Customer satisfaction and loyalty! Huh?

A Customer Service Survey commissioned by the Polytechnic constitutes a first step to gain an understanding and explanation for the appalling level of customer care prevalent across the spectrum of institution that sell to or provide a service to the public.
The Customer Service Survey is executed by local research company, Business Intelligenc  Africa on behalf of the Harold Pupkewitz Graduate School of Business at the Polytechnic.
The outcome of this academic survey will culminate in awards for those companies that buck the trend, and that actually do care about customer satisfaction and customer loyalty. These awards will be announced in the first week of November.
The survey was conceived and commissioned by the business school as part of a campaign to promote excellent customer service.  Professor Grafton Whyte, director of the Harold Pupkewitz Graduate School of Business said “the aims of the campaign are threefold, to start a conversation in the nation about customer service, to raise awareness of the benefits and initiate a movement, not a one-off event, towards excellent customer service.”
Professor Whyte said “when we approached this problem there was very little data available, lots of anecdotes, lots of opinions but no hard evidence.  We at the business school decided that we would collect the hard evidence and create a basis for action that if successful, would transform the business service delivery landscape.”  The survey targeted the most important services for the typical Namibian and those that consumed 95% of the discretionary expenditure of the typical Namibian household.  

The survey covered companies and institutions in banking, education, energy, health, insurance, municipal services, security, retail (supermarkets), telecommunications and transport. It also collected responses on specific institutions like Home Affairs and the Post Office.
“The data collected on these services is authoritative and makes compelling reading.  In addition the methodology draws on international best practice uniquely adapted for the Namibian and possibly African market.  In many way this research is a first for Africa” said Professor Whyte.  The results will provide powerful insights for companies and managers in each of these industries.
“The survey however, only tells us where the problems are, not how to fix them.  For this the business school has organised the first Namibian Customer Service Awards and Conference during the first week of November at the Polytechnic.  The conference will showcase the best international thinking on managing customer service, featuring two international experts from the UK, Professor Moira Clark and Howard Kendall.
The culmination of the conference will be the Namibian Customer Service Awards one winner for each of the twelve industries will be announced, and from these winners, an overall winner, the Namibian Grand Champion in Customer Service.
Professor Whyte said, “Awards are important. Through them we model and reward the behaviours and practices we want to encourage and we want to encourage excellent customer service.” “Who are the winners?  You will have to wait until the day of the Awards to find out, but it won’t end there.  Immediately, after the Awards, the business school will host a Customer Service Master Class from 6 to 8 November.  This is where front-line managers and staff can learn through hands-on workshops just how to deliver excellent customer service.”