In a haste to rescue the failed standard of customer service practice in Nigeria and to properly reposition it to international standard, the Customer Service Practitioners Association (CUSPA), a regulatory body that focuses on the establishment and management of quality standards in the practice and administering of customer service in Nigeria is launched in Lagos to ensure best service delivery that would promote economic growth and development.

Speaking at the event, the Founder/President, Mrs. Uloma Umeano said that it will be a predominantly private sector monitoring association set up to extend consumer protection to service-based situations.

“Having noticed an obvious gap in the service delivery industry in Nigeria, we saw the need to put in place strategies that will fill the gap and drive companies to dedicate more initiative towards proper service delivery. I’m sure at some point in time ,we will have all had different experiences in dealing with companies where the proper line of action failed to be delivered or cases where pertinent information was not communicated at a time when it should have been. CUSPA as an association is strongly positioned to take care of the industry needs and bring about positive changes necessary for the customer service delivery practice in the country.”

With the six member Board of Trustees emerging, various fields of business and managerial experiences with understanding of the Nigerian business environment led by the founders, Mrs. Uloma Umeano and Jane Ohadike, CUSPA will guarantee a wide base of reach.

The Board members, Mr. Ernest Oji; Mr. George Thorpe; Professor Anya O. Anya (MON); Mr. Tokunbo Modupe; Miss. Anita Omoile and Mr. Pius Okigbo (Jnr.).

In addition, Mrs. Umeano said, CUSPA which aims at promoting service delivery to international standards and to ensure that we are at par with the rest of world, is not a training institution per see, but it involves governing the standards of customer service and all it entails in terms of certification, training and development, establishing standards for response time and customer service guidelines. It will also check customer satisfaction levels which will involve global research and survey standards to find what is obtainable in other societies and how to apply it in Nigeria considering the differences in culture.

She further said that this situation is dire in the sense that the entrepreneurs that constitute this industry deserve a chance to be recognized for the intensive and excellent work they are involved in. “CUSPA is not just about ensuring best service delivery or criticizing organisations; it’s about changing the mindset. It’s about encouraging people to be productive and to do the best at what they do.