The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) has been challenged on the need to ensure electricity customers’ satisfaction.
Speaking as a Lecturer at the quarterly Distinguished Visitor Lecture series, an initiative of the commission, Editor of the Guardian Newspapers, Martins Oloja, the commission should hold electricity customers in high esteem, saying such gesture would produce success.
The guest lecturer spoke on the power of customer advocacy and the need to manage those who consume electricity effectively.
Describing Nigerians as being “generally complainants,” their effective management becomes more imperative.
“Customers can become advocates if they are treated better and if the product is of good quality”, he said.
He also stressed on the need for education of the customers, saying would provide them with the knowledge that they need for advocacy on behalf of the Commission with a clear understanding of its policies and achievements.
He said success comes when customer’s expectations were exceeded and when stakeholders got involved in dealing with customers, maintaining further that good relationships build referrals.
Also speaking, Chairman of the Commission, Dr. Sam Amadi, noted that the regulator should learn to invest in understanding the customer.
“If we are not learning fast on what the customer expects of us, we cannot be a good regulator,” he said.
He called on all the stakeholders in the electricity market to become an advocate, noting that every encounter can change the dynamics of how customers perceive the regulatory body.
He encouraged the commission’s staff to begin the advocacy in their daily interactions, stating that, “word of mouth is not notional, it is real. Focusing on the customer is really the key.”
