“Those whom the gods wish to destroy they first make mad”. I believe this is true for the service providers who are trying to f@$* with me right now.
I’m a low maintenance client. I use technology. This means I will rarely visit your office. I will pay as at when due, via online transfers. I don’t haggle much. I once did steady business with a caterer for 2 years without meeting her. All I ask of service providers is, “Give me peace of mind” and don’t try to screw me over because I don’t make trouble.
There are two service providers who are now in my bad books. They have taken my money & loyalty and given me shitty service in return. I typically hate outing businesses on social media. For all I know, their bad behaviour may be an isolated incident. Maybe they just have a staff with “brain touch”. But when the behaviour is consistent and repetitive, then I don’t owe them consideration. I will make sure my friends, colleagues and enemies don’t do business with them EVER. This is Nigeria. Madness will finally jam madness.
The challenge for many Nigerian businesses I’ve found, is scale. They know they can’t handle a lot of jobs. They know their staff can’t deliver unsupervised. They know they can’t deliver on schedule. Yet they take on multiple jobs. WHY???
It has now become commonplace for me to CHASE service providers. I’m the one calling, emailing. I am now my own customer service agent for the products I pay for.
When customers complain and INSIST on a good job, many service providers in Nigeria resent them. After all, they believe they’ve done their best. But, if your best does not solve the problem you billed a customer for, you have not started. And stop telling customers about the 10 mountains you climbed and the 10 rivers you swam to give them a sub-standard product. Have you solved the problem? Have you? In the words of the great Yoda, “Do or do not. There is no try.”
When a service provider does a lousy job, they scarcely consider that the client is losing money or that their brand is suffering. They almost never put themselves in the customer’s shoes. As a service provider causing pain, will you reimburse your client for lost revenue? Is there a consequence to your persistent delays? Should money be deducted from your balance for each day’s excuse?
I strongly believe there is a market for people who deliver good service. There is. So many people want quality, integrity & peace and will gladly pay for them. I know I will.
Nowadays, my rule of thumb is this: If you’re a service provider and you threaten my source of livelihood, hard earned possessions or brand with your incompetence, then you don’t deserve consideration. I will out you publicly.
[bctt tweet=”The challenge for many Nigerian businesses is scale.” username=”subomiplumptre”]
[bctt tweet=”So many people want quality, integrity & peace and will gladly pay for them. I know I will.” username=”subomiplumptre”]