Eswatini to Introduce National Customer Service Index to Improve Service Delivery

Eswatini is introducing a National Customer Service Index to assess service delivery standards across the country. The index will be built using data gathered through the customer experience awards research process. This move aims to strengthen customer experience and service delivery. Dr. Oliver Museka announced the planned introduction during the 11th Customer Experience Awards held on November 6, 2026, at Happy Valley in Ezulwini.

The Customer Experience Awards have grown over the past 11 years from a recognition event into a broader initiative. The initiative includes the National Customer Service Week, an annual customer experience conference, professional training, and certification. The proposed index will provide another platform for assessing how organizations serve their customers and identifying areas for improvement. This development is expected to help businesses retain customers, secure repeat business, and attract referrals.

The awards process involves public nominations, followed by independent research to assess the nominated organizations. Four finalists are selected in each category, with nominees receiving reports highlighting their strengths and areas requiring improvement. Research partner Applied Research Solutions handled the verification of nominations, data cleaning, and preparation of detailed reports used in determining the winners. Students from the Institute of Development Management (IDM) supported the research through mystery-shopping data collection conducted across the country.

Dr. Museka emphasized that customer experience should not be regarded as a luxury but as an economic driver. Services account for more than half of the country's national output. Businesses that provide good customer experiences stand a better chance of retaining customers, securing repeat business, and attracting referrals. Improved service delivery is linked to business growth, job protection, investor confidence, and tourism.

The announcement encourages businesses to move beyond traditional customer service approaches and make customer experience part of their overall organizational strategies. During the customer experience conference, speakers highlighted the importance of anticipating customer needs, identifying potential service failures, and addressing recurring complaints. Another presentation emphasized that customer experience should not be left to frontline employees alone but should involve everyone in an organization.

Dr. Museka acknowledged the participation of regional customer experience practitioners from countries including Zambia and South Africa. Partnerships across the continent are important in raising service standards. He invited customer experience practitioners and organizations to join the Customer Experience Professionals (ECxP), participate in training programs, and enter future awards. The 11th Customer Experience Awards marked the culmination of the annual customer service activities held under the theme of going the extra mile.

The introduction of the National Customer Service Index is expected to provide a platform for assessing and improving customer service standards in Eswatini. The index will help businesses identify areas requiring improvement and provide a framework for delivering high-quality services. This development is a significant step towards enhancing customer experience and driving economic growth in the country.

Key points

• The National Customer Service Index will be built using data gathered through the customer experience awards research process.
• The index aims to help businesses identify areas requiring improvement and provide a framework for delivering high-quality services.
• The introduction of the index is expected to drive economic growth and enhance customer experience in Eswatini.