Friendly business climate: Yadudu lauds agency

The Managing Director, Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria FAAN, Captain Hamisu Yadudu has applauded the efforts of the Service department of the agency in creating a friendly business environment.

He observed that this had helped in growing customer confidence, enlightened many and also resolved some passengers’ challenges as they arrived the airport in a timely, reliable, honest, transparent and efficient manner.

Declaring open the SERVICOM and Customer Service Department retreat in Owerri, Captain Yadudu said the department had worked to ensure through sensitization and awareness campaigns to reduce passengers stressful airport experience, frustration and complaints.

These experiences, Captain Yadudu listed to include, “long queues and wait time for check in, security checks, customs, immigration, baggage claims, and inadequate parking space at the car parks.”

The FAAN helmsman represented by the Director Operations Captain Muktar Muye emphasized that the service department had put measures in place to ameliorate these prolonged passenger facilitation beyond the recommended forty-five minutes timeline.

“The Customer Service Department has deployed suggestion boxes, common user- telephony systems and as well as created customer front desk with trained personnel, to ease both internal and external customer in case of Service failures.”

He added, ” Feedback mechanisms with the use of questionaires, surveys, mystery shopping etc are also utilized by the department to ascertain both negative and positive feeling which are dealt with appropriately.”

He stated the forum which is interactive would enable the staff of the SERVICOM department re-energize, refocus on giving back, evaluate their activities for the past year and also analyse service rendered and draw up modalities for improvement.

General Manager, SERVICOM and Customer Service Department, Mrs

Ebele Okoye in her address of welcome harped on effective and constant Communication, stressing that Management most carry the whole team along in its thought, process, action s and implementation.

She also called on the management in concert with SERVICOM and other experienced consultants to rebrand the organization, review the vision and mission of the agency in line with trending options globally and update the values.

Others are,” Create achievable goals and objectives, constitute a committee on re-branding, involve experienced consultants in this new assignment, upgrade our Operational technology, train more staff and influence the change we need as members of a global industry.”

Mrs. Okoye noted that this cannot be achieved within the short term but efforts must begin post haste to be abreast of global best practices.

She also stressed that the issues of corruption and the removal and reduction in the human interface must urgently be tackled.

“Corruption or fradulent conduct by those in positions of authority, typically involving bribery has become endemic in our society. Corruption is the abuse of high levels of power for personal gain.”

” The Federal Government needs to revisit that Executive Order (EO) and ensure strict adherence. This interface has hurt Nigerian airports ranking and kept Nigerian airports at the bottom of the ranking.”

The retreat is titled: “One  Vision, One Team, No Barriers, It Starts with You”.

In attendance at the Director Business Development, FAAN, Alhaji Rafiu Rafindadi, Coordinator SERVICOM in the Presidency Mrs. Nnenna Akajemile and staff of Customer Service Department in FAAN across airports in the country and other participants.

Wole Shadare