Vivian Osuji wins Dratech Customer Relationship Excellence Award 2020

By Kingsley Imeh

When the Dratech International Innovation Award 2020 announced its Customer Relationship Excellence winners, one name captured the attention of industry observers: Vivian Osuji, a finance and customer service professional shaped by years of work inside Nigeria’s retail and SME banking corridors.

Selected from a pool of eleven nominees and emerging among the top two recognised winners, her story is less about grand gestures and more about steady, disciplined work with everyday customers, from first time account holders to small business owners navigating their next stage of growth.

Vivian’s path into financial services began with a foundation in marketing from Imo State University. Rather than moving directly into corporate strategy or head office roles, she chose the customer facing end of the banking value chain, where expectations are immediate and performance is visible.

As a Personal Banking Officer, she worked directly with individuals seeking to open and manage accounts, request loans, or understand which financial products were suitable for their needs. In an environment where banking language can easily discourage or confuse, she built a reputation for explaining services in clear, simple terms.

This clarity was not a soft skill on the margins of her work. It underpinned her ability to help customers make informed decisions, understand the implications of fees and loan terms, and feel more in control of their finances. For a retail banking institution trying to deepen inclusion and retain customers, that kind of engagement is a strategic asset.

Her role required a mix of documentation accuracy, policy compliance, and human interaction. Routine transactions were only one part of the job. She consistently looked for ways to help clients strengthen their financial habits, whether through better account usage, sensible borrowing, or gradual savings. Over time, she grew from a front desk point of contact into a trusted adviser for many of the individuals she served.

Vivian later transitioned into the micro, small, and medium enterprise segment as an Account Officer. This shift placed her closer to the heartbeat of local economic activity. Here, banking is not only about deposits and withdrawals, it is also about keeping businesses alive, managing risk, and backing entrepreneurs with practical financial support.

Her responsibilities included handling loan documentation, processing requests within tight timelines, and ensuring that all records were complete and compliant. In this space, delays and errors carry direct business consequences for clients. Her ability to respond quickly and accurately became a core part of how those clients experienced the institution.

She helped secure high value accounts by combining practical problem solving with thoughtful financial guidance. Instead of pushing generic products, she focused on aligning services with the specific needs of each business, whether they were expanding, stabilising, or restructuring. Her work contributed to new business growth for her institution by identifying promising entrepreneurs and promoting relevant banking solutions that matched their realities.

According to colleagues and clients, what distinguished her performance was not just technical competence. It was consistency. She followed through on commitments, coordinated effectively with internal teams, and kept communication lines open. In a sector where customers often complain about unreturned calls or unclear feedback, this level of reliability is a differentiator.

The Dratech Customer Relationship Excellence Award is positioned to recognise professionals whose approach to client engagement goes beyond transactional service. Within that context, the decision to place Vivian among the top two winners from eleven nominees reflects three central patterns in her career to date.

First, she has maintained a clear focus on building trust through communication. Whether dealing with a first time account holder or a business owner considering a loan, she prioritised clarity over jargon. By explaining products in straightforward language and being open about requirements, she reduced the information gap that often undermines customer confidence.

Second, her record shows consistent delivery of responsive support and reliable follow through. She is described as someone who responds quickly to client requests, resolves issues calmly, and manages pressure without allowing service quality to slip. That kind of performance is not captured in one-off stories but in repeated interactions over years, across retail halls and MSME portfolios.

Third, she has contributed directly to business growth through long term relationship development. Her work in identifying promising entrepreneurs, securing high value accounts, and maintaining strong relationships did more than keep clients satisfied. It helped deepen customer loyalty and strengthen the bank’s position with individuals and small businesses who are often overlooked or underserved.

Taken together, these elements align closely with the core intent of a customer relationship award. Rather than focusing on a single campaign or a short term initiative, the judges recognised a pattern of work that links day to day actions with long term value for both customers and institution.

In a highly competitive banking market, customer experience is increasingly tied to retention, cross selling, and brand differentiation. However, the professionals who carry this responsibility are often the ones whose names do not appear in public campaigns.

Awards such as the Dratech Customer Relationship Excellence category create visibility for the people who hold that frontline.

For retail and SME banking teams, Vivian’s recognition sends a clear signal. It reinforces the idea that disciplined attention to documentation, calm handling of complaints, and patient education of customers are not peripheral tasks. They are central to how financial institutions build trust in communities where skepticism about banks can remain strong.

Her profile also points to the strategic importance of the MSME sector. By supporting micro, small, and medium scale enterprises with timely guidance and reliable service, she has contributed to a more inclusive financial landscape. For many entrepreneurs, the difference between stalled growth and expansion is the presence of a banking officer who understands their context and is willing to walk through the process step by step.

The award connects this reality to a broader conversation about innovation. Customer relationship excellence is not only about technology or digital platforms. It is also about the quality of human engagement that underpins those platforms, especially in markets where face to face and branch based interactions remain significant.

Vivian’s career tells a clear story. She has developed strengths in communication, documentation, basic financial analysis, and customer relationship management. She has learned how to coordinate across internal teams, maintain organised records in busy environments, and stay present for customers in high pressure situations.
Her work has helped individuals understand their financial options more clearly. It has guided entrepreneurs through key decisions on accounts, loans, and banking processes. It has supported a more inclusive approach to finance in her community, where both individuals and small businesses can find someone willing to listen, explain, and follow through.
This is the type of profile that fits naturally within the Dratech framework. It demonstrates how focused, customer centred work inside existing institutions can still represent a form of innovation, especially when it changes how people experience and trust financial services.

With the 2020 virtual edition now concluded, the organisers of the Dratech International Innovation Award are already turning their attention to the next cycle. The recognition of professionals like Vivian Osuji sets a reference point for what will be expected in future editions.

For innovators, financial service professionals, technology builders, and customer experience leaders, the message is straightforward. Dratech is looking for applicants who can demonstrate clear impact, disciplined execution, and strong alignment between customer needs and organisational goals.

Entries for the 2021 Dratech International Innovation Award will provide an opportunity for more practitioners across sectors to present their work, from customer relationship strategies to digital solutions and operational improvements. As this year’s Customer Relationship Excellence winner, Vivian’s profile offers a practical benchmark of what it means to turn everyday interactions into long term value for both clients and institutions.