An annual survey known as the Nigeria Customer Service Index (NCSI) has ranked the telecoms sector as one of the sectors with major improvements in customer satisfaction.
The NCSI made this known on Monday in Lagos during a news conference organised to discuss its 2024 report on the state of customer service in Nigeria.
The report ranked the telecoms sector alongside other sectors such as the public sector, healthcare, transportation and financial services.
The NCSI report is an annual survey that measures customer satisfaction across various sectors in Nigeria, providing insights for organisations to improve their customer service delivery.
According to the report, the Nigerian telecoms sector witnessed a significant improvement in customer service, with the Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) space scoring 61 per cent and the Internet Service Providers (ISPs) scoring 71 per cent.
It stated that the telecoms sector, which comprises GSM and ISPs, recorded a 63 per cent customer satisfaction rating, representing a 4.6 per cent increase compared to its 2023 rating.
The sector’s growth is attributed to the improved performance of ISPs, which scored 71 per cent, up from the previous year.
In the GSM space, MTN topped the customer satisfaction rating with 66 per cent, followed by Airtel with 64 per cent, Globacom with 62 per cent, and 9mobile with 52 per cent.
In the ISPs category, FiberOne emerged as the top performer with 76 per cent, followed by IPNX with 74 per cent, Starlink with 68 per cent, Spectranet with 66 per cent, and Smile with 65 per cent.
The NCSI report, which assessed customer satisfaction across various sectors in Nigeria, also evaluated the performance of other sectors, including finance, hospitality, and healthcare.
According to its survey, the finance sector recorded a 72 per cent customer satisfaction rating, representing a 6.2 per cent increase compared to 2023.
In the Banking sub-sector, the report noted that Wema Bank topped the customer satisfaction rating with 72 per cent, followed by First Bank with 66 per cent, Sterling Bank and Access Bank with 66 per cent, and UBA with 65 per cent.
“In the Fintech sub-sector, Opay emerged as the top performer with 81 per cent, followed by Moniepoint with 78 per cent, Paystack and PalmPay with 77 per cent, and Flutterwave with 73 per cent.
“However, the E-commerce sector recorded a decline in customer satisfaction, scoring 60 per cent, down from 68 per cent in 2023.
“Slot topped the e-commerce sector with 74 per cent, followed by Jumia with 72 per cent, Konga with 68 per cent, and Jiji with 65 per cent,” it stated.
The NCSI report listed other notable performers to be the Transportation sector with 73 per cent, Hospitality sector 72 per cent and Healthcare sector with 70 per cent, Real Estate sector 62 per cent and Power sector with 61 per cent.
It noted that the sectors with the worst performance included the E-commerce sector with 60 per cent, followed by the Power sector 61 per cent, then the Real Estate sector with 62 per cent.
The survey showed that the companies with the worst performance in their respective sectors included 9mobile (GSM) with 52 per cent, Smile (ISPs) with 65 per cent, Jiji (E-commerce) with 65 per cent, and UBA (Banking) with 65 per cent.
According to the NCSI, the report is based on a survey of over 16,000 customers, who rated their experiences with various organisations across different sectors.
The survey, which was conducted online, covered respondents from Lagos, Abuja, Oyo, Kaduna, Rivers, and Enugu, representing diverse age, education, and income brackets.
Highlighting the importance of the Nigerian Customer Service Index (NCSI), Olatunji Adeleye, Head of Customer Service at Lafarge Plc, noted that this pioneering benchmark, which debuted in 2023, was designed to elevate customer service standards in Nigeria.
Adeleye, who is also a fellow of West Africa Association of Customer Service Professionals (WAACSP), said: “The Index encourages sectors to introspect and identify areas for improvement.
“As a nation, it is imperative that we recognize the importance of treating all customers with respect and dignity, regardless of their background or profile,” Adeleye emphasised.
He noted that the NCSI report provided valuable insights into the collective performance in customer service, highlighting strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities for growth and development, thereby informing strategies for enhanced service delivery.
NAN
