Barriers to Customer Care Overview of MTN-Mobile Money Service Mobile Phone usage have over the last decade

proven to be an integral part of the average Ghanaian, whose daily life between dawn and dusk has a phone use component at a point or the other. There is high level of mobile penetration in Ghana with five major operators, awaiting the sixth operator. Scancom entered the Ghanaian market in 1996 under the Spacefon brand and launched the first GSM service in Ghana and led the industry with innovative services, such as Caller ID, SMS, Itemised Billing, and Per Second Billing, and these were completed by superior customer service. In Agust 2005, Scancom Limited announced the final step in the evolution of its brand from Spacefon through SpacefonAreeba, and finally to Areeba.With this evolution, the network then joined other sister networks across Africa, Europe and the Middle East to continue the tradition of building quality networks and providing superior customer service while delivering innovative products and services that support businesses and individuals alike. Mobile Telecommunications Network (MTN), which was created in Johannesburg, South Africa in 1993, grown from a local to global mobile service company and acquired Investcom Limited, which owned Scancom (GH) Ltd. the operators of areeba in Ghana in July 2006. In 2009, Ghana's leading telecommunications provider, MTN, successfully launched MTN Mobile Money service in partnership with 9 banks ahead of its competitors to allow Ghanaians to perform a range of basic financial transactions using their handsets.The Mobile Money platform allows non-MTN customers (even those who do not have a cell phone) to transfer or receive money by using the services of the Authorised MTN Mobile Money Merchants. MTN has 20 Service Centres in Greater Accra Region of Ghana, where money money customers are mostly served. Mrs Judith Asare is a super merchant for MTN mobile money in Tema Community 2. Agnes Mesah is cashier/customer care representative at Lashibi branch of MTN Service center. Razak Mohammed is a Merchant Manager for Greater Accra and David Addai is terrory Sales reps of Money for Accra west MTN is on the brink of losing a big customer of mobile money due internal process that affect customer services. As EMBA marketing student of University of Ghana Business School(GUBS,) David could not fathom how a company that claims to be customer oriented could not clear all hurdles to customer satisfaction and delight Transfer into Wrong Account On Friday March 30, 2012 around 4:46pm, Mrs. Judith Asare, a mobile money merchant went to MTN Lashibe branch to load her wallet (deposit money into her mobile money account) for onward retailing to customers. Mrs Asare, otherwise known as Winners

Ventures, was among the earlier adopters of Mobile Money after a chart with former General Manager Bruno Adaka during the lunch of mobile money, and has subsequently invested heavily in the service with huge customer base since October 10, 2009 when winners venture was birth. In lieu of, according Agnes Mensah. who was only on relieving duty at the branch, electronic cash/money (loading of wallet) the customer asked for mobile money unit. The cashier then transferred airtime to the merchant account. Monday morning of April 02,2012, the customer angrily went to the service center to inform the branch head of the blunder that were caused Friday, causing All winners ventures to lose big time to competition thoughout the week which is the peak period for the services. Eric Asantte, the rugular customer care rep at the branch was called by the branch head, Ms Yvonne Anhwere to explained to her what the issues. Eric quickly concluded that in the presence of the customer, even though he was not at post on Friday, if the customer had mentioned that she want e-cash, that would have been provided. That fact that airtime was sold instead of e-cash meant that, that is what Mrs Asare actually requested, adding that in most occasion, he has to correct from saying unit or credit when they want electronic cash. Eric reminded his boss, Ms Yvonne of the company policy on reversal/returned of items sold, hence the need to advice the customer to use the wrong product that was sold to him. David Addai, the territory Sales controller, was just doing his usual routine visit to the branch, and chance on the case. He set-up All Winners Ventures up, and as a key customer, he will always go the extra mile to ensure that the customer is satisfied Even though Mrs Asare still insist that, she asked for e-cash and not airtime or credit, she is marvled at the way customer care representative are handling the issues, given the fact that, they know All Winners Ventures to be one of the key customers of mobile money. She has therefore given the branch 48 hour ultimatum to credit her account with e-cash of the amount given plus 40% interest since her lost out on opportunity to make money during the weekends due to no fault of hers. David is worried MTN might lose this customer to competition. Over the years, competition have offered various incentives/motivation to All winners ventures, just for her to offer their service but she has declined on all occasion, due to her affinity to the brand MTN. ALL attempt to reach Mrs Asare on phone have been futile, and her shop too is closed. David has report to incident to his Boss Razak and the mobile money department have called emergency meeting to address the situation. The fact is, reversal of the transaction is very difficult and time consuming, making it impossible for them to meet the 48-hour timeline. At the head office, the questions management is trying to answer is how come a customeroriented company such as MTN, could not remove all hurdles that affect customer

satisfaction before, during and after sales. How come a single wrong transaction cannot be reverse with a click of button but has to take days with many beuracratic process to be followed before its done? Whiles mobile money accountant, Gorden Ansah think, the customer demand is excessive, hence the company can do with her, Razak and particular David is asserting that, losing this customer will be detrimental to the whole business because the volume of business she brings is quite enormous. Mrs Asare is integral part of the business and losing her means, there would be a lot of explanation to make to the executives board, and more people might lose their job. Now its left with 30 hours to the deadline. All Winners Ventures will not rescend on any of her demand, and the resersal process too is a bit slow