Leveraging customer services technique for organizational and family stability in COVID-19 era: A sociological perspective

This research investigated the extent COVID-19 pandemic affected micro and small businesses that constitutes Nigeria’s critical GDP viability and family relationships, and how the amplification of customer service techniques can stabilize such businesses and hence, promote stability-challenged family relationships. The empirical research applies a qualitative approach and obtains information from 90 respondents on their life and livelihood before and during COVID-19, and explores business and family reconstruction efforts with customer service approach. The data reveal that all respondents are negatively impacted economically and psychologically and lifestyles plunged, a situation that facilitates people’s ingenuity, in absence of meaningful statutory emergency relief assistance. More than before, most respondents established much stronger relationships with their customers during the pandemic, with both sides embracing unavoidable symbiotic business partnerships. Respondents developed customer service ethos of less argument, more empathy, tolerance, smiling and engaging in customers’ business and private events. From the data, the pandemic phenomenon creates an impetus to drive small and micro businesses to sustainability in Nigeria’s young and populous environment with guaranteed customer demand, enhanced revenue and household expendable income. However, catalytic customer service approach needs the complement of public sector driven, secure and informal sector business friendly environment for individual, business, family and national development.