What does customer service mean to you? To some, it is just a faceless voice on the phone; to others, it is a polite message in a chatbot. But behind every interaction you make, there is a person carrying the satisfaction and frustrations of customers, and most times, they don’t even get credit for it.
To celebrate customer service week, we are spotlighting Gladys Israel – a customer experience professional and the founder of Customer Experience Naija.
Gladys didn’t start her career in customer experience. After she completed her BSc in Biochemistry from River State University, she started her post-NYSC journey as an Accounts and Admin Officer at a private hospital in Lagos and it was there that the patients defined her role.
“I was the first point of contact a patient had with us,” Gladys said. “From ensuring they were comfortable with our care processes to converting inquiries into customers for our ANC packages, I found myself doing more than admin. Looking back now, that was my first real introduction to customer experience, which in this case is patient experience.
Working in a hospital taught her that empathy and patience are important. Many patients came in distressed, in pain, or unable to really express themselves. She adapted by using Pidgin English, gestures, or involving someone they trusted while making sure they still felt heard and cared for. “Empathy is not just about kindness,” Gladys explained. “It is about meeting people where they are, even when communication is not straightforward. That experience taught me to listen beyond words and stay patient. These are some of the experiences and lessons that contributed to how I handle my customers today.”
When she describes her daily work now, Gladys measures good and bad days by customer reaction. A good day, she said, is when customers engage actively with a product, adopt features with ease, and leave satisfied because they received a clear value. A bad day is when we see more complaints than inquiries. “But even in those moments,” she added, “I see opportunity. Every frustration surfaces insights that can lead to better onboarding, clearer communication, or even product improvements.”
In 2023, she noticed something missing. While other industries had visible networks and support systems, CX professionals in Nigeria had no organised community to connect, share, or learn from other people in the field. This gap inspired her to start one, and on the 3rd of October 2023, which was the start of Customer Service Week, Gladys launched Customer Experience Naija, first as a Twitter page.
Initially, it served as a space to share and retweet CX content, reflect on her learning, and connect with others like her. The responses were encouraging, and by January, the community expanded to LinkedIn. By February, she had hosted their first webinars, and since then, she has organised more than 15 virtual webinars and events, alongside three in-person meetups in Lagos, Port Harcourt, and Ibadan. In July 2024, they launched their Telegram community.
“Honestly, it’s grown beyond what I imagined,” Gladys said. “At first it was me sharing what I was learning, but along the way I’ve gained so much like career guidance, encouragement, and a sense of support. And it hasn’t just been me. Members are finding mentors, peers, and even job referrals through the community. That’s the big ‘wow’ moment for me seeing that it opened real doors for people.” Today, Customer Experience Naija has become the kind of space she once wished for: a hub where professionals can connect, learn, feel supported, and be noticed by the industry.
Building a community while growing a career has not been easy. At the early stage, Gladys managed everything herself, but as the community grew, she learned the importance of teamwork. “If I wanted it to thrive, I couldn’t do it alone,” she said. “I brought in volunteers, from designers to a community manager, to keep systems in place. It is still hard to manage volunteers, partnerships, and everything. Sometimes I joke that I signed up for one chance on a rough road. But it is worth it.”
Despite the challenges, she sees her leadership role as part of her own growth. Leading the community, she explained, keeps her sharp. Each webinar or conversation exposes her to new perspectives she can apply in her career. “It’s a cycle,” she said. “The community helps me grow in leadership, communication, and people management. And as I grow in my career, I bring that value back to the community.”
When asked what advice she would give to women looking to build a career in customer experience, Gladys said she believes in the power of community. She encouraged women to join professional spaces, ask questions, and engage. She stressed the importance of learning from others already in the field, paying attention to their paths and the skills that shaped them. Research, upskilling, and confidence, she said, are just as important as showing up with presence. “Don’t be the ghost attendee in meetings,” she advised. “Remember: as a CX professional, you are the customer’s advocate. Own it.”
Gladys also wishes customers understood more about the people behind the screen or on the phone. “On the other side of every phone call, chat, or email is a human being who truly wants to help,” she said. “Sometimes the frustration lies with the system, not the individual. A little patience and kindness go a long way, and often make it easier for us to go the extra mile. At the end of the day, we are humans too.”
This Customer Service Week, her story is a reminder that customer experience is about people like Gladys who are balancing empathy and leadership while carrying the voices of customers every day. As we celebrate this week, may we also honour the emotional work that makes every customer feel seen and heard.
Leave a Reply