By BOSEDE OLUSOLA-OBASA
Dear business leader, when was the last time you pseudo-called your customer service telephone lines or touchpoints to get a firsthand experience of what your paying clients may be going through, whether good or bad?
Many businesses have become habitual with poor customer service attitudes because there are no control measures to notice them and nip them in the bud before they escalate.
It is even more worrying that, in most cases, the business owner or leader is not aware of the true state of service. This ranges from customer-facing team members operating with a monopoly mindset, treating customers like there are no alternatives, to those with an entitlement mindset, acting like they are doing the customer a favour for which they should be grateful to be served and well-behaved. There are also team members who use downtime or moments of scarcity as a weapon against customers. They extort, inflate prices, and act like the party could last forever. They build a bad perception of the brand and deplete trust in it. My business in today’s piece is a wake-up call to business owners and, by extension, sales teams because there is a direct connection between your customer service quality and the sales figures.
In today’s Nigerian business environment, quality service is no longer a “nice extra”; it is a growth strategy. Customers are more informed, more vocal, and quicker to switch brands than ever before. The businesses winning today are not always the cheapest; they are the ones that make customers feel respected, heard, and valued.
A 2024 report by the Nigeria Customer Service Index (NCSI) revealed that Nigeria’s overall customer satisfaction score improved from 61% in 2023 to 67% in 2024. While this shows progress, the rating still falls within the “poor” category, proving that many businesses still underestimate the power of service quality.
For business owners and sales professionals, this should be a jolt to you.
Quality assurance simply means creating consistent customer experiences — from how phone calls are answered, to delivery timelines, complaint resolution, staff attitude, and after-sales follow-up. In Nigeria, where delays, poor communication, and distrust often affect buying decisions, businesses that intentionally improve service quality immediately stand out.
Research on Nigerian retail customers has also found a strong positive relationship between customer satisfaction and repeat purchases. In simple terms, satisfied customers buy again, refer others, and increase long-term revenue.
As business expert Sam Walton once said, “There is only one boss: the customer.”
Many Nigerian businesses focus heavily on attracting new customers while neglecting existing ones. Yet, repeat customers are usually cheaper to retain and more profitable over time. A customer who enjoys your service becomes a walking advertisement for your brand — especially in a society where word-of-mouth recommendations still strongly influence buying behaviour.
This does not mean perfection is required. Customers can forgive occasional mistakes when businesses respond with empathy, honesty, and urgency. What they rarely forgive is indifference.
For sales teams, quality assurance should not be seen as the responsibility of management alone. Every interaction shapes brand perception and future sales opportunities. A polite response, accurate information, timely feedback, or a simple “thank you” can influence whether a customer returns or leaves permanently.
The businesses that will thrive in Nigeria’s competitive economy are those that understand a simple truth: service quality drives trust, trust drives loyalty, and loyalty drives sales growth.
To help your team understand how improved customer service habits drive sales and save the business, I have put together a training coming up on Saturday, June 13th. Please dial 08106120819 to make bookings for your customer service and sales teams.
Enjoy the rest of your week.
I am Bosede Olusola-Obasa, Character Development Trainer, Corporate Culture Strategist, and Service Attitudes Advisor.
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