Odunayo Sanya Highlights Core Values For Service Excellence

In commemoration of the 2021 annual Customer Service Week, leading telecommunications company, MTN Nigeria, hosted customers at an event themed ‘Live Inspired’ which was held virtually.

Odunayo Sanya, Executive Secretary, MTN Foundation, was the keynote speaker at the customer engagement forum which had over 200 participants in attendance.

Egerton Idehen, General Manager, Customer Operations set the tone for the discussion, highlighting MTN Nigeria’s evolution over the years, from transactional to relational with customers being at the center of its success story for the past 20 years of partnership.

While delivering the keynote address, Odunayo thanked MTN customers for their support and patronage which has spurred MTN’s investment in 510 communities under 454 LGAs in Nigeria through the MTN Foundation.

Speaking on the topic “Influence”, Odunayo stated that the world is going through unprecedented times and as such, it has become increasingly important to effectively leverage the power of influence either as a business owner, individual, or a professional much more than ever.

Defining influence as the capacity to have an effect on the character, development, or behavior of someone or something, she said that leadership is influence, nothing more, nothing less according to renowned leadership coach, John C. Maxwell.

On the need for individuals to build influence regardless of position, Oduanyo affirmed that everyone is a leader and should act accordingly. According to her, leaders are not only found in the professional world, leaders exist in the family, businesses, and groups as a result of the changing demography of teams.  

She reminded the audience that Leadership is influence, and everyone has the capacity to influence. She further emphasized that Influence can be positive or negative, it is not positional rather, it is earned. Influence is taking responsibility.

Highlighting the sources of influence to be character, relationship, knowledge, intuition, experience, ability, force, intimidation, and position. Odunayo made it clear that influence can be built through a positive mindset, trust, and a compelling vision. The people who would be influential are those passionate about problem-solving, innovation, and trends. People who invest in personal development.

She concluded with an acronym to define an influencer. According to her, an influencer is someone who has Integrity for people, Nurtures other people, has Faith in people, Listens to people, Understands people, Enlarges people, Navigates for other people, Connects with people, Empowers people, and Reproduces other influencers.

She ended her speech with the rendition of a leader’s prayer by Pauline H. Peters “God when I am wrong, make me willing to change when I am right to make me easy to live with. So strengthen me that the power of my influence will far exceed the authority of my position.”

Customer Service Week is an international celebration of the importance of customer service and the people who serve and support customers on a daily basis.

It is a week-long event to raise awareness of customer service and the vital role it plays in successful business practice and the growth of the economy.

MTN is committed to continuously delivering excellent and innovative services to customers.