In an effort to improve cus
tomer relations and efficient services, the Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company (PHED) has commissioned a Customer Service Centre to ensure customer satisfaction and efficiency.
While commissioning the center, the Commissioner, Government and Consumer Affairs, NERC, Dr Abba Ibrahim, commended PHED for  providing customer service until which will ensure customer satisfaction, describing it as the first of its kind in the power industry.
Ibrahim said PHED is the first distribution company that has met NERC expectation in terms of standard and customers care and service provider in line with the electricity reform.
He recalled that in 2009, the president re-launched roadmap for the power sector, and the focus was really on the electricity consumer satisfaction, stating that “what we have here is all about this satisfaction.”
According to him, “impressive achievement of PHED has set the standard for others to follow and replicate across all their business units which covers Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Delta, Bayelsa, and Cross River State.
Abba said these are the level of standard the commission is looking at achieving because it is a new emerging electricity firm in Nigeria, and commended PHED for the feat achieved.
He urged the customers to come forward and make use of the services that are being provided for them, advising the pioneer staff of the customer service unit to be courteous friendly, diligent and work toward the satisfaction of customers.
The NERC boss noted that the commission has been advocating for this kind of service that the telecom industry operates.
According to him, “the PHED customer service is better than what I have seen in some telecom service unit and the staff should be privileged to be part of the transformation and pioneers of the service unit.
“I must say PHED is the first distribution company in the country that has met the NERC expectation and we have to commend and praise them for this feet as we expect others to follow and replicate this to all their zones”, he said.
The Assistant General Manager, Customer Service, Engr Godwin Orowvororo explained that the customer center is an integrated package where all the online services are linked to all the services so that if there is complaint, it will automatically send out signals of the fault to be rectified.
According to him, “complaints and faults are attended to and rectified within six minutes”. “As soon as we get the report, we activate the system, the telephone lines are all linked to all our business units”, he said.
Orowvororo said they also have cash office at the company head office, where payments are paid, adding that the company intends to have a self service portal for people to serve themselves.
Speaking to journalist shortly after the commissioning, the Chief Executive Director, Distribution Services, PHED Engr. Johnkin Achife said the idea of the service center is for their customers to have access to information and for the company to assist them in case there is an issue. He said the company has online facilities that allow them anywhere to have access to reach the company.