Adibe Emenyonu in Benin City
The Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC), yesterday, flagged off customers’ service week with the distribution of free metres 20 prepaid metres to customers with estimated bills complaints.
The Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of BEDC, Dr. Henry Ajagbawa, who disclosed this during the flag off yesterday, said the programme is one of the numerous events planned by the distribution company to mark this year’s Customer Day, a global event geared to recognise the importance of customers in any trade activity.
Ajagbawa, who was represented by the Head, Human Capital Management of BEDC, Dr. Obinna Obi, noted that “in our organisation, we recognise the value of customers and we cannot go less to appreciate them.
“That is why we are going all the way to give our all to serve them better. Therefore, it is our desire to serve our customers as we have ever done before that we are kick-starting the distribution of 200 metres to them.”
He also stated that the event was geared toward knowing the demands of customers for better service delivery so that they can be happy all the times.
Earlier, the BEDC Head, Customer Care Service Department, Mrs. Imoghome Umakhihie, said that part of the programme was to celebrate the services of staff and appreciate customers who are strategic to everything the company does.
Umakhihie said: “We know that as time goes on, one will strive to meet the expectation of customers. 200 customers have been attended to today. We hope to give out 20 metres to the first 20 customers with estimated billing complaints today and we are fast tracking the installation of those metres to day.
“We want to resolve complaints on the spot especially on estimated billing. We are on the MAP process where customers can key to our website, request for metre and once they have paid, they will be metred within 10 days.
“Before now, we were on the National Mass Metering Programme (NMMP) and we have finished Phase Zero and in the process of starting Phase One.
“However, before the commencement of phase one customers who cannot wait for the phase one of the NMMP, are encouraged to key into MAP which is currently on where the customer have to pay,” she disclosed.
Reacting, a customer, Dr. Oladeide Bankole, praised the initiative of BEDC, adding that in the past, he applied for a prepaid metre without getting any result and have been paying outrageous amount as estimated bill for a three bedroom flat.
“Now, the issue has been resolved seamlessly. If they can do this very often, there will be no suspicion and customers will be happy for it,” he said.
Another customer, who claimed to have been on outrageous estimated billing, Mr. Osazuwa Onaghise, described the initiative as a welcomed development, expressed joy that it would improve power supply and also efficiency in the system.
Similarly, a customer who said she resides in Ikpoba Hill area of Benin, Miss Cynthia Agimon, described the innovation by the new management of BEDC as laudable.
Agimon said that she has been suffering from estimated billing where she is forced to pay between N40,000 to N50,000 every month after paying for metre without getting any, adding that she is now happy that within a short while, a metre is on the way for her.
