The President of Eastwood Anaba Ministries (EAM), Reverend Eastwood Anaba, has strongly rebuked the poor attitude of some staff to their clients, noting that the practice has been a great source of limitation to the growth and development of businesses in the country.

While emphasising that customers were the nexus of every organisation’s existence, Rev. Anaba said poor attitude towards them means that an employee was indirectly cutting off the company’s sustenance.

Speaking at the launch of a customer service-centered training firm, TalkChange Training Services, in Accra, Rev Anaba said the consequences of poor customer service were far-reaching such that it was costing businesses of clients and deals, churches of members and God of souls that have been won by preachers.

He, therefore, advised employees to develop excellent relations with their clients and all persons they come into contact with to help foster good relations and sustain the growth of their establishments.

“Customer service is the creation of a conducive atmosphere and the provision of answers to the challenges of customers in a manner that ensures their respect and fulfillment. Your task is to create that atmosphere and then provide answers to the challenge but the way you do is where the difference comes in. It is not just providing the answers but the manner in which you provide is also important,” he said.

“For those in the banks, I do not want you to just give me money but the way you give it is very important,” he added. He was speaking on the theme ‘Stressing Customer Service.’

Conscious effort

Lacing his presentation with Biblical stories and personal experiences and life stories, Rev. Anaba, who founded the Fountain Gate Chapel, said good customer service was an integral part of every organisation’s success, hence the need to prioritise it. “It starts from the chief executive, the person at the top, to the lowest person” he said.

He, however, explained that while some leaders were conversant with goodcustomer service, their followers were not, making it possible for the followers’ actions to send away customers. This, he said underscored the need for organisations to consciously train their staff on how to relate with clients to help sustain the business and put it ahead of competition.

He thus commended TalkChange for assembling experts on customer service to help conscientise organisations on how to relate with their clients for the benefit of their businesses.

Just like businesses, Rev. Anaba said churches needed customer service to help win and retain souls for God. “The churches need it more than anybody because you can preach and bring in the soul and bad customer will push them out of the church,” he said, adding that it accounted for why most churches were not growing.

Customer loyalty

The founder and Lead Trainer at TalkChange, Zenabu Akubah, said the company will aim to change the narrative around customer service in the country as way of helping build brands that can stand the test of time.

She said the continuous dominance of some multinational companies was because the founders and their employees understand the essence of customer service and therefore prioritise it in their daily activities.

This, she said normally graduates the excellent customer to customer loyalty, making it possible for the customer to prioritise that brand whenever the need arises.

She was optimistic that with the right coaching and guidance from TalkChange, Ghanaian brands could achieve those statuses to help growth local entrepreneurs and the economy at large. “TalkChange is saying that we want to help you build good customer service but beyond that we want to lift you up to the place where you actually provide good customer experience,” she said.

Mode of operation

On how the company will operate, Mrs. Akubah said TalkChange will use mystery shopping to first establish the limitations of its clients’ services to be able to tailor the training and coaching to their needs.

She added that training sessions will be interactive and practical, featuring role plays, theatres and group discussions. The launch was preceded by a discussion on customer service, featuring various experts.