NAPSA RATED TOP IN CUSTOMER SERVICE EXCELLENCE

The National Pension Scheme Authority (NAPSA) has scooped two prizes at the just-ended Annual Customer Service Awards organized by the Zambia Institute for Customer Management (ZICM). The Authority scooped the 2017 Most Customer Focused Organisation in Public Sector   and Customer Service Innovation of the Year. The Awards were presented at a ceremony held at Radisson Blu Hotel in Lusaka on Friday 6^th October 2017. The Customer Service Excellence Awards ceremony is held every first week of October as part of the International Customer Services Week.

Over a hundred customer service professionals and institutions who included banks, government departments, public and private organisations, telecommunication and insurance companies, participated in this year’s customer service week under the theme; “Building Trust”.

The Zambia Institute for Customer Management- Vice Board chairperson Mr. Patrick Mwila emphasized the need for all customer service professionals to Build Trust of their customers.

“It is a challenge to everyone who works with customers – either on the phone, online or in person – to earn their trust by offering them an excellent experience in order to win their trust,” said Mr. Mwila.

And speaking after receiving the awards, Mr. Ason Banda, Senior Customer Services Manager-NAPSA, said the Authority’s achievement was a clear indication that the Authority was heading in the right direction in its quest to enhance operational effectiveness and efficiency in service delivery to its clients.

He said: “In order to enhance efficiency in service delivery, the National Pension Scheme Authority embarked on a robust digitalisation and automation programme, organisational restructuring, establishment of a customer contact centre and development of new customer interactive solutions”.

He explained that as a customer-centric organization, NAPSA had not only developed a clear customer service strategy, processes, policies and procedures but was also promoting a customer centric culture that is designed to support customers and to provide them with a great experience”.

“We have introduced a number of ICT solutions such as the eNAPSA and mobile applications that have greatly improved the way we do business and interact with our clients. Employers and members can now transact with us from the comfort of their homes or offices or indeed anywhere by using any of the solutions that we have implemented. Employers can now register employees, submit returns and pay contributions online via eNAPSA without having to queue up as used to be the case previously,” he said.

And Minister of Commerce Trade and Industry, Honourable Margaret Mwanakatwe, MP, who was Guest of Honour commended customer service professionals in the country for their continued effort to increase public awareness on issues of customer service excellence.

“Fostering a culture of Customer Service Excellence must certainly begin to be considered as a priority in our national agenda. I call on all institutions that have direct interaction with customers to uphold the customer service standards and be proactive in attracting meaningful investment considering the dynamism of the business environment,” said Mrs. Mwanakatwe.

Customer service week is an international event devoted to recognizing the importance of customer service and honoring the people who work on the frontlines serving and supporting customers. It is commemorated every first week of October.