NCC orders telcos to respond to subscribers within 30 minutes

The Nigerian Communications Commission is expected to order telecom companies to attend to customers who arrive at any customer service centre in the nation within 30 minutes.

‘Draught Quality of Service Business Rules,’ a recent document posted to the commission’s website, served as the basis for this.

It states that the key performance indicators, associated measurements, and minimum quality and standards of service are all specified by the business rules.

The telecoms regulator stipulated in the document’s customer care section that a subscriber’s wait time to be physically attended to by relevant staff at customer care centres must not exceed 30 minutes, as opposed to the current situation, in which customers can be kept waiting for hours.

The NCC stated, “Waiting time at customer care centres is 30 minutes before being physically attended to by relevant staff. The Licensee must supply tools for measuring waiting times beginning with the time of arrival at the location.

The commission is also taking action to guarantee that subscribers who call a telco’s helpline can speak to a customer service agent within five minutes.

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The maximum time allowed on the queue or IVR should be 5 minutes before answer, it was stated, in cases where a customer chooses to speak to a live agent.

Customers should be given the option to hang up and be called back within a maximum of 30 minutes in exceptional circumstances where a live agent may not be available to answer the call within five minutes.

The NCC states that subscribers who do not use their numbers within a year risk losing them. If a subscriber line is not used for a revenue-generating event within six months, it may be deactivated, and if the situation continues for another six months, the subscriber may lose their number, unless a network-related issue prevents an RGE.

“Money left in account on deactivation can be claimed by subscribers once proof of ownership can be established at any time within 1 year (less any fee paid by the operator for the number within the 1-year of non-RGE),” the statement continued.

It also stated that a subscriber may request queue parking if they can provide documentation of a valid reason for their absence.

Adeolu Ogunbanjo, president of the National Association of Telecom Subscribers, said of the initiative to shorten wait times in customer service centres, “This is a fantastic development. When it comes to enhancing the customer experience, the NCC has been doing well.

“This is a positive development for the customers, as opposed to the past, when people had to wait for hours on end and wasted labour hours. It will reduce customer wait times at telco customer experience centres. We are delighted about this.