You walk into a shop, store or office in the UK and the attendant welcomes you with a smile followed typically by “hi, can I help you?” or “hi, you ‘alrigh’?” After the exchange of pleasantries, they proceed to help you with whatever you want. Even the cashiers are very helpful and they
attend to your shopping needs. In USA, they also have a similar pattern and they are quite nice and friendly. I remember when I was in a retail store in USA and I was trying to figure out which coins to pay, (they have so many types and it’s quite confusing) the cashier knew I was struggling and he offered to help me sort out the coins which was very helpful. Such professionalism is not limited to the big shops and stores as even the smaller one-man business also share a similar etiquette. The one man business may not necessarily smile to you but they are more than helpful and would try to assist you, after all, they do need and appreciate your patronage.

In Nigeria however, except for some big or multinational companies (I will come back to that), customer service in Nigeria is a different ball game and is nearly non-existent. I’m not talking about just having a customer service officer or having a customer service team, it is beyond the title that says ‘customer service’. It seems to me that to enjoy good customer service, you have to go to an expensive place because that is where the crème de la crème of the society frequent and the owners cannot afford to have a bad review by its clientele because of the misbehaviour of a staff.

Last year my partner visited Nigeria and we went to a lot of nice places and hotels and one of them was Radisson Blu Anchorage Hotel in Lagos. This hotel is a perfect example of excellent customer service as I was amazed from the security at the gate to the reception and the staff at the restaurant. The staff did their job well and I did tip some of them generously for an excellent job. However, when you think about it, those who can afford such places are usually the big boys and girls of the society but would they be treated the same if they don’t appear rich? I think customer service and ‘eye service’ work hand in hand in Nigeria and I have a perfect example.

During our (my partner and I) tour of Lagos, we visited a popular hotel in Ikeja and it was quite different from Radisson Blu. We got to the reception and a man (looked rich) walked in and the attendants all chorused “welcome to … hotel”. I wondered why they didn’t sing for me (maybe it’s because I don’t look rich). I also remember a story on nairaland (https://www.nairaland.com/3591539/nigerian-man- humiliated-bank- over) of how a customer at a bank was humiliated by the staff and security because they wanted him to vacate his seat for a white
man. I have loads of examples but I can only write a few so as not to bore you. Some say it is eye service but to me it is just outrageous and the list goes on. You walk into businesses and the receptionist is busy eating and not paying attention to you until you call their attention. Some of them will even ask you “from where” instead of “how can I help you”.
Sometimes you go to a shop and after trying to get a bargain for an inflated commodity, the owner of the shop insults you saying “if you no wan buy abeg carry your wahala dey go”. This is rather unfortunate though but that is the Nigeria we know and love. Someone once said it is because Nigerians are naturally rude and they don’t care unless you look wealthy. This may be true but it is
always nice to be treated well when you go out.

The truth is that Customer service is the face of an organisation (from small to multinational) and it is very important front desk personnel or customer service officers to be properly trained to handle people in a proper manner so as to be able to encourage patronage and even referrals. Since my time in Radisson Blu, I still can’t shut up about it. Now that is what excellent customer service does to you.


Kindly share your experience in the comment section.


(This article is not a generalisation and is based solely on the authors experience)

Its not easy to wear a fake smile and pretend to be courteous to people who just want to make your day hell...

Customer care agents would frustrate your life in Naija if you don't have money

smartty68:
Customer care agents would frustrate your life in Naija if you don't have money

Azzin. They would just make you useless

This brilliant article needs to make FP
lalasticala Seun Mynd44 Freiburger , r231


Nigeria's servicom agency barely gets it right, how will others perform?

This excessive eulogy of the rich & foreigners irritates the rich themselves; makes one appear destitute/desperate

That 'From where' ish is something else.
I just say Armageddon/space when on a lighter mood hahahaa

souljaboi51:
You walk into a shop, store or office in the UK and the attendant welcomes you with a smile followed typically by “hi, can I help you?” or “hi, you ‘alrigh’?” After the exchange of pleasantries, they proceed to help you with whatever you want. Even the cashiers are very helpful and they
attend to your shopping needs. In USA, they also have a similar pattern and they are quite nice and friendly. I remember when I was in a retail store in USA and I was trying to figure out which coins to pay, (they have so many types and it’s quite confusing) the cashier knew I was struggling and he offered to help me sort out the coins which was very helpful. Such professionalism is not limited to the big shops and stores as even the smaller one-man business also share a similar etiquette. The one man business may not necessarily smile to you but they are more than helpful and would try to assist you, after all, they do need and appreciate your patronage.

In Nigeria however, except for some big or multinational companies (I will come back to that), customer service in Nigeria is a different ball game and is nearly non-existent. I’m not talking about just having a customer service officer or having a customer service team, it is beyond the title that says ‘customer service’. It seems to me that to enjoy good customer service, you have to go to an expensive place because that is where the crème de la crème of the society frequent and the owners cannot afford to have a bad review by its clientele because of the misbehaviour of a staff.

Last year my partner visited Nigeria and we went to a lot of nice places and hotels and one of them was Radisson Blu Anchorage Hotel in Lagos. This hotel is a perfect example of excellent customer service as I was amazed from the security at the gate to the reception and the staff at the restaurant. The staff did their job well and I did tip some of them generously for an excellent job. However, when you think about it, those who can afford such places are usually the big boys and girls of the society but would they be treated the same if they don’t appear rich? I think customer service and ‘eye service’ work hand in hand in Nigeria and I have a perfect example.

During our (my partner and I) tour of Lagos, we visited a popular hotel in Ikeja and it was quite different from Radisson Blu. We got to the reception and a man (looked rich) walked in and the attendants all chorused “welcome to … hotel”. I wondered why they didn’t sing for me (maybe it’s because I don’t look rich). I also remember a story on nairaland (https://www.nairaland.com/3591539/nigerian-man- humiliated-bank- over) of how a customer at a bank was humiliated by the staff and security because they wanted him to vacate his seat for a white
man. I have loads of examples but I can only write a few so as not to bore you. Some say it is eye service but to me it is just outrageous and the list goes on. You walk into businesses and the receptionist is busy eating and not paying attention to you until you call their attention. Some of them will even ask you “from where” instead of “how can I help you”.
Sometimes you go to a shop and after trying to get a bargain for an inflated commodity, the owner of the shop insults you saying “if you no wan buy abeg carry your wahala dey go”. This is rather unfortunate though but that is the Nigeria we know and love. Someone once said it is because Nigerians are naturally rude and they don’t care unless you look wealthy. This may be true but it is
always nice to be treated well when you go out.

The truth is that Customer service is the face of an organisation (from small to multinational) and it is very important front desk personnel or customer service officers to be properly trained to handle people in a proper manner so as to be able to encourage patronage and even referrals. Since my time in Radisson Blu, I still can’t shut up about it. Now that is what excellent customer service does to you.


Kindly share your experience in the comment section.


(This article is not a generalisation and is based solely on the authors experience)


https://viewpointng..com.ng/2017/09/the-death-of-customer-service-in-nigeria.html

Rebekkah:
This brilliant article needs to make FP
lalasticala Seun Mynd44 Freiburger , r231


Nigeria's servicom agency barely gets it right, how will others perform?

This excessive eulogy of the rich & foreigners irritates the rich themselves; makes one appear destitute/desperate

That 'From where' ish is something else.
I just say Armageddon/space when on a lighter mood hahahaa

Thanks for the kind words �