Mr Praveen Chorghade, the Managing Director of Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC), on Thursday charged staff of the company to “make customers king’ and treat their demand for services with speed.
Chorghade, represented by EEDC’s Chief Technical Officer, Mr Vincent Ekwekwu, said this in an address in Enugu in the ongoing Customer Service Week 2022 at various districts and service offices of the company within its franchise area.
According to him, “our product is not just electricity; our product is also services; so essentially, what we offer our customers is electricity and services.
“To serve our customers well, we have to be efficient and effective, doing our work according to the timing and convenience of our customers and not ours.
“Going extra miles and beyond the expectations of our customers, so we can put smiles on their faces.
“Customers must be comfortable with our services and that is only when they will respond by paying their bills promptly in return”.
The manager also urged staff to give prompt attention to faults and issues complained by customers as well as ensure constant communication with them.
“I am happy to see and celebrate our customers today because without you (customers), EEDC would not exist and we want to provide first-class and speedy solutions to your service needs,” he said.
The Head Health, Safety and Environment, EEDC, Mr Francis Iwu, stressed the need for safety and to ensure that specified power line right-of-way is observed to avoid electricity hazards.
Iwu explained that one of the reasons some customers experienced electric shock from the walls in their apartments or offices was due to the poor earthing system of the building.
“You must engage competent electricians in the wiring of your facilities to avoid electrical shocks and electrocution of the occupants,” he said.
The Head Corporate Communications, EEDC, Mr Emeka Ezeh, urged customers to make use of the customer service representatives at their various service centres whenever they had issues, rather than complain to linesmen or field workers.
“It is the responsibility of the customer service representatives to take down your complaints and escalate them to the appropriate quarters for resolution or solution,” Ezeh said.
He noted that vandalism of EEDC facilities remained one of the major challenges faced by the company and customers as well.
According to him, once vandalism takes place, the customers are without electricity supply while EEDC is losing revenue and also spending huge sums for replacement of vandalised items.
He therefore appealed to the customers to guard the power facilities serving them and report any suspected case of vandalism to EEDC’s Whistleblowing Line: 084700100 or 08146026678.
The Head Customer Service, EEDC, Mrs. Ijeoma Ogudebe, who is the chief organizer of the Customers’ Service Week 2022, said that for the past five years, EEDC had always participated in the week with other service-oriented organisations.
Ogudebe noted that all staff member, no matter their department or unit, was a customer service person.
“It takes a happy staff to make a happy customer. If you are not happy, how would you make a customer happy.” (NAN)