SERVICE QUALITY

In most cases, service quality is a tool in the hands of businesses worldwide to gain an upper hand or a competitive advantage over other players in the same industry. However, as is so often the case, what works well everywhere else doesn’t quite seem to hold much water in Nigeria.

In both our private and public institutions, service quality is generally poor. No!! This is an understatement!! In the private sector, it is generally poor, but in the public sector it is horrific! I don’t need to think too hard to come up with dozens of examples of where service is so poor in the public sector. Some are PHCN, the Police, the Customs service, the civil service and so on and so forth.

I once called the number given on my power utility bill to complain that I had not had power, more often referred to as “light”, for 3 weeks. Rather than take down my details and dispatch someone to ascertain what the problem was, the phcn customer services manager simply said “…eh, eh. You will have to come o, so that we can discuss…” I was taken aback! I retorted, “…I’m sorry. I am calling from my office and I am busy and can’t make time out to come physically. I thought that was why a complaint number was put on the bill, besides what do I need to come to your office for?”. The lady at the other end simply said “…until you come now. After all you are not the only one living in that area without light. Someone else should come!” At this point, I decided there was nothing to gain in continuing the discussion. I excused myself and got of the phone!!

No doubt, this is reflective of the Nigerian society. No one wants to do his job anymore except some gratification is paid, a favour done etc. For how long will we continue like this? For how long will we continue to kill this country? Funny enough, we are all quick to point a finger and complain when others are doing the wrong thing or when we don’t get appropriate service elsewhere, but we usually do the same things and deny others the same service quality we expect for ourselves when the tables are turned. We complain about corruption in this country, but we are quick to offer a policeman N100 rather than regularise out vehicle particulars. We are quick to bribe customs officials to approve fake documents to underpay duties, rather than declare the right value and pay the proper amount. Remember, when you point one finger, four others are pointing right back at you!