As part of efforts to align with the ideals of customer care, Lagos Ports Complex of Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) has assured customer inclusion in íts activities at the nation’s busiest seaport, Apapa port.
The Port Manager, Apapa port, NPA, Mr. Charles Okaga gave this assurance while speaking at an event to mark the global celebration of 2023 Customer Service Week at the LPC, yesterday.
His words: “Lagos Port Complex is an advocate for customer inclusion. If you take care of your customers, they will take care of you. Honestly, that’s according to Richard Branson.”
“During the course of my work, I spoke to a few stakeholders. I have observed that people don’t know me because I don’t create problems. Sometimes, I go out to meet the operators and port users to ask if there is any problem. They said, no, there’s no problem. That’s why we don’t call to you. That is what customer service should be about.”
According to him, it is a special season to celebrate all those who serve and support customers on daily basis.
“This celebration is for the customers as well as the service providers. It is a global event that is celebrated annually in the first week in October. The theme for this year is Team Service.”
“Team Service simply means that no matter where frontline representatives are working, what their job titles are or how they serve customers; everyone is on the same team. In other words, terminal operators, shipping agents, freight forwarders, police, NPA, Customs, among others, collectively make up the team working towards one goal,” the LPC boss said.
Okaga encouraged respective port service providers to be diligent in the provision of their services, stressing that they get positive feedbacks and address areas where they are at fault.
The NPA boss emphasized that working as a team means the various stakeholders believe in one goal, hence, there must be a commitment to finding lasting solutions to common problems.
“Inclusion is more than just providing excellent customer service. It is also about creating an environment where everyone can be themselves and feel like they belong. That’s why I said what we are working towards here is that nobody should be scared or intimidated by another stakeholder,” Okaga added.