth ways they attend to customers, especially the female ones.
Several months ago, my Infinix Zero 3 phone fell inside water and I put it inside raw rice as advised and it came on after some hours, but could not use the phone as it requested for a privacy protection code that I had forgotten. So, last week, I went to the Infinix Care Centre at Computer Village, Ikeja (company responsible for the Infinix and Tecno brand of phones) to fix the phone.
When I got there, the female securtiy personnel asked what I wanted, told her my dilemma..she directed me to the reception where a lot of people were waiting in line to get their phones repaired, and asked I talk to one of the ladies who were attending to the complaints. When I approached one of them and repeated why I was there, she first said that the company do not have the material to fix the phone, I was taken aback and asked if that wasn’t the reason the Care Centre was opened in the first place. She then directed me to the software section. Met quite a number of people there waiting as well, in a poorly ventilated area (the cooling system was on, but blowing suffocating air 😡, while the standing fan was off), and they were sweating while using their hands and handkerchiefs to kool off. My God😠!!
No one to attend to someone when one enters, had to ask another customer whether there was a number to be picked for my turn..he replied no, that I should just meet one of d personnel, which I did. She said that there was no way she could repair the phone as that particular series of the phone has been phased out. I told her it doesn’t matter, since it was still the company’s product, it should be fixed. She asked that I should go get the phone pack it came with when I purchased the phone, told her it has since been disposed of.. she responded that there was nothing she could do about it..asked her if I was to throw the phone away, she said “well, maybe, as no option of repair”. This is Nigeria and it’s only in this country this can happen.
The other attendants were also not helping saying “madam, what do you want us to do, we don’t produce such anymore, no material, pls I’ve answered you, I can’t help you”. The manner at which they were even responding to enquiries and complaints would leave a sour taste in one’s mouth.😈
On my way out, the security personnel gave me someone’s number who happened to be a software engineer that has a small kiosk just next to the massive Infinix building, who eventually fix the phone in less than 30minutes…after explaining what the problem was to me and giving me different options of how to fix it so as to get my go-ahead and be aware of the charges. What a whole company could not do by ensuring that the employees who are paid to give good service to those who buy their products, an unknown engineer so-to-speak did with good customer relations added.
Hung out with a friend a while back and the waitress that waited on us was very rude and nonchalant in discharging her duties. So many instances and I wonder what could be the problem; low-pay, personal issues that reflect in the work attitude or just plain laziness could be the ish…Sighs😤
I do wish people interact more and travel out of their comfort zones as the case may be…to see how they can better themselves and their environments.
Not forgetting to wish all great dads out there a Happy Father’s Day.
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Pictures credit: Google
2talesisters 
Couldn’t agree with you more. Customer care ethics are nonexistent in Nigeria. Everywhere you go,no matter the industry or sector, it’s the same. People need proper training and reorientation in this area.
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True dear, but as is the case the organizations do not see a problem in it, it’s like a norm so even when you point out these shortcomings, you seem like an over complaining customer. Sad though
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Lolz..
I feel u dear. It was as if I was a nag when I was asking questions.
When I insisted that I should be given the company’s Twitter handle, to lay my complaint as that would get faster and courteous response since social media may be their un-doing, one of them quickly sat up and said ‘Hehn, no need nau..I will give you the customer’s care hotline, maybe I could get a better response”🙄..
Lots of Naija people need a reawakening of the mind.
Tee..
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Absolutely.
Guess those of us who still believe in ethics and doing thing’s right will not be deterred and continue to push for better service and good customer relations.
Tee..
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Well said.
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I have had a firsthand experience with Nigerians and other nationality. My experience at an indigenous company for a job interview and in a multi-National company was totally different. The latter being humane than the former. The multi-national company knowing the interview is going to be a long haul provided us with 2 breaks; for tea in the morning and lunch.
I was amazed at how we were treated. If a prospective employee could be treated as such, then a full staff would be in paradise.
Every sector in Nigeria needs some kind of mental revamp. Not just customer care Unit.
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I can quite relate to your experience, been in such a similar scenario.
You are quite apt on the revamping.
Tee..
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Hi Tee,
Read through and two issues come to mind.
First, the issue of product support, after-sales service and warranties. It is a norm for electronic goods companies to promise/offer a period of warranty or product support to users of their products. This can range between six months to two years or even more for products like automobiles, high-end luxury items, etc. Usually, during this period, and depending on the contract between company and customer, the company promises or guarantees some service, repairs or replacement of products or damaged/faulty items.
The particular issue you described, however, has to do with product support, but, it is obvious they may have discontinued production of your phone type/model, hence their response and unwillingness to attend to you.
The second issue is your focus and main grouse: customer service/customer relations. It is also very clear that that particular company lacks it; indeed it applies also to most product and service organisations operating in Nigeria.
Many organisations operating in Nigeria, whether sole businesses, private companies or public institutions, do not see the need to enforce and maintain grood customer relations. In fact, it seems that the concept is alien to them, and whenever you are given such “good treatment” it is a privilege and you should be happy as the are doing you a favour — their exact orientation. The concept of customer being king is exactly what it is to them: a concept, not something to be promoted or implemented.
Actually, the fact is, not that they do not understand the concept of customer relations, but it is just not a priority. The focus is mainly to get the sales done. But they do not quite understand that they can achieve much more sales if they strive to make a customer happy and satisfied every single time he/she walks through their doors or buys their product/service. Even in some businesses where this concept is espoused, their employees do not care enough to follow through, and most times there is no one (like a quality control officer/manager) tasked with the responsibility of checking the quality of customer service or customer relations that staff of such organisations mete out to customers and prospects alike. So sad!
Indeed Nigerian businesses are a product of the disorganisation and lack of follow-through that we have in this country, although it must be mentioned here that there are a fair few companies that believe in and promote this concept and as a result, are better for it.
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I understand ur posit Andrew concerning my phone model ..being that the series has been canceled..I expected better explanation from them not giving me attitude and saying I could as well throw it away since there was nothing they could do abt it.
How come a software engineer was able to fix it in less than 30mins when the company itself had a software engineer who was meant to cater for such software issues..?
We really need a total reorientation on how to give customers good satisfaction for any service ..paid for or even freebies..
Tee..
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The company’s engineers must work within the confines of the organisation’s policy. It may be their policy to only fix phones that are still under the company’s after sales support as directed by management.
After all, if they continue to attend to issues on older phone models, how will they sell their newer costlier ones?
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Nice!
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Nice blog
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