SIH staff begin business year with customer training
Management and Staff of Start Innovation Hub kicked off the 2025 business year with customer training.
The training which is part of activities designed to ensure excellent service delivery and the attainment of organisational goals in the new year had all staff in attendance.
Speaking during the training session on “Excelling Through Customer Service”, Chief Executive Officer, Gainmore Consulting, Mrs Susan Umo said good customer service builds trust and customer satisfaction.
Umo stated that since customer service is the core of any business, it was important for staff of SIH to be intentional about relating with both its internal and external customers in a manner that would attract and sustain patronage to the organisation.
She explained that for SIH to remain relevant, the staff must be ready to do things that other service providers were not doing, adding that good customer service was one of the ways to keep SIH doors open.
“Customer service is the perception formed during a customer’s experience, which is compared to their initial expectations.
“Exceptional customer service is the highest level of customer service. Businesses and organisations that provide exceptional customer service go above and beyond customer expectations” she stated.
The CEO said learning how to communicate properly to prospective customers was needed in customer service, and charged staff to be empathetic to customers, and communicate with them in a relaxed posture, nod with acknowledgement when the customer was talking, maintain good eye contact, smile, and show concern.
She advocated the use of the PLEASURE model of complaints to solve customer related problems which include: preparing a mental attitude, listening while customer talks, establishing the problem, apologise and empathise, solve the problem, understand customer position, react and report, and ensure customer issues are dealt with and followed as agreed.
While speaking, Chief Executive Officer, Start Innovation Hub, Mr Hanson Johnson said the exercise was borne out of the realisation that many businesses in Akwa Ibom State have poor customer service.
Johnson said the training was designed to ensure that SIH becomes known for excellent customer service, saying it was one of the first steps in the realisation of the organisation’s 2025 business goal.
“Everyone blames everyone but have not taken the initiative to change. Apart from banks, I cannot say there is any company in Uyo that has customer service.
“I want people to come to start Innovation Hub to learn customer service. Consciously, we want to take customer service to the next level. It should start from us,” he stated.
Staff members applauded the exercise saying besides the lessons learnt, it has equipped them with the tools needed to be successful in the business year.