De'Remi Atanda, managing director and chief executive officer of Remita Payment Services Limited, has called on businesses and public institutions to measure the success of digital transformation by customer outcomes rather than the sophistication of the technology they deploy. Speaking at the 2026 Service Excellence Conference in Lagos, attended by business executives, regulators and public sector leaders, Atanda highlighted a persistent problem: organisations spend significant resources on digital platforms, automation and new features, yet customers continue to experience delays, uncertainty and preventable frustrations.
Atanda argued that technology must serve a specific purpose rather than become the objective in itself. "Customers are not looking for technology; they are looking for outcomes," he said, emphasising that service providers must first understand what customers expect before choosing which tools to use. He warned that automating poorly designed processes simply transfers their flaws to digital platforms. "Speed is just one attribute of service delivery. Fast service is not always pleasant, nor does it always meet customer expectations," he added, stressing that true service excellence requires speed combined with intelligent solutions and human connection.
The Remita chief stressed the importance of maintaining human elements within digital services, arguing that technology should not eliminate empathy, responsiveness or accountability when issues occur. He clarified that preserving human connection does not mean reverting to manual processes, but rather ensuring customers feel understood and supported. "When we speak of human connection in technology, 'human' does not mean manual processes. It is about the emotional component of service delivery and how people relate to your brand," he explained.
On accountability in financial services, Atanda noted that while transactions typically depend on multiple networks, service providers and intermediaries, the company dealing directly with customers must remain solely accountable for its promises. He urged business leaders and policymakers to establish and enforce service standards with consequences for failures. He outlined five priorities for leaders: understand customer expectations before selecting technology, map the entire customer journey, embed empathy and responsiveness in service processes, design for failures as carefully as designing for success, and measure performance through customer experiences rather than system uptime alone.
For savers, borrowers and business owners in Nigeria, this approach means financial services companies should prioritise solving actual customer problems over showcasing advanced technology. The conference, held during the 2026 Customer Service Week, underscored the need to evaluate digital investments based on the real value they deliver to customers rather than their technological complexity.