In strategy rooms across Ghana and other parts of Africa, empathy often comes up in Customer Experience (CX) conversations. “Walk in the customer’s shoes.” “Put people first.” “Humanise the journey.” These phrases are shared across industries. But despite this, many policies still end up frustrating customers instead of serving them well.

Why does this happen?

Because in many organisations, CX is still viewed as a support function, not a core business driver. It is often treated as something that happens at the frontline rather than a system that must be built into the very structure of how the business operates.

Empathy Alone Won’t Save You

The problem isn’t empathy. The problem is poor execution.

You can train teams to smile, but if resolving a simple complaint takes 14 steps and three signatures, the customer will still walk away upset.

The real challenge is structural. Not emotional.

Until business leaders treat customer experience as a priority that requires accountability, investment and collaboration across departments, the change will remain surface level.

From Soft Skills to Business Systems

In Ghana’s financial sector, customer expectations are rising. People are more tech-savvy, more vocal and less forgiving. Feedback is instant. Criticism is public. And customers are no longer patient.

Smart organisations are already responding by:

• Simplifying approval processes and cutting unnecessary steps
• Designing services around customer needs instead of internal habits
• Using feedback to influence executive decisions
• Expanding self-service tools that give customers more control

These aren’t feel-good initiatives. They are critical moves in a market where trust and convenience shape customer choices.

Listening is a Leadership Responsibility

More institutions are realising that listening must lead to change. Reports alone are not enough. Feedback must shape how services are designed, delivered and improved.

At UBA, for example, putting customers first isn’t just a philosophy.  It’s the foundation of everything we do. We believe that every decision, process, and innovation should revolve around delivering exceptional value and convenience to our customers.

Right now, at UBA, we are:

• Improving our digital platforms to better reflect customer needs
• Strengthening self-service options without compromising support
• Paying attention to what customers say and letting that guide our priorities

This isn’t about perfection; it’s about steady progress driven by what customers truly value.

Questions Every Leader Should Be Asking

If you hold influence in banking, telecoms, insurance or public service, consider these questions:

✔️ Which of our processes are making things harder for customers?

✔️ Are we focused only on empathy, or are we backing it with real action?

✔️ Do our systems help teams do the right thing quickly, or are they getting in the way?

The winners in the next decade will not be those who speak well about CX. They will be the ones who make it easy to do the right thing for customers, every day and across every channel.

The Real Work of CX Leadership

True CX leadership goes beyond slogans. It is about building systems that remove friction and make staying, returning and recommending easy for your customers.

This takes teamwork across departments, strong feedback loops and leadership that sees customer experience as a business outcome, not just a brand promise.

CX deserves a seat at the table alongside risk, revenue, compliance and operations. Because a poor experience isn’t just a service failure. It is a threat to growth.

So, the next time empathy comes up in a boardroom conversation, ask yourself:

Are we giving our people the tools to act on it, or just telling them to smile through the stress?

Because empathy alone won’t save you.

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The writer, Yvonne Quashie, UBA Anglophone West Africa Regional &CX Ghana Head