The Nation Newspaper

Tag: customer

  • Bank, customer bicker over alleged N750m debt

    Bank, customer bicker over alleged N750m debt

    First Bank of Nigeria Plc has urged the Federal High Court in Lagos to order its customer, Chidi Ajaegbu, to pay it  an alleged N750 million debt.

    The bank wants a refund of the N750million plus accrued interest; N40million damages for alleged breach of contract and N15million as legal cost.

    The dispute arose out of loan agreement in which the bank allegedly lent Ajaegbu $5million to purchase 203,500 Linked Units shares in MTN Nigeria Limited through private placement, said to have been consummated between the parties in 2008.

    Ajaegbu sued First Bank (the first defendant) and Stanbic IBTC Asset Management Limited, praying the court to stop them from selling the shares, among others.

    First Bank in a 77-paragraph statement of defence and counter-claim, contended that the claimant, in a letter dated January 23, 2008 sent to MTN Nigeria Limited and copied to it, irrevocably authorised MTN to place the shares on lien in the bank’s favour.

    Consequently, the loan in question, according to the bank, was secured with the Linked Units shares in MTN, in addition to the shares of CTC Global Ventures Limited and Rehoboth Assets Limited, two companies where the claimant has substantial and controlling interest.

    By the terms of contract, the first defendant averred that the expiration date for the repayment of the loan facility was January 31, 2011, but the claimant allegedly defaulted.

    The claimant contended that the alleged undue interest charges on the loan facility affected his obligation to service the loan as at when due and prayed the court to compel the first defendant to refund the alleged excess charges

    Countering the claim, the First Bank said the conversion of the loan facility from dollar to naira mutually agreed on by parties to minimise risk, necessitated charging of new interest regime.

    The claimant is seeking for an order of perpetual injunction restraining the defendants from disposing of his shares in Ashaka Cement, Diamond Bank, Eco Bank, Afri Bank and Stanbic IBTC Bank Plcs, allegedly used as collateral for the loan deal.

    He is also seeking a refund of N51.2million alleged to have been wrongly charged.

  • Banking thrives on quality customer services

    Banking thrives on quality customer services

    Customers’ kingship in the marketplace is taken seriously by forward looking organsiations. This year’s International Customer Service Week celebrated by banks, presented opportunity for lenders to show customers how much they cherish them. Sterling Bank used the occasion of the event to tell a story of its continued commitment to its customers, COLLINS NWEZE,  writes.

    The need to properly address customer’s concern prompted quality conscious organisations across the world to set aside the first week of October, annually, to promote customer service and honour contributors to service excellence.

    Nigerian banks have taken steps to demonstrate their commitment to excellent customer services by embracing the 2014 International Customer Service Week was celebrated between October five and 10.

    The week-long celebration, is traditionally devoted to recognising the significance of customer service and honour the people who serve and support customers with the highest degree of care and professionalism.

    Leading financial, healthcare, insurance, manufacturing, hospitality and communications companies as well as other service-oriented organisations around the world join the celebration.

    However, the 2014 Customer Service Week may have come and gone, but the footprints and the glamour added to the celebration by Sterling Bank Plc will linger in the minds of its customers nationwide especially those who had what could best be described as the ‘One Customer’ experience.

    Customers who visited branches of the lender nationwide during the period were excited by the experience they got and the colour added to it. From the decoration of the banking hall to banners with the message: “Enjoy Exceptional Banking Service as We Celebrate You, Our Customers” strategically displayed, the One Customer T-Shirts worn by the staff and the various gift items on offer to customers, the customers of the bank could only wish that the celebrations never end. Better still, they definitely look forward to the celebrations in 2015.

    Specifically, the bank rewarded its loyal customers during the week by giving out various gift items such as hand sanitisers, branded phones, petts tablets, pocket cards, TV sets, fridges and other unique gifts. This confirms the stance of the bank as one that appreciates its customers.

    “At Sterling Bank, we view Customer Service Week as prime time to recognise our awesome customers through a week-long celebration with activities every day to give our loyal customers the Sterling Bank customer experience”, the lender said.

    A customer with the Kaduna branch of the bank who won a bed side fridge and spoke on condition of anonymity said: “Sterling Bank added a new dimension to the Customer Service Week celebrations as it gave out various gift items to its walk-in customers in all parts of the country and l am a beneficiary of that. This shows the premium that the bank places on its customers and we are really happy about that”. The customer also spoke about how the bank had enhanced customer satisfaction during the customer service week.

    “One thing is to provide quality service. It is another for such products to meet the expectation of the customer to ensure they are satisfied. Sterling Bank has in many ways exceeded their customers’ expectationsby providing consumer – centric products and services delivered in a timely manner. The bank has succeeded in further consolidating its relationship with its customers who are satisfied with its product offerings  coupled with what it did during the Customer Service Week”.

    Mr. Kingsley Okpara, an Engineer based in Aba explained that customer appreciation the Sterling way is unique as it will have a multiplier effect on the bank. His words: “I was surprised when l came to Port Harcourt to pick up some money at the Rumuola branch of the bank and received a gift for doing so. It is fantastic and will affect how I  perceived Sterling Bank henceforth and I  will tell the story to other people”.

    Mrs. Juliana Adebisi Lamikanra who banks with the Dugbe branch of the bank in Ibadan was surprised when she won a fridge on the last day of the week. She said: “Initially l thought it was a joke when l was asked to take part in the lucky dip. l was expecting to win a pen, pencil or at best a school bag, but l was shocked when they read out what l won and, it was a fridge. It was also presented to me on the spot. This is great. It is interesting to note that  banking is no longer about taking deposit and giving out loans, but that of rewarding and celebrating customers as well.”

    A source at the bank who spoke on the basis of anonymity said that the Bank celebrated its customers because “Our success story so far is attributed to the overwhelming support we have received from our customers. This is why we consider them the most important to us and hence the reason for us as a responsible financial institution to celebrate them during the Customer Service Week”.

    Over the years, Sterling Bank has remained consistent in the provision of  quality customer service across its service points and “we are using the celebration to leverage on our  planned enhanced customer service initiatives during the week”, the source said.

    Some of these initiatives already put in place by the Bank to make life easy for the banking public include the opening of additional branches to take the Bank’s quality banking products and services to the door steps of its customers, development of additional customer oriented products and services and deployment of additional Automated Teller Machine points to ensure that customers have access to the bank’s delivery channels at no additional cost.

    In GT Bank, Guest Tellering, an exercise in which top executives of the bank serve as tellers in various branches was  in practice. Skye Bank has equally inaugurated a public-friendly customer care centre, the ‘Yes Centre’, to enhance customer satisfaction and experience. Other banks have also found their unique way of communicating to customers at such times.

    The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) insists that customers’ expectations have taken a quantum leap in the new global financial landscape. “Financial services no longer involve providing only standard products to customers. The need for financial products to be personalized and customized to the individual needs of corporate and retail clients is the order of the day. Banks would, therefore, need to be more proactive and innovative in packaging and marketing their products,” it advised.

    Experts said that customers’ perception of quality services varies from person to person. Moses Obinna, a market leader in Balogun Market, Lagos, says he is always excited when his bank calls him or sends birthday message to him on his birthday. “I only want to know that my bank cares for me, my family and business,” he said. Another customer of a new generation bank, Idris Akintola says he is interested is getting a timely statement of account and account balance any time he needs it. But to another motor parts dealer at the Ladipo Market, Lagos, Okeke Okorie, a good customer service simply means giving customers the freedom to choose what they want. “Banks are forcing customers to use ATMs even when there is large scale fraud associated with the product. Anytime I make withdrawals across the counter, my bank charges me N100. It is a sad experience,” he said.

    Analysts insist that service-oriented banks should be able to boost staff morale through motivation, reward frontline representatives, promote teamwork among their workforce, raise companywide awareness of the importance of customer service and remind customers of their commitment to their satisfaction. Achieving this, he added, requires adequate staff training, designed to improve service levels, productivity and performance in the customer contact centres.

    Experts say that customer services transcend the way phone calls are answered or promises are kept. It is even beyond listening effectively, dealing with customers’ complaints or improving on turnaround time. Good customer services means to personally know the customers and recognize their individual needs. It is doing what you say you will, when you say you will, how you say you will, at the price you promised – plus a little extra tossed in to say “I appreciate your business.”

     

    Global practice

     

    According to reports, the International Customer Service Association customer service week was created in 1988. In 1991, the Customer Service Group became the nationally recognised sponsor, providing employers with celebration materials and how-to information.

    Reports have it that the Customer Service Group also serves as a resource for professionals who want to share plans and ideas for the event. In 1992, the congress of United States declared customer service week as a nationally recognized yearly event. Same year, President George H. W. Bush signed the Customer Service Proclamation.

     

  • ‘Poor customer relations bane of public transport’

    Poor customer relations remains a major challenge with public transportation as customers and service providers have continued to have brushes on a daily basis.

    Speaking with a cross-section of passengers who daily patronise some of these commuter busses, especially the BRT busses across Lagos metropolis and its environs, they confided in The Nation that their experiences have been anything but palatable.

    Although many of the respondents acknowledged the fact that the busses have helped to ameliorate the stress of public transportation to a reasonable extent across the state, the unruly behaviour of the officials remains a sore point for many.

    In recent times, there have been allegations of incivility and bad behaviour against the officials of the BRT, many of whom were accused of undermining the good intentions of the state government.

    In a chat with The Nation, some passengers, observed that one of the issues that set passengers and officials on a collision course is the problem of scarcity of change after collection of fares from prospective passengers.

    Sharing his experience, a passenger, who simply gave his mane as Steve, recalled that he once requested his change from BRT official but the latter flared up cursing him under his breath.

    “The unruly behaviour of these BRT officials is most unbecoming of supposed service providers serving the public.”

    Corroborating Steve, some passengers also complained that most of the BRT ticketers are morally bankrupt, a situation which may have been responsible for their bad manners.

    Buttressing his point with a vivid example, a respondent who identified himself as Mr Jide, a regular passenger on board BRT, said “These ticketers, I believe, are touts who the Lagbus is trying to culture but it is not just working. I can only urge the authorities of Lagbus to keep trying to change their orientation. That’s all. Or if possible, change all of them because the bad in their midst can further corrupt the others.”

    However, speaking with some of the drivers and ticketers at different designated busstops, they punctured most of the arguments being canvassed by some of the passengers.

    In the assertion of Mr. Abdulaho Oyewole, a BRT driver, he said most of the passengers lack decorum and are not civil in their manners as well.

     

  • When can a bank deny a customer’s claim?

    This is an appeal against the judgment of the High Court of Ondo State sitting at Akure Division delivered on August 8, 2012 granting the Respondent’s Claim in the main.

    The Respondent before the consolidation of banks at the behest of the Central Bank of Nigeria was maintaining one account with Trans International Bank Plc and two accounts with Omega Bank Plc and it enjoyed credit facilities from the two banks independently. Upon consolidation, the said Trans International Bank Plc, Omega Bank Plc and some other Banks joined to form Spring Bank Plc. The Respondent continued to maintain the three accounts at the Spring Bank although the accounts were then in debit.

    The Appellant in line with its policy and universal banking practice, classified the three accounts and transferred them to the Remedial Asset branch in the Appellant’s Head Office, a unit created by the Appellant to supervise such loans accounts that are classified. However, the Respondent claimed that in respect of the one account earlier maintained with Trans International Bank Plc, there were certain remittances sent by its overseas customers that were not credited to its accounts by the Trans International Bank Plc. To ascertain the amount that was not credited, the Respondent engaged the services of a firm of Chartered Accountants, Okunoye, Adeniyi & Co. to carry out the audit and reconciliation of the said account. The audit and reconciliation report prepared by Okunoye, Adeniyi and Co. was forwarded to the Appellant to comply with and the Appellant refused.

    The Respondent as Plaintiff therefore brought an action against the Appellant as Defendant at the High Court of Ondo State claiming amongst others, a declaration that the Defendant is indebted to the Plaintiff to the tune of N311, 503, 947.51k, a declaration that the Plaintiff is not indebted to the Defendant to the tune of N12, 697,152. 52K or any sum whatever, the sum of N311, 503, 947.51K being uncredited forex in flows unexplained debit and credit entries, general and exemplary damages for N50 million, and interest on the judgment sum at the rate of 10% from the date judgment is given until finally liquidated.

    The Appellant via its Amended Statement of Defence denied all the material facts and contended that the firm of Okunoye, Adeniyi and Co. lacked the necessary skill to carry out the audit of the said Respondent’s account. While the matter was pending, Spring Bank Plc. was restructured and came to be known as Enterprise Bank Limited. Necessary amendments were effected and the matter went to trial. In a considered judgment, the Learned Trial Judge granted the prayers of the Respondent in the main. Dissatisfied, the Appellant filed a notice of appeal in the Court of Appeal. In accordance with the Rules of Court brief of arguments were filed.

    In the Appellant’s brief of argument, the learned counsel for the Appellant distilled four (4) issues for determination of this appeal thus:

    Whether a firm of Chartered Accountants (Okunoye, Adeniyi & Co.) can sign in the firm’s name an audit report of a company incorporated in Nigeria to be relied upon by a superior court of record when the law provides that such audit report must be signed by an auditor or an accountant.

    The appellant having categorically countered or denied all the facts of the Respondent’s case, was the learned trial court not wrong to have held that the Appellant admitted liability to the Respondent.

    Was the learned trial judge not wrong in ignoring and discountenancing the evidence of the DW1 because the DW1 was not in the employ of the appellant when the transactions leading to the suit were carried out?

    Was the learned trial judge not wrong to have conducted an investigation?

    (By doing math) base its decision on such investigation without calling on parties to address it on the result of its math.

    The respondent on the other hand raised five (5) issues for resolution of this appeal. The Court adopted the four issues as raised by the Appellant in resolving this appeal.

    Arguing the appeal, Counsel for the Appellant submitted that the Institute of Chartered Accountants does not enroll “firm” but individual members of the Institute and it is the individual that is entitled under the law to practice as an accountant and auditor and prepare auditor’s report of a company registered in Nigeria. Counsel argued that the reports were carried out and signed by “Okunoye Adeniyi & Co.” who at best is a business name and not an accountant or chartered accountant enrolled under the Institute of Chartered Accountant Act as required by law. Counsel further argued that the said “Okunoye Adeniyi & Co.” being a business name does not possess the necessary knowledge and skill in the science of accounting to prepare and sign an audit report upon which the learned trial judge relied upon in his judgment against the appellant. Counsel called in aid the case SLB Consortium Ltd. v. NNPC (2011) ALL FWLR (Pt. 583) 1902 at 191; (2011) LPELR-3074(SC) to submit that a business name in law is neither accorded legal personality nor recognized as a person capable of taking or defending action in law court or preparing and signing documents statutorily required to be prepared and signed by a person qualified under the law.

    Reacting, learned Counsel for the Respondent submitted that the Appellant’s counsel arguments are based on the assumption that reports were “auditor’s report” and hence ought to be signed in a particular form and once that form is lacking, the document is incompetent. Counsel contended that the learned Appellant’s counsel reached that conclusion because he labored under serious error of fact and law. Counsel then submitted that the reports though described by the auditing firm as “audit and reconciliation report” and “addendum” are neither the Statutory Auditors Reports in Financial Statement of a company in the strict sense of the word which are usually presented at the Annual General Meetings of a company in compliance with the requirements of the Companies and Allied Matters Act nor are they documents within the contemplation of the various laws cited and copiously relied upon by the appellant’s counsel in his argument.

    He argued that they are special reports to a private company prepared by its own appointed external auditors in respect of a special transaction between a Banker, the Appellant and its Customer the Respondent seeking to reconcile and determine the level of indebtedness or otherwise of the Respondent to the Appellant in respect of the Respondent’s account with the Appellant banker. That there is no where a report of this nature can be expected to comply with the statutory requirements of Auditors Report. Therefore counsel submitted that the reports are not within the contemplation of ICAN Act or CAMA as submitted by learned counsel for the Appellant.

    The court in determining the appeal noted that, learned counsel for the Appellant placed reliance on the provisions of Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria Act and the Supreme Court decision in Okafor V. Nweke (2007) ALL FWLR (Pt. 368) 1068; (2007) LPELR-2412(SC) as an authority that the report attachments were irregularly signed and therefore incompetent. The Court held that for the principle of law in Okafor V. Nweke (2007) ALL FWLR (Pt. 368) 1068; (2007) LPELR-2412(SC) to apply to the practice of accountancy profession in Nigeria, there must be provisions similar to those upon which the decision of Okafor V. Nweke (supra) were based. The Court stated that having considered the entire gamut of the provisions of the ICAN Act, the Court is unable to find a similar provision in the Act with Sections 2 (1) and 24 of the Legal Practitioners’ Act.  The Court further stated that from the circumstances of this case, it is not in dispute that J.S.O. Adeniyi who signed the report is a qualified chartered accountant who operates under the name of Okunoye, Adeniyi & Co. Nonetheless, that the facts giving rise to this case has to do with perceived irregularities in the Respondent’s account with the Appellant bank.

    The Court noted that had the Respondent done the auditing by itself and presented to Court as the amount standing to his credit in the Appellant bank, would the Court reject same because the Respondent is not a chartered accountant whose name is enrolled in the register kept by the Registrar of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria. The Court stated that the answer must be in the negative. The Court held that in the circumstances of this case that the marker of attachments to the report is of no moment and the said attachments were validly signed.

    The Court held that the duty of a banker to its customer is predicated on the principle of uberrimae fidei and it is appalling the rate at which banks these days betray this principle with impunity. The Court stated that the conduct of the Appellant herein is highly reprehensible and ought to have been reported to the regulatory agency for necessary disciplinary action. Having resolved the four issues in this appeal against the Appellant, the Court dismissed the appeal as lacking in merit. The judgment of Ondo State High Court sitting in Akure Division in Suit No. AK/164/2009 delivered by Hon. Justice O. A. Adegbehingbe was affirmed.

     

     •Edited by LawPavilion

    LawPavilion Citation: (2014) LPELR-23503(CA)

  • Ranona committed to customer satisfaction

    A FOOD and beverage manufacturer Ranona Nigeria Limited has restated its commitment to customer satisfaction.

    Speaking at the firm’s Distributors’ Forum, its Managing Director Premender Sethi said since its inception two years ago, the firm has continued to produce products that meet consumers’expectation, noting that consumers are key to the business’survival.

    He said businesses must  take the interest of consumers into consideration, maintaining that consumers deserve quality products.

    “This is just the start; we will continue to hold distributors meet on an annual basis because this is one of the ways we want to appreciate you for your unwavering support,” he said.

    “We are partners in success and we believe our distributors are the back bone of our company. We will move faster if we continue to collaborate in this manner.”

    He advised distributors not to undermine their capabilities, stressing that the event would provide a platform for both parties to discuss challenges and opportunities.

    According to him, the company’s parent company Olam Nigeria Limited is the largest single earner of foreign exchange for Nigeria courtesy of its export of cashew nuts, cocoa.

    He said the company will organise trade promos for retailers, adding that this will help the company’s product in terms of development and patronage.

  • Customer decry long queues at ATMs

    What do depositors consider the most important in deciding on the bank of their choice?

    It is service quality, says a banking Sector Survey by KPMG

    According to the survey, for the first time in five years, excellent customer service replaced financial stability as the principal reason for maintaining banking relationships for retail and corporate customers.

    Zenith Bank emerged the most customer-focused bank with last year’s leader GTBank coming second. Stanbic IBTC maintained the third position for the third consecutive year.

    For most customers, an ideal scenario would be one where they did not have to queue to get their businesses done. With significantly higher use of Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) and charges associated with over-the-counter transactions, queues are no longer restricted to banking halls but are now common place at ATMs.

    It said queues at branches and ATMs were a major concern cited by customers interviewed during the survey. More than any other driver of convenience, nearly all (95 per cent) retail customers indicated cash availability and uptime at ATMs as being of critical importance.

    “Clearly, banks are aware of the issue of crowding at branches. In recent years, we have seen banks issue service promises guaranteeing specific turnaround times for varying transactions but these promises have not yielded the much expected results,” it said.

    The survey said tackling queues at bank branches must involve different approaches which may vary from branch layout redesign, deploying more ATMs, or assigning more resources to branches as required or as one customer suggested.

    It said it was now clear that the quality of service delivery experience is a differentiating factor and service promises must be aligned to customer goals and objectives.

    In the retail space, the survey said 35 per cent of customers cited excellent customer service as a major reason for continued banking relationships. The result showed a 12-percentage point increase from last year’s. When asked for their second most important reason, financial stability was the next priority.

    For Small and Medium Scale (SMEs), financial stability selected by 31 per cent of customers was closely followed by excellent customer service which was chosen by 30 per cent of customers as the top reasons for maintaining banking relationships.

    The report said customer expectations continued to increase in the retail segment. It said that this year saw a marginal decline in overall Customer Service Index within in the SMEs’ segment, as customers expectations continue to increase especially in the area of convenience.

    It said 93 per cent of retail customers rated quality of service at the ATMs as their most important service measure. Also, the gap between satisfaction and expectation on this element increased from 16 to 18 percentage points. Staff attitude and queues in the banking halls were also key areas of concern.

     

     

  • Enterprise Bank celebrates Customer Service Week

    Enterprise Bank celebrates Customer Service Week

    Enterprise Bank Limited (EBL) will join the rest of the world to mark the annual Customer Service Week themed “Be the One.”

    The bank said in a statement that the move was meant to appreciate its customers for their loyalty over the period.

    The event, which is celebrated in the first week of October every year, according to a statement from the bank, is a unique period when service organisations and global agencies extol the patronage and loyalty virtues of their esteemed customers by introducing several unique and special activities to appreciate the customers.

    As a way of making this year’s edition a memorable one for its customers, the bank said it has lined up a number of activities to celebrate and appreciate them. Some of the activities, which will be implemented during the period, include elaborate decoration of branches, complimentary candies, sweets, chocolates and branded writing pens among others for walk-in-customers during the period.

    The bank said that the Customer Service Week has again provided a good opportunity for every staff, unit, department, group and region of the bank to delight its customers.

    The statement added that this objective will be fully accomplished during the week because every staff has been primed to do no less than deliver the best during the period as is the Enterprise Bank tradition.

     

  • Shoprite’s shock treatment for customers

    Shoprite’s shock treatment for customers

    Since it came into the country, shoprite, the retailing giant, has assumed a household name. Everyday both the young and the old, long to visit the store to have a feel of what it is to shop there. So, at any point in time, there is a rush at the store, especially at the pay point.

    A customer, Mrs Oyeyemi Gbenga-Mustapha, recalls her ordeal at the store last week as she was treated shabbily by some workers. “By choosing the Ikeja Shoprite, which is nearer home, I reasoned that I would be able to manage my time as the haggling, cheating, rudeness and other pranks associated with open regular markets would be circumvented. The first few weeks proved me right. But not anymore.”

    When a senior colleague, Chido Nwakama, wrote on his Facebook wall, how some of us would queue up to obtain a particular brand of bread, in fact forming a snake like lane, I knew we were on the same radar. I always pick that brand of bread and raisin bread as well, despite the queue, and my protruding tummy- a sign of my being advanced. Outside the country, that is what obtains, everybody queues up to pay at designated points.

    In addition, abroad, there are other points where customers can easily pay if their purchase is below certain amount. But at Shoprite, even if you pick a chewing gum, you have to queue with others who may have loads of purchases to pay for.

    “I was at the store last weekend. After my shopping, and as I was advancing to the pay points, I saw a tilapia and went for it. The price could buy two in the open market, but I went for it anyway because I was managing time. I asked if I could have it sliced and was directed to another point where a tool for such exists. I was told by some workers wearing blue aprons, with the inscription, ‘merchandise ’, to go to other points and I went searching for same. After about 17 minutes of roaming in the expansive cold section of the store trying to locate the optional elusive points, it dawned on me that I could have been given a ‘9ja’ answer.

    “An experience ran through my mind. During my trip to Washington D.C, this summer, I bought some edibles in one of the eateries. They got cold. I walked into another eatery and requested that my edibles be ‘micro waved’. It was done. Free of charge. It was no big deal. Such was the liberal world in the US, despite my being a dudu (black). But why won’t such treatment be obtained in my own country.

    I went looking for the office where I can state my grievances. It’s by choice that I chose Shoprite. What I intended obtaining exists in the open market and sellers would not only cut to satisfaction but would remove the scale and possibly clean up the fish.

    “I located the office behind the pay point. A woman attended to me. After hearing me out, she apologised and explained that actually the tool that could process my request broke down and is being repaired. She took me to the selling point which was my first port of call and requested that my request be done. I handed over the purchase and showed them my receipt. And it was in tandem with the price tag when cross checked.

    “After she left, a woman in white coat suddenly started talking aloud to other obviously junior staff in that section to delay my work, that, that way I won’t be able to come back again, some other time, to them. And their section would be able to sell their own fish.

    “She did not stop at that; she vowed that should anybody come with similar request again, she will personally tell the woman that brought me not to direct such requests again to her section. After over 20 minutes of waiting, my fish was eventually cut. A man packed them in the yellow polythene bag I handed it in and was looking for a newer bag for it, but the woman looked threateningly at him and said he should hand it over to me like that. The yellow polythene that was screaming ‘the lowest price. . .’, instantly became repulsive. I kept my cool and went to another cashier at the pay point and requested for a new polythene bag. He obliged after seeing my receipt. I left for the ladies since l was pressed after being tossed up and down in my condition.

    “At the ladies, the attendants were rolling out toilet papers to intending users. I recalled how in some countries l have been to, toiletries, washing basins with liquid hand soap and hand driers dotted similar malls. Thankfully, I was with my handbag that contained such essentials and dashed in to ease myself. I left the Ikeja Shoprite. And I am yet to return.

    When, I shared my experience with my colleagues, they burst out laughing. I was stunned. I enquired why they laughed simultaneously. They chorused that the only real Shoprite in Nigeria, attempting to maintain the standard is at Lekki. The Ikeja Shoprite is fast losing steam and the one at Surulere is the worst when it comes to customer relations.

    “A colleague recounted that recently at the Ikeja branch, a terrible show down was averted between her and one of the cashiers. How?

    She said: “I picked cornflakes where such were arranged, the price tag read- N999.99. And I picked some, going by my calculation, I was confident that the money with me would be enough to settle the bill for the purchase and other things I have bought.

    When I got to the cashier, the total amount exceeded my estimate and I brought my handset and recalculated and had a different total, I showed the cashier my results. She recalculated, and it was discovered there was error on the cornflakes’ price tag. The machine was fed with N1,450 yet the tags read N999.99. I requested that she deleted the purchase, so I can also return the cornflakes to the shelf, but she said it was not possible, because it has been punched and recorded by the machine. The saving grace was that I had extra money with which I paid for the ‘excess’ unbudgeted money.

    “When she was through with her narration, several others shared how they declined to leave their laptops and some other sensitive personal effects at the check-in counter because the staff manning such posts could not give them guarantee on whatever they leave behind despite being issued tags that are paired with their properties which the staff insisted are not allowed into the mall.

    One even pointed out that, for instance, in the US and South Africa, you get back your cents and other coins after payment, but not here in Nigeria in any of the Shoprite branches. The question is where does the ‘pool’ of coins go? Your guess is as good as mine.”

  • Unity Bank to give out two cars

    Two customers of Unity bank are to win two brand new cars as reward for participating in the bank’s Save & Win promo. The winners will emerge from the second national draw of the savings promo holding on Saturday, in Lagos.

    A statement from the bank said the event scheduled to take place at Planet One Entertainment centre, Maryland, Lagos, will be witnessed by journalists, customers of the bank, officials of the National Lottery Commission, Consumer Protection Council of Nigeria (CPC) and other members of the public.

    The first national draw was held at the Yar dua Centre in Abuja in July at which a customer of the bank in Maiduguri, Borno State won the star prize of Hyundai Verna car. The customer has since taken possession of the car.

    According to the Media and External Communications Manager of the bank, Sani Mohammed Zaria, consolation prizes of fridges and generators will also be given to other qualifying participants at the draw. He disclosed that 3,750 savers qualified for the national draw from all the operational areas of the bank nationwide.

    He also intimated that Unity bank has three more cars and other consolation prizes to give out in the course of the savings promo scheduled to end later in the month.

    The three cars will be given out to winning customers at the grand finale of the six month long promotion popularly known as Aim, Save and Win.

    The bank has also held zonal draws in the five zones of the bank namely, Lagos & West, Central, North West, North East and South-South in its bid to bring the reward programme down to the grassroots. Many customers won motorcycles, fridges, LCD television sets, phones and bicycles among others.