The Nigerian Communications Commission is expected to order telecommunication companies to serve their customers within 30 minutes of their arrival at any customer service centre across the nation.
This is based on a recent document found on the commission’s website titled “Draught Quality of Service Business Rules.”
It states that the business rules specify the minimal quality and standards of service, as well as the related measurements and key performance indicators for doing so.
The telecoms regulator stipulated that a subscriber’s wait time to be physically attended to by relevant staff at customer care centres must not exceed 30 minutes, as opposed to the current situation, in which customers can be kept waiting for hours before being attended to.
According to the NCC, the average wait time at customer service centres is 30 minutes before someone physically attends to you. Starting with the time of arrival at the premises, the Licensee must provide a way to measure the waiting period.
The commission is also taking action to guarantee that subscribers can speak with a customer service agent when they call a telco’s helpline within five minutes.
“Where a customer decides to speak to a live agent, the maximum allowable duration on the queue/IVR should be 5 minutes before answer,” it read.
“In exceptional circumstances where a live agent might not be available to answer the call within five minutes, a customer should be given the option to hang up and be called back within a maximum of 30 minutes.”
If a subscriber does not use their number within a year, they risk losing it, according to the NCC. Unless there is a network-related issue that prevents an RGE, it was stated that a subscriber line may be deactivated if it has not been used, within six months, for a Revenue Generating Event. If the situation persists for another six months, the subscriber may also lose their number.
The statement further stated, “Moneys left in account on deactivation can be claimed by subscribers once proof of ownership can be established at any time within 1 year (less any fee paid by the operator for the number within the 1 year of non-RGE).”
A subscriber may request queue parking if they can provide documentation of a valid reason for their absence, it was also noted.
The President of the National Association of Telecoms Subscribers, Adeolu Ogunbanjo, commented on the initiative to shorten wait times in customer service centres, “This is a fantastic development. In terms of enhancing customer satisfaction, the NCC has been doing well.
“This is a good development for the customers, unlike before when people had to wait for hours (using up man hours in the process) and were left unattended. It will reduce the amount of time customers must wait at telco customer service centres. About this, we are pleased.
