Patricia Sappor, a renowned banking executive in Ghana and the first woman to lead the Chartered Institute of Bankers, Ghana (CIB Ghana), has launched her third book, 'Creating a Unique Client Experience: How Leaders Build Client-Centric Organisations and Inspire True Loyalty.' The book was launched virtually and drew a diverse group of attendees, including chief executives, board chairs, entrepreneurs, and clergy.
The book, which is informed by Sappor's over three decades of banking experience, argues that customer-centricity must extend beyond courtesy to encompass policies, processes, systems, technology, and human interactions. It positions client experience as a responsibility of organisational leadership, not a function to be delegated solely to customer service departments.
The virtual launch was moderated by Robert Dzato, Chief Executive Officer of CIB Ghana, and chaired by Albert Essien, Board Chairman of Development Bank Ghana and former Group Chief Executive Officer of Ecobank Transnational Incorporated. Essien described the book as a playbook on competitive advantage at a time when products and pricing can easily be replicated.
According to Essien, “Products can be copied in weeks. Prices can be undercut overnight. But there is one thing no competitor can copy, and that is the way an institution makes its people feel.” This highlights the importance of client experience in creating a lasting impression on customers.
Sappor's motivation for writing the book was informed by her professional experience and personal observations of poor service delivery. She noted that “Over the years, I have come to appreciate that the customer is the oxygen that keeps an organisation alive. Without customers, there is no business, no institution and, ultimately, no reason for an organisation to exist.”
Embedded in the book is THE SAPPOR FRAMEWORK, which outlines six steps to sustain a customer-centric culture: S – Set the vision, A – Assess the current state, P – Promote awareness and standards, P – People, processes and technology alignment, O – Observe, measure, own and reward performance, and R – Reinvent continuously.
Reviewers have praised the book and THE SAPPOR FRAMEWORK as a significant contribution to promoting customer centricity. Dr. Ellen Hagan, Chief Executive of L’AINE Services Limited, formally launched the book, saying, “In the race to become more technologically advanced, let us never become less human.”
Key points
- The book provides a framework for organisations to build a customer-centric culture.
- THE SAPPOR FRAMEWORK outlines six steps to sustain a customer-centric culture.
- The book argues that client experience is a responsibility of organisational leadership.
