Hi all
Thanks for challenging me not only with Nonso asking for this but for the wonderful exchanges we have had on career.next. So here is wishing you all and friends more useful exchange on this forum. Customer service profession is going through exciting times in our country now , what with the convening of the Lagos chapter of the International Customer Service Association. Trust you will all be members and help spread the word. Welcome all and lets get cracking. Dele
78 comments:
I'm happy wit this new chatroom. I'm the first to post a comment right? Cool!
Anyhow, i'm really excited about the Customer Care Week coming up and most especially abt the ICSA membership.
I've always dreamed of being part of something BIG and i av this very strong feeling that i av started climbing that ladder. Afterall, Big things always start of small! Rome was not built in a dat!! Little drops of water make a mighty ocean!!! Need i go on??
I hope we can all contribute our best to making this work. Lets prepare a strong foundation for the people coming after us! Remember, it starts wit YOU!
Thank you Iguo. A bar of chocolates for posting the first comment. I am particularly thrilled about the ICSA chapter too. We all need to help in the membership drive- quantity and quality. And then we have the CustomerCare week coming up. Jeannie davis is here for the workshop and the Business Lunch that week. The week of October 6-12.Lets all be part of these activities. Dele
welcome to blogville!
looking 4wd to be part of whatever ICSA has to offer!
I am so glad to be part of something so great.
With this,we are already on the ladder to greatness.
Cu all on top.
Be sure that i am going to collect the chocolate from you. I prefer the white toblerone chocolate. Maltesers is aiight. Otherwise any Dairy milk chocolate with only friuts (NO NUTS) will do!
Wat exactly is supposed to happen during the customer care weekted? I visited www.csweek.com and it seems like an activity in offices.
The CS Week highlights customer issues and events. Companies and service providers decide whatever they want to do . It could be appreciation, it could be giveaways, it could be bonuses for staff etc. You can be as creative as you wish. At Career Forte we will hold a public workshop on the 9th of October and a Business Luncheon on the 10th of October. The luncheon will have as attendeees customer service professionals and enthusiasts. The cswek site gives you ideas to adopt or use as guide. Also to know what others have done in the past.
This is a grt forum.
I am so glad to be part to be identified with something great.
well what's more looking 4wd to what ICSA has to offer during the week!
Bolanle
Laura and all should not just look forward to what CS week has to offer. Rather we are to decide what CSweek will offer. Come up with suggestions for the class and/or help with what Career Forte is planning. Talk to Seyi about helping with the marketing. Now about ICSA. All of us should be members of the ICSA especially with the discount you will get as students at Career Forte. But non students can also become ICSA members. Yoi can be a member of ICSA without joining the Lagos Chapter or any chapter, but you must be a member of ICSA to join an ICSA chapter. Now what this means is that you dont have to join a chapter to retain membership of ICSA. Now, the but is that it is desirable to be both.
please i have a question:Can Service in general be described as customers sharing resourses???
being a PGD student with careerforte is one of its kind and very thrilling,and becoming an ICSA member is also great i mean what more can a girl ask for right, but help me out here, does it mean i automatically become an icsa chapter member as well as well as participating in the cs week?
Ife,please membership of an ICSA chapter is desirable, not automatic. The chapter is a forum for ICSA members to get together. The CS week is a declared week for highlighting customer service issues and you can ce;ebrate this in your company without even been a member of ICSA or a chapter. Pls visit www.csweek.com for ideas.
Nonso, service is also about sharing resources.I use a DELL laptop. DELL like many others has a forum/blog for us to share/exchange experience. Many coys put up customer reviews, feed back and ratings whether positive or negative.
Hi all,
just don't want to be lef out. Hope you guys are informing others about the ICSA Lagos Chapter and also as Dele said anny suggestion about the upcoming CSweek will be higly welcome.
And that reminds me I have not seen any posting from Joseph, Taiwo or Mukhtar??
OK stop!!! This conversation is becoming one sided - present students only - i think!!
So to make it equal, I a pioneer students will say something(s)
hello everyone, my name as displayed is Temitope, am happy to meet you all though online and am so proud to be part of this great wave making team!!
Like Ife said, its an honor!!(by the way that's my second daughter's name though am not sure it means the same thing however its nice to know you if only by name)
To all I say, a big congratulations is in order!!
See you all at the upcoming event however if i can help it, it will be sooner!!
Take Kia!!!
okay, so thanks i do very desire it please tell me what i have to do to become an ICSA chapter member. i also want to be actively involve in the CS week, not celebrating it from my company,get me involved now thanks
Uhhm... nice to read Temitope. A lovely lady, student and mother. She forgot to mention she had the two wonderful babies during her studentship with us-that says a lot. We are baby friendly.Thanks a lot to you and many of your pioneer set. Now as for Ife, here is what you need do to get the chapter membership . First you become a member of the ICSA by registering through us by September 15. Help spread the word and recruit pioneer members for the Lagos chapter to attend an innaugural meeting at date to be announced. Such persons should also endeavour to attend the luncheon scheduled for October 10. We are compiling a list of pioneer chapter members just now.
hii all
whoa!at last am part of this chart room,thanks Ife/iguo for putting me through.wel i paid for my ICSA fee on tuesday9th,i hope am now a qualified member now.my huby is interested in being a member too.datails when we c in class.pls my question is,will there be a certificate to show for being a member?well am so hapi 2 be part of this new development,thumbs-up DELE and all.
Tito u are welcome. You will get a membership certificate. We welcome your husband to ICSA but he will be registered directly with ICSA unless he becomes a student. There are two professional certificates you can get with ICSA- the CSP and the CCSP. You will be qualified the initials after your name. More about this later.
Debby i know you are trying to use this,hope you've gotten a hang of it
This is wishing our very own Dele Babatunde a Happy Birthday and many happy years in return.
Hip Hip Hip.....Hurray!!!!
Knock! Knock!!
WOW I never knew it can be soooo quiet like this.
Any how just want to wish us all the best of luck in our upcoming examination.
babangida,tanks for your mail,ow are we celebrating this festive period,or are there no plans for that?
kindly reply to this mail.
Interestingly... so little chat going on. We have 3 major holiday seasons on hand. Share with us what u are "doing" for your customers this year. i am talking of the personal things you are on to, not the traditional company gifts etc. How about personal letters and emails to them? even messages acknowledging mess ups if u did and promising improved service.Come up with ideas for us all to comment on. Happy holidaysssss
THE UNION BANK GUARDIAN 06/12/08 ARTICLE
Union Bank: Old Stallion In Need Of A Make Over
HUNDREDS of men and women-all the bank's staff, poured out of the two elevators at the bank's headquarters building at the Marina, Lagos, many chatting boisterously, as they left the bank's premises and made their way home. It may well have been closing time at any government ministry in Lagos rather than a bank.
The second oldest bank in the country after First Bank, Union Bank, once an offshoot of the well-known British banking Group, Barclays, prides itself on its rich traditions. Whether these time-honoured rules are yet relevant to this time and age is another matter.
But the rank and file of the bank, including current managing director/chief executive, Barth Ebong take great pride in the financial institution, which has as its symbol - a strong stallion, which appears to keep galloping forward in time ever so strongly. But is it really?
Union Bank is an enigma of sorts. One analyst describes it as a bank "at a cross-roads between the old and new but does not seem able to decide which path to tread."
The brand appears unchanging in over 80 years of its existence. But, that may actually be its goal and perhaps, a matter of deliberate policy -in order to continue in its time-honoured traditions. The bank's longstanding slogan is -- Big, Strong, Reliable.
Bank customers complain about its poor services especially in retail banking. It continues
to support agriculture for which it wins the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN Best Agriculture Financing Bank virtually every year.
The bank has not moved fast enough to automate its retail consumer interface transactions -which puts it many years behind its peers. Ebong himself who rose through the ranks appears reluctant to downsize the old guard teller army who are mainly responsible for the bank's poor retail service delivery image. One absolutely exasperated customer recalls one such encounter with a Union Bank teller. "I wanted to cash a cheque early one morning at the bank, and the teller was sitting in her booth eating from a bowl of rice-her breakfast. When she noticed my look of disapproval over her time-wasting, she asked me whether l had not eaten breakfast at home, and if l didn't want her to eat hers."
The bank's poor service has become something of an industry lore. And often, the butt of jokes by both the banking public, and of course, banking industry insiders hangs in the air. Perhaps, Ebong, partly for self-preservation, would not want to rock the boat.
For example, when Bernard Longe, then newly chief executive of rival First Bank attempted a massive restructuring aimed at improving service delivery that would have booted out the old guard bank tellers, he got a revolt on his hands. Few tellers shed tears when Longe was ousted by the bank's board a short while later.
Last year, a non-plussed Ebong told a group of editors who queried why he had left the 'tally number' system unchanged, and the old tellers in place, unlike most competitors, that 'well, some banks ask you for N200,000 to open an account, but at Union Bank you can open one with just N2,000. So it depends on what you want.'
But even that position has been overtaken by events. Since last year, as competition revved in the post-consolidation banking era, customers can now open accounts for zero deposit in most banks. As a result, Union Bank is seeing its mass market, low end retail banking competitive advantage disappearing, as rivals offer customers more and more enticing packages, says one analyst. Rival First Bank which is also the country's oldest bank has revamped its retail banking system, installing IT infrastructure, including more ATMs and a queuing management system that has brought sanity, so to speak, to a previously chaotic retail banking halls.
This banking dinosaur is nonetheless, not facing extinction any time soon. "The bank is financially strong" says Sunday Ayeni, a banker who works at rival Sterling Bank," its problem is its people who simply refuse to change," he adds.
The bank also has good investments such as a very successful mortgage financing subsidiary, Union Homes Plc. which is almost as big as a bank itself. Last year, Union Homes got listed on the Nigerian Stock Exchange, the first such mortgage institution in the country. Union Bank UK, a subsidiary also appears to be doing well.
But a few years ago, a young banking tiger, Access Bank made a play for the bigger bank, Union Bank, and almost succeeded in its hostile take-over attempt. Jolted out of its complacency by that attempt, the bank's management - then under Godwin Oboh, Ebong's predecessor, sought to raise its core Capital several times. Late in 2004, Oboh undertook a public offer which raised fresh equity of N40 billion for the bank .Last year, Ebong made another attempt to raise fresh equity which was shelved. And given recent lull in the capital market, the bank's management has opted for private placement to raise additional equity of about N100 billon. Some analysts worry over the bank's decision to keep raising fresh equity whereas, it can grow organically through retained profits.
Equally worrisome is the fact that the bank's products pipeline has frizzled in recent years." The bank is not bringing out new products," notes one banker. Other banks have been building and opening new branches all over the country as well as deploying the latest Information and communications Technology at a pace that would soon overtake Union's longstanding extensive branch network, if it doesn't move fast enough .The bank was also missing on the list of leading banks in the country that shared awards at the recent Banker's Magazine awards where rivals such as Zenith Bank, Intercontinental Bank, UBA, Oceanic and GT Bank shone brightly.
No new advertising campaign has come out from the bank in past few years perhaps, reflecting the absence of new products or new branch openings. It would also need to transform its corporate image into a more upscale one. "It is a bank in need of an extreme make over "quips one analyst. But is this banking juggernaut ready for one?
UNION BANK IS IN DIRE STRAITS!!!
Union bank urgently needs a revamping of their entire team starting with top management, middle level management and every othr individual. Thank God i do not have a dim there but i really feel pity for thoe who have and who would have to go through the ordeals and trauma's of withdrawing their money....just like what the writer wrote concerning a customer who went to withdraw money and saw the Teller eating a bowl of rice and when he look in disapproval, the teller asked ''Haven't you eaten your breakfast, let me eat mine'' This is outright insulting, provocative, and unfriendly. It is so unfortunate that Union Bank is in such a deplorable state and their management seems to be enjoying this as highlighted by the report. Let them call people like me to put their customer service department in shape
This really beats me... the comment by the MD Last year, a non-plussed Ebong told a group of editors who queried why he had left the 'tally number' system unchanged, and the old tellers in place, unlike most competitors, that 'well, some banks ask you for N200,000 to open an account, but at Union Bank you can open one with just N2,000. So it depends on what you want.
Does this means N2000 depositors dont deserve common sense service found at our local markets. When you get to the market , the market woman puts aside her food, the Oke-Arin woman puts aside her food. What does the MD really mean by this? That N2000 depositors demand sloppy service..dint know that the tally system still existed anywhere. I have not been to this places of late...Wema, Union, Afribank and the likes. Oh my God!
Compliments of the season 2 You all & the entire members of your families. May this season brings us Joy, Love & Happiness.
Merry Xmas & Happy New Year to all.
Just wanted to be the first to post a comment this year! Hpe so?
To all ur dreams of a good life and the wishes of ur heart. To the prayers on ur lips and every expectation that you have and all that you dare & hope for. To the innumerable blessing of life and the wonderful future ahead of you in the coming year……I wish you all FRUITFULL 2009.
Just a moment, why is the comment I just made showing 31st December 2008, well if my watch deceive me I know my ear won’t cos I can hear the whole of Lagos celebrating.
Lord we thank you for everything.
Happy new year to you Mr. President and to all your guys. hope you have some suprise planned for us this year?
There is VERY LITTLE customer service in the US . The rest of the world is just as bad. The problem is almost every CEO believes they provide great customer service. Richard Anderson the CEO of Delta Airlines constantly talks to the media about how important customer service is and how committed they are. This is all hype… or at best , very unrealistic .
http://www.usatoday.com/travel/flights/2009-01-13-air-travel-passenger-complaints_N.htm?loc=interstitialskip
To read the article copy or cut the link and place in your web browser.
Its called "The Most Recommended Bank in the World". It has no branches. It pays you to move over your account. It pays you to move away your account if not satisfied with its services. It has no branches. Its the bank that sought its key staff from the "nursing industry". www.firstdirect.com
Just a thought-provoking question: How many of us have received 'disservice' in 9ja in recent times? Did you realise you had not been served properly?
Tolu said..
if every CEO believes they give the best customer service, well they can't be so sure, it depends on the customer, according to peter drucker quotable quotes "quality in a service or product is not what you put into it. it is what the client or customer gets out of it".
Many dont know they are not properly served because their expectations are low. They see tokens of service as a favour and not as a right.I hear this often " It is not my duty (it is not our department) ... I am just helping you." the next time you suffer some disservice in any organisation ask to see the most senior officer around even the MD and come share your experiences with us. "Why do u...? Do you have an appointment...? You cant see our manager just like that..." etc.Even in the non formal sector try asking to see "your madam".
Thats been well said. In my opinion, I think that's why 'disservice' has pervaded our society for this long! So many don't know their 'right'. People spend their hard earned money with a subservient attitude! Thank God a new generation of customers are arising in 9ja, who are saying enough is enough! Customers are the reason why we wake up everyday to go to work; they are the reasons why we put up companies; they pay our salaries et al. Wake up y'all and say no to 'Disservice' after all, its your money you are spending and you deserve the utmost value for it!
Just another point here: the sad truth is that if you don't know you are getting 'Disservice', more often than not, you won't provide service to your customers either! You can't give what you don't know you ought to give or not give!
As they say, you cant give what you dont have. Studies and reality shows we are 95% customers to others and only 5% of the time are people our customers. So we keep multiplying "disservice" 100% of the time whichever cap we wear. And when we see average service we see it as exceptional; and we see exceptional we cant believe it or think there is a catch to it.
Hi everyone,
i am delighted to be part of this forum, this forum has really opned my eyes to so many thing i ignore in customerserviice, it is a wonderful place to be. i encourage everyone esp. our senior collegues to share relevant informations with us. we will definitely make a difference as a team.
thanks all.
Hi everyone,
I am delighted to be part of this forum, it is a wonderful place to be.i have learnt a whole lot things that is helping me in my place of work. i see us changing this country in the nearst future, keep ur light shining don't hesitate to forward any useful information to others.
Welcome Precious.And thanks for your optimism and words of encouragement. Look forward to your future postings.
finlly i get the blog rite. Am hppy to participte and express myself,tlk about my job and feel good about it because there is someone who understands wht i am experiencing and can help.i used to think customer service was just about taliking nice talking right with a smile... its a differnt ball game believe me. this realisation i give kudos to mr dele;your passion alone makes the class an intresting one. i've got 2suggestions,more videos which would promote class paticipation and more and shorter break periods;say,10 mins every 2 hours.this promotes assimilation and reduces boredom and lack of concentration. wht do you think? looking forward to the next class.
Naomi
I finally catch up with u. Thanks for your kind words and will work on your comments and suggestion with all our classes. We got off today with the second batch of CSd students. Exciting crowd they are.
My name is Christie.I am so glad to be part of the CSD that took off on Sat. 8th Aug. 2009. It was quite interesting, though i got tired at a point because i was not too prepared for the long hours, coupled with the fact that i did not know when the class would end. I later got to know anyway before the end of the class and i felt a little relived. I believe the next class would be a lot better because i will be more prepared for the classes.
Well done Mr. Dele.
I would like to suggest that:
(a) classes should always start and end at the stipulated time because of other engagements.
(b) all facilities be up and running before the commencement of each class.
(c) break periods be specified and students notified.
Thank you so much, looking forward to my 2nd class.
wow.it a deal to be part of this organisation,and am glad i was able to do this....could u pls expanciate more on it,i would really want to knw more abt it
awesome
Evelyn hi. This blog site is sponsored by www.careerforteng.com We run certification programmes in customer service. A diploma, a post graduate diploma and online programmes from the Customer Service Training Institute based in New York, USA. The blogsite is open to all and any memeber of the public to discuss customer service issues and events.Are you joining us in class soon?
Gudafternoon Sir,
I'm very happy to be part of the second batch of CSD.I pray that God will give you more wisdom cos i see careerforte going places.I'v attended two classes and they were interesting.I always look forward to saturdays cos i bliv i will learn something new.Pls continue to show kindness,this i've noticed in u.Thanks 4 giving me dis opportunity at d diploma level to understand customer service.
SEUN USMAN
Welcome Seun. we pray and hope to get better.
Big tanx to the man who is imparting into our live. The CSDpt2 students are gonna make you proud sir.
cos we are being mentored by a great man, we are going to be great.
Thank u Busola. We can only shine by making each and every one of u shine.
Gudafternoon Sir,I hope u had a lovely weeknd?Just within three weeks of attending lectures,people have started asking me if i am a customer service executive bcos of the way i communicate with them.Isn't it amazing.Looking forward to learn more in other to enhance my communication skills and also to achieve the aim why i enrolled for the programme.Have a lovely week.
Seun Usman
Seun, I wish all of us a great week ahead.
Hi all. Can you guess which bank this comment is about?
"thats not a bank! fortunately i dont bank with them, where you looking for a local government council office in an arid region?
most of their staff are so primitive, the mode of operation primitive, dress code primitive, that gives you a clue of what to expect when you do transactions with them. they have good sides anyway which am yet to see." Will okay whoever gets the answer.
Hello All,
finally i have the opportunity to share my view... i want use this medium to appreciate Dele and his Team for their friendly approach in carrying out their activities,KUDOS!!! Team.
for my classmates, its intresting to see how intractive the class is becoming. i just like the zeal in my fellow youths. lets keep the zeal on fellas...
generally for me its a whole pack of experience and an opportunity to meet great people. hope to see you all at the next class.
Dele,
i think you are referring to First bank.
Edozie hi. No comments for now as to whether u got the bank right or wrong. Lets hear from others.My yes or no will let the name out too soon.
Hi Sir,Happy Independence.I think the bank in question is Union Bank.Lvly Weekend.
Seun Usman
Hi all. I will announce the BANK sometime next week. how I wish more people get the bug of this blogsite though.
For me the CSD programm as been helpful on the job
thanks
I just discovered why I keep back to some service providers despite the fact that service delivery is bad last week from class work.Because I'm RATIONAL Individual.It was really impactful for me.I also noticed something different with lecturing style of a woman.It was a good one for me.
Rola, nice to know this is impacting your work. Na wao about the lecturing style of a woman.Perhaps I should retire.
Its really encouraging to know that the customer service drive, initiative et al is finally gathering momentum especially here in 9ja.
Re: Mr Babs comments on the primitive bank, what is amazing is that Union bank is not just the only bank still operating in the dark ages - at least its obvious to all eyes that they are primitive.
What is more worrisome is the bank or should I say banks having a facade of modernisation but with primitive back-end processes!
Back-end processes such as having to obtain a police report before you can hot-list a missing credit/debit card; all these old-fashioned 'dark-grey', 'dark-black', 'dark-brown' suits we have to wear! Even funeral attendes don't come blackened anymore!
I bet some of us don't know there's no reason to sign all over our cheques before they can be presented to the cashier, yet they stand to be returned if not signed-up!
Processes such as 2/3months to get a replacement debit card; God help us on the new Verve Card - waiting time is something else!
At least Union bank has a tally system, yet going to some of these new age banks for transactions can take as much as 3/4 hours. Thats half-a-day's holiday that needs to be taken to do banking business.
So Union Bank hasn't improved on their product offerings; is it any better for those churning out products on the fly that they can't keep up with or measure the rate of customer adoption?
How many of us have visited bank branches to enquire about a specific product that had been seemingly advertised all over the country and yet the customer service personnel was unknowledgable and unable to assist the customer in their enquiry!
Truth be said, there's a lot of dead wood in the environment, with minimal sanctions / rewards system. Change becomes a chore in such scenarios.
Lets call a spade a spade, there's still a whole lot of work to be done in our service industries before anyone call claim to have arrived at being customer-centric!
I promided to name the bank,its Union Bank. And please , its not my comment I got it from this link http://www.nairaland.com/nigeria/topic-155959.0.html
Lola makes a good point here.i.e. we already know some as primitive true and true. The danger is in those who are primitive but cover or make up with some cosmetics.
hi all i am glad to be identified with something great, guys i must tell you i really enjoied my class last week with LOLA she is cool.
Many thanks for the compliments Lizzy! Hope you gained something tangible from the class.
im hapy to be part of this CSD.ive really learnt alot from it.althou' nt worknx wit it, i knw i am definitely gettnx a job wit it.if any has a job for me anywy u can let me kw.i realy enjyd Lola's class.she's good when it comes to teaching.Dele pls dnt be jealous is jst a woman tin u kw!CONGRATS!!! to all my fellas in ADVANCE!!! for our upcoming exams on saturday.May GOD help us all.
Hi all. You may want to read this link. Written about UBA by an insider though:http://www.vanguardngr.com/2009/12/06/leveraging-on-service-excellence-to-create-a-customer-centric-bank/
Happy new year to all. Career Forte had a splendid 2009 what with the launch of or Customer Service Diploma in Lagos and Ibadan. There is great news for 2010 already as we are in top gear to be in ABUJA by March. May all aspirations and yours come out well this year and always.
Hi all i guess am the first to post a comment on this blog this year, well kudos to me. I don't need anyone to convinced me that i had a great time in the PGD class, and with my head full of ideas, I can't wait to explode. thank Dele for this wonderful program.
Again! friends let prepare to be the best set Career Forte has ever produced, lets ask for God's grace to excel in our forth coming exams.
Amen and thank you for your kind words.
This is to commend Career Forte for the PGD Program. The 2 weekends I'd spent in class has added so much to me and I must thank Mr. Babatunde, Lola & Prof for their training (for me its beyond lecture). Looking fwd to other facilitators sessions.
'Jide Adeyemi
I don't know if I am the first of our class to post a comment, but reading this first one, a box of chocolates would be welcome!
I don,t think we have discussed the ICSA Lagos chapter in class. I would love to know more about it.
God knows the customer service message needs to be noised far and wide. It's unfortunate that Nigerians themselves generally have learned not to expect excellent service. but I know that people are becoming more exposed so, not only is it a great opportunity for companies to take advantage of this, I think anyone would know good service when they see it.
I look forward to learning more from subsequent comments. Let your voice be heard!
Thanks TP. You are obviously the first to make a post from your class.ICSA membership is open to individuals and you can register at their site if you qualify. Our students qualify though. Now a chapter on the other hand is made up only of ICSA members, so you must be an ICSA member to become a member of a chapter. We had wanted to spearhead the launch of the Lagos chapter for which we in fact got approval but just dint have enough drive over this. Is any one ready to help? The proposed newsletter should help drum this up. I am quiet about the chocolates...uhmm you do desrve much more so its on me.
THE EXPERIENCE WAS COOL , KEEP IT UP SOON AND VERY SOON IT WILL BE HOUSE HOLD NAME IN CUSTOMER SERVICE TRAINING IN NIGERIA
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