*Executive Customer Relations (Name given, but witheld).

In actuality I had considered the above closed having discussed it with many of their representatives and both they and the BT had sent 5 engineers at various times to my residence between September 22nd and October the 13th, with EE offering to give me months of grace during which time I would not be billed to compensate for the weeks that I did not enjoy their services.

What is more a Case Manager had been assigned this case to personally investigate my complain further because in the course of my discussion with them I revealed my identity to them letting it be known to them I was prepared to go far with them.

Although not directly related to my case with EE as above, my readers world wide would be shocked that the Ikeja Electricity Power Distribution and Supply Company in April of this year, sent a bill to  my former residence for a period my nephews were not enjoying their services totalling N105, 000, together with what they called reconnection fees covering a period they had left the apartment, but they are not out to explain what they called "tariff" and not bill for services not rendered.
The difference between Africans, Nigerians particularly, and the people on this side of the Atlantic is to me not anthropological, but in attitude - a sort of pervasive corrosive corrupt mindset which has been taken by their ungovernable love for what Jesus referred to as: FILTHY LUCRE. Nigerians' love for money and their over-emphasization of materialism are the real causes for the endemic corruption and the current high level of crimes in that country.

As my readers can cogitate about by themselves, EE is compensating me for services not rendered, whilst the Ikeja rubbish is billing me for services NOT rendered at all in any way whatsoever!

HOW CUSTOMERS ARE REGARDED IN THE WEST

In all of Western nations/economies/cultures and mature societies, all customers, rich and poor, theorectically speaking, are regarded as : THE CUSTOMER IS KING, THE CUSTOMER IS THE BOSS, THE CUSTOMER IS THE REAL EMPLOYER, THE CUSTOMER DOES NO WRONG, hence the slogan: CUSTOMER FIRST.
But as an international scholar with over 11 years of practical and day to day experiences in the global retail world, I do very well know that whilst the former theories for the purpose of this piece may well be true, in reality I would have to and from scholarly point of view, beg to disagree with the later dictum that THE CUSTOMER DOES NO WRONG!

Whilst this is not a scholarly treatise for me to adumbrate and dilate upon this half wisdom and have truth, not in tandem with the shop floor realistic realities, it must here be averred that the best application of that maxim and practical demonstration which has worked for me in the retail world these past years is when very difficult customers are let loose from hell upon your business once in a while, as will sure be the case every now and then is that, the team or who ever has been assigned to handle this our customer from hell is to stoop low in order to conquer!

HOW BUSINESSES IN THE WEST AIM TO IMPROVE THEIR SERVICES TO THE PUBLIC/THEIR NATIONS THROUGH CUSTOMER SERVICE AND CARE

On entering any business environment in the West, the prospective customer would first be greeted with a HELLO and YOU ARE WELCOME inscriptions - and whilst on the business floor or environment, such other writings encouraging customers to complain or give their candid feedback as to the type of customer service and care they had received with the name of the person/s that attented to them mentioned in their complaints and feedback, hence it is compulsory for every staff to wear a name tag, which I had suggested to former Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo and Goodluck Ebele Jonathan must become the norm in all public and private offices in Nigeria, including all of diplomatic missions:
Such writings come in form of statements such as: WE ARE DEDICATED TO GIVING EXCELLENT SERVICE TO OUR CUSTOMERS. IF YOU FEEL YOU HAVE NOT RECEIVED EXCELLENT SERVICE TODAY FEEL FREE TO ASK FOR THE DUTY MANAGER OR THE TEAM LEADER.
Another comes in form of a question: HOW DID WE DO TODAY?

These are in addition to the most recognisable and conspicuous phrase of assurance, in both private and public offices in the West: HERE TO HELP.
And by my reckoning and personal and practical experiences, they are three ways you can begin to speak to the thinking and cosncience of a customer and actually succeed in helping them:
1. EMPATHY
2. EMPATHY
3. EMPATHY
Empathy puts you in the position of the agrrieved customer and returns you immediately to the Golden Rule: TREAT OTHERS AS YOU WOULD LIKE TO BE TREATED. These are the virtues that I expect the officials at the Nigeria High Commission and all other Nigerians and all persons of African ancestry must imbibe and commit to memory at all times when rendering service first to their Creator, their nation and all of humanity or perish like fools.

But amongst Africans, particularly Nigerian with their vainglorious attitude which I should like to refer to here as the FORM EPIDEMIC, regard the person who seeks to complain about poor services as a TROUBLE MAKER as the Nigeria High Commission official of the rank of Supervisor had branded me, whilst seeking to report the uncouth behaviour and the very aggressive tendency of the so-called operator that after a very l-o-n-g time deigned to answer my call, but shouted at me: "MY FRIEND, DROP!"