Experts Harp On Importance Of Excellent Customer Services
L-R: Mr. Ben Ujoatuonu, MD/CEO Universal Insurance; Mrs. Joyce Ojemudia, MD/CEO African Alliance Insurance; Mr. Ganiyu Musa, MD/CEO Cornerstone Insurance/Chairman Nigerian Insurers Association (NIA); Mrs. Nkechi Naeche-Esezobor, MD/CEO BusinessToday Communication; Mrs Idu Okwuosa-Okeahialam MD/CEO Access Pension Custodian; and Dr. Biodun Adedipe, Chief consultant, B Adedipe Associates, at the 6th BusinessToday Conference in Lagos.
Experts who spoke recently at the 6th edition of the Business Today Communication conference in Lagos have called on operators in the insurance and pension sectors in Nigeria to give more attention to the way they treat their customers.
Managing Director/CEO, African Alliance Insurance Plc, Joyce Ojuemudia, in her remarks emphasized the imperative of excellent customer services to business growth, adding that “In today’s Insurance and Pensions Businesses, which are businesses of promise (intangible), customer experience is critical to business performance, growth and sustainability.”
The theme of the conference was “Prioritizing Excellent Customer Services In Insurance and Pension Businesses.”
Ojemudia who is also the President, of the Professional Insurance Ladies Association (PILA) said “the consequences of below standard or poor customer experience can easily be shared through social media and can be This is so fragile that a poorly handled claim, a slight error of staff captured on a mobile phone, a nonchalant phone call, or a laid back email can be escalated into a brand-damaging crisis.
“Prioritizing customer experience is not just about reducing the risk of customer service mishap, adding that it is indeed a way for companies in competitive markets like ours, to distinguish their brands.
“Ladies and gentlemen, I stress that in order for us as insurers and pension businesses to functionally prioritize customer experience, we need to think from the customer’s perspective.
“To carry out our business with the understanding that a customer does not draw a distinction between an agent, a marketer, a claims adjuster or brand manager, as all represent the insurer in the event of an accident or a critical situation that requires our service.
“Today’s customers are very demanding and value-centric, so there is a need for the insurance and pensions businesses to brace up and be continually dynamic in their approach in terms of quality service and value creation.
“Maintaining trust is very fundamental to today’s business environment and a solid customer service is imperative to achieve this. Satisfactory customer service is vital to the existence of any business including insurance and pensions,” she added.
While noting the prime place of insurance and pension in the growth of any nation, she call on operators in the two sectors to see excellent customer services as key to their business survival and growth.
she said Nigeria as a nation could not do without insurance and pension adding that prioritizing excellent customers services will help in ensuring the survival of the two sectors.
The Managing Director/CEO of Access Pension Fund Custodian, Mrs Idu Okwuosa-Okeahialam, who represented the Chief Executive Officer of the Pension Fund Operators Association of Nigeria (PenOp), Oguche Agudah at the event, noted the importance of insurance and pension in the growth of any nation.
She said Nigeria as a nation cannot do without insurance and pension, adding that prioritizing excellent customers services will help in ensuring the survival of the two sectors, noting that excellent customer services will help tremendously in deepening growth in both sectors.
Earlier in her welcome address, the Publisher/CEO, Business Today, Nkechi Naeche-Esezobor, said the Business Today annual conference, is one of those avenues the company is contributing its quotas to the growth and development of the insurance and pension sector.
“Today, our rapidly changing environment, mostly due to the impact of the pandemic, has completely turned around the definition of customer service. The industry is expected to shift gears by prioritizing quality customer service for the insurance and pension industries.” Nkechi stated.
Speaking further she said, “As the world changes, the way we work changes too, adding that as your company. As your company grows, customer support inquiries grow with it.
“Customers need to know that accessing their retirement benefits will not be an issue when they retire, even as policyholders will appreciate the quick and prompt response to claims lodgments.”
