As businesses increasingly turn to artificial intelligence to handle customer enquiries, a new customer-service challenge is emerging: how to make technology faster without making organisations harder to reach.

The issue is becoming more important as companies automate routine interactions through chatbots, automated phone systems and digital self-service platforms.

For customers dealing with a failed transaction, an unresolved complaint, an urgent travel problem or a service disruption, however, the ability to speak to a human being can still determine whether an organisation is seen as trustworthy.

Customer experience leader Olufunmilola ‘Funmie’ Aluko argues that the race towards automation should not obscure the basic requirement of customer service: ensuring that someone is available to take ownership when a problem cannot be solved automatically.

Writing to mark Customer Service Week, Aluko, who is Chief Brand and Marketing Officer and Head of Customer Experience at Union Bank of Nigeria, said the person who answers a customer’s call often becomes the organisation in that moment.

“The person on the other end of the line is not a cost to be managed. For the customer in that moment, she is the organisation.”

The human gap in an AI-driven service economy

The argument comes as companies globally increase investment in artificial intelligence for customer support.

Gartner reported in August 2026 that 87% of customers believe companies using generative AI for customer service should provide an option to reach a human agent. The survey of 3,566 business and consumer customers was conducted in February and March 2026.

The research also found that half of customers said their interactions were easier when companies used generative AI.

But Gartner warned against forcing customers through AI systems before allowing them to reach a person, particularly when automated interactions have failed.

“Service leaders should not use GenAI as a mandatory first step for every issue,” Gartner analyst Eric Keller said.

The findings suggest that the question for businesses is no longer simply whether they should automate customer service, but where automation should end and human intervention should begin.

Nigeria’s customer service problem is also about resolution

For Nigerian businesses, the challenge extends beyond access to an agent.

The 2025 KPMG West Africa Banking Industry Customer Experience Survey, based on more than 35,000 retail customers, 5,000 SMEs and 600 corporates, found that customer experience performance in Nigeria had remained broadly flat.

More significantly, Resolution remained the lowest-rated customer experience pillar among retail banking customers for the fifth consecutive year.

Customers reported delays in closing complaints, unclear communication and continuing service disruptions. KPMG said the experience gap between the highest- and lowest-rated banks had also narrowed from almost eight percentage points a decade ago to less than three.

That means customers are increasingly comparing organisations not only on whether they provide digital services, but on how effectively they solve problems when those services fail.

For Aluko, this distinction is crucial.

“Deflection and resolution are different things,” she said, arguing that a contact may appear to have been successfully contained simply because a frustrated customer abandoned the attempt to get help.

The cost of making customers give up

Poor service is not simply an inconvenience for consumers. It can affect loyalty and revenue.

PwC’s 2025 Customer Experience Survey found that 52% of consumers had stopped using or buying from a brand because of a bad experience with its products or services, while 29% said they had stopped because of poor customer experience either online or in person.

PwC also found a significant gap between how executives and consumers perceive loyalty: 89% of executives believed customer loyalty had increased in recent years, compared with 39% of consumers.

For companies, the implication is straightforward.

A customer who cannot reach anyone, receives conflicting answers or repeatedly has to explain the same problem may not complain formally. They may simply move to another provider.

Even Gen Z still picks up the phone

The assumption that younger consumers want entirely digital customer service is also being challenged.

McKinsey found that 71% of Gen Z respondents considered live calls the quickest and easiest way to reach customer care and explain an issue. The finding came from its Customer Service Survey conducted in May 2023.

This does not mean customers reject digital channels.

Rather, it suggests that customers want choice: self-service when it is convenient and a human being when the problem requires explanation, judgement or reassurance.

Gartner’s 2026 research similarly found that customers are increasingly using generative AI to complete tasks, but still expect companies to maintain access to human support.

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What should businesses automate?

Aluko is not arguing against technology.

She said she has supported investment in AI-enabled contact platforms and believes automation can improve service when used to remove repetitive work.

A customer checking a balance, tracking an order or resetting a password may not need to speak to an employee.

The problem begins when technology becomes a barrier rather than a shortcut.

An automated system that gathers information before transferring a customer to an appropriate employee can make service more efficient.

An endless menu, chatbot loop or unanswered switchboard can have the opposite effect.

Gartner’s research points in the same direction, saying AI is more useful when it understands the customer’s intent, attempts resolution where appropriate and provides a clear route to human support when necessary.

The overlooked people behind the customer experience

Aluko’s argument also expands the definition of customer service beyond contact-centre employees.

Receptionists, switchboard operators, security personnel, hospital admissions staff and workers answering general enquiries can all become a customer’s first interaction with an organisation.

Yet these roles are sometimes given less training, authority and recognition than the technology supporting them.

“The receptionist and the switchboard operator are frequently among the least trained and least valued people in the building, and yet they are its first voice and its first face,” she said.

Giving frontline employees enough information and authority to resolve problems, she argued, can turn them into some of an organisation’s most valuable brand assets.

Complaints should become business intelligence

Another issue is what organisations do with complaints after they have been recorded.

Nigeria’s consumer protection framework gives consumers avenues to seek redress. The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission operates a complaint-resolution system that allows consumers to submit complaints, provide supporting documents and track cases.

But Aluko argues that recording complaints should be only the beginning.

“Logging is not learning.”

She believes frontline employees should feed recurring complaints back into the organisation so that businesses can identify and fix the underlying causes.

The distinction is between solving one customer’s problem and preventing the same problem from affecting thousands of others.

KPMG’s finding that resolution remains Nigeria’s weakest retail banking experience pillar reinforces the significance of that approach.

Why reachability matters in Nigeria

The human element becomes particularly significant in markets where customers interact with organisations through several channels.

Nigerians may use mobile apps, USSD, WhatsApp, social media, telephone lines, physical branches or offices, depending on their circumstances.

A service strategy that works perfectly on one platform may fail on another.

Aluko therefore argues that organisations should treat every customer access point as a potential “front door”.

That includes the traditional telephone line and reception desk, even as businesses invest heavily in digital channels.

AI investment is rising, but people are not disappearing

The evidence does not point towards an entirely human or entirely automated future.

Gartner reported in August that customer-service leaders had increased AI spending by 38%, while overall service and support budgets grew by only 2%. Yet the same research found that live chat and phone remained among the most valuable customer-service channels today.

Earlier Gartner analysis also predicted that none of the Fortune 500 companies would completely eliminate human customer service by 2028.

The emerging model is therefore likely to be a combination of technology and people: AI handling routine interactions and assisting employees, while human agents take responsibility for complicated or sensitive cases.

Aluko’s challenge to business leaders

For Customer Service Week, Aluko has proposed a simple test for organisations.

She wants leaders to identify one thing that makes their organisation difficult to reach, spend time with receptionists or switchboard operators, read customer complaints in their original form and give at least one frontline employee greater authority to resolve a problem.

She also recommends that executives call their own organisations or walk through their front doors as ordinary customers.

The objective is to experience the service from the customer’s side rather than relying exclusively on performance dashboards.

A waiting-time statistic may look acceptable in a report, she noted, while feeling extremely long to a customer waiting for help during a crisis.

What this means for customers

For consumers, the debate over AI and human customer service is ultimately less about technology than about accountability.

People may welcome faster digital services, provided they can still reach someone when automation cannot solve their problem.

For businesses, the challenge is to ensure that efficiency does not come at the expense of trust.

As Aluko puts it, technology can make organisations faster, but it cannot by itself decide whether a customer’s problem genuinely matters.

“The technology will keep improving, and I will keep welcoming it,” she said.

“What it will not do is care. Caring remains stubbornly and valuably human.”

For Customer Service Week, that may be the more important measure of the extra mile: not how many interactions an organisation can automate, but whether customers can still find a human being when it matters most.

About the author of the original commentary

Olufunmilola “Funmie” Aluko is a customer experience and brand leader with 25 years of experience in financial services. She is Chief Brand and Marketing Officer and Head of Customer Experience at Union Bank of Nigeria, where she oversees the bank’s brand, marketing, communications and customer experience agenda, including its Contact Centre.

She is a Certified Customer Experience Professional (CCXP), Certified Experience Management Professional (XMP) and Associate Registered Practitioner in Advertising (arpa). She serves on the Africa Regional Council of the Customer Experience Professionals Association (CXPA).

She holds an MBA from Warwick Business School, University of Warwick, and a BA (Hons) from Lagos State University.

The NSCDC Anambra Staff Cooperative Investment and Credit Society is looking to expand its investment portfolio and improve access to financial services for members after reporting growth in its membership and financial base.

The development was disclosed at the society’s 17th Annual General Meeting (AGM), held at the Cooperative House in Awka on Friday, October 2, 2026.

The meeting brought together officers, members and stakeholders to review the cooperative’s financial performance, approve key resolutions and consider ways to strengthen its operations.

Cooperative seeks wider investment opportunities

The President of the society, ASC I Meniru Augustine, said the cooperative had recorded progress since the previous AGM, attributing the development to prudent financial management, improved operations and members’ commitment.

According to him, the increase in membership and the growth of the society’s financial base have created room to expand its services, improve loan accessibility and explore additional investments capable of generating sustainable returns.

He, however, warned that continued growth would depend on members maintaining financial discipline, particularly by repaying loans promptly and regularly.

The president also thanked the society’s patron for his guidance and members for their confidence in his leadership.

Director urges members to think beyond loans

The Director of Cooperatives, Anambra State Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Mrs Chinyere Odoegbunam, urged the society to look beyond lending as its main source of income.

She said carefully selected and professionally managed investments could provide the cooperative with sustainable income and create greater long-term value for members.

“While lending remains an important aspect of the society, we must also pursue carefully selected and professionally managed investments that generate sustainable income and long-term value for members.”

Odoegbunam also encouraged eligible NSCDC officers and personnel who are not yet members to join and begin saving.

She said cooperative savings could provide an important financial cushion for members after retirement, particularly while they await pension payments.

“Let me advise those who are yet to join the cooperative and start saving to do so as soon as possible, because those savings, when refunded, will help them to settle down after retirement while waiting for their pension.”

Why the investment conversation matters

For cooperative societies, expanding beyond short-term lending can help diversify income and reduce dependence on loan interest.

However, such expansion also requires careful investment decisions, proper financial controls and transparency to protect members’ contributions.

The state’s Director of Cooperatives said the ministry was working to harmonise regulatory policies, while a planned Cooperative Management Information System is expected to strengthen transparency and regulatory compliance.

She said the system could also help create opportunities for international grants and institutional partnerships.

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NSCDC command urges financial discipline

The State Commandant of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Anambra State Command, Commandant Maku Olatunde, commended the cooperative’s leadership for what he described as transparency, accountability and prudent financial management.

Maku said the society’s progress would depend not only on its leadership but also on members’ active and responsible participation.

He urged members to maintain unity and financial discipline while acknowledging the contribution of the cooperative’s founding members.

“We owe them a debt of gratitude. The best way to honour their legacy is to ensure the cooperative grows stronger and remains a source of pride for every member.”

The commandant pledged continued support for initiatives aimed at improving accountability, innovation, growth and members’ welfare.

He also reaffirmed the commitment of the NSCDC High Command, led by Commandant General Prof Ahmed Abubakar Audi, to initiatives designed to improve the welfare of officers and personnel.

Retirees, families of deceased members receive support

The AGM also had a welfare component, with cheques presented to NSCDC retirees during the year and families of deceased members.

Former executives were also honoured with send-forth presentations and gifts.

Other activities included the presentation and adoption of the cooperative’s 2025 financial report, declaration of dividends to members, goodwill messages from stakeholders, a raffle draw and a group photograph.

The resolutions adopted at the meeting are expected to guide the society’s operations as it seeks to strengthen its financial position, widen investment opportunities and improve services to members.

What happens next?

The cooperative’s next phase will largely depend on how effectively it balances increased lending with diversified investments while maintaining strong repayment discipline and accountability.

For members, the focus will be on whether the reported financial growth translates into improved access to loans, sustainable dividends, stronger retirement support and better welfare benefits.

As Nigeria marks its 66th Independence Anniversary, home and lifestyle retailer Jamara Home says changing household needs are influencing the way Nigerians choose appliances and other products for everyday living.

The company said its Independence Day message goes beyond the national celebration, highlighting what it describes as the “freedom to live better” through homes that are comfortable, functional and suited to individual lifestyles.

According to Jamara Home, Nigerian households increasingly expect home products to offer a combination of quality, reliability, convenience and dependable customer support.

The company said these expectations are becoming important as homes serve multiple purposes, including cooking, working, entertainment, relaxation and family life.

From independence to everyday living

Jamara Home’s Head of Marketing, Oluwatomi Faniran, said the significance of national progress should ultimately be reflected in people’s everyday experiences.

“As we celebrate Nigeria at 66, we are reminded that the story of our nation is also the story of millions of homes and families.”

Faniran said Nigerians continue to adapt to changing circumstances while seeking ways to improve their daily lives.

“Every day, Nigerians are creating, adapting, overcoming challenges and finding new ways to make life better. At Jamara Home, we celebrate that spirit by helping people create homes that support the way they want to live.”

The company said this was the thinking behind its Independence Day campaign, which places household comfort and consumer choice alongside the broader national celebration.

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Why product support matters to consumers

Jamara Home also used the occasion to highlight what it considers a growing need for retailers to provide more than products.

Faniran said businesses serving Nigerian households should understand consumers’ circumstances and provide solutions and support that offer practical value.

“Our commitment is to make quality home and lifestyle solutions more accessible while giving consumers the confidence that they are investing in genuine products, backed by trusted brands, manufacturer warranties and the support they need,” she said.

The emphasis on genuine products and warranties is particularly relevant to consumers making significant household purchases, where product durability, servicing and access to after-sales support can influence the overall value of an appliance.

What Jamara Home offers

Jamara Home said its portfolio covers more than 30 international brands and includes products across several areas of household living.

Its offerings include televisions, refrigerators and freezers, audio systems, gas cookers, cooking appliances, air conditioners, washing machines and power solutions.

The company said it distributes genuine products through trusted channels and provides manufacturer warranties on its products.

Looking beyond the Independence celebration

For Jamara Home, Nigeria’s 66th Independence Anniversary provides an opportunity to connect the idea of freedom with the practical realities of everyday life.

The company said it remains focused on providing home and lifestyle solutions that reflect the needs of modern Nigerian households.

As consumers continue to make decisions about what products to bring into their homes, factors such as quality, authenticity, warranty coverage and customer support remain part of the purchasing conversation.

Jamara Home said its broader goal is to help consumers make those choices with greater confidence.