CUSTOMER CARE INCLUSION FOR DEAF PERSONS IN NIGERIA’S SERVICE INDUSTRIES: ECONOMIC IMPLICATIONS AND POLICY SOLUTIONS
Keywords:
Deaf Persons, Customer Care,, Service Oriented Industries, Economic inclusion.Abstract
Deaf Nigerians' experiences, attitudes, and obstacles in obtaining customer care services in banking, telecommunications, healthcare, and hospitality are examined in this study. This study uses the Social Model of Disability to examine how institutional exclusion and communication difficulties affect Deaf clients' social and economic involvement. Instead of numerical generalizations, qualitative exploratory methods were used to understand lived experiences. Deaf clients, customer service representatives, and service managers from Anambra and Lagos industries were studied. 25 focus group and thorough interview participants were selected by purposeful sampling. Braun and Clarke's (2006) paradigm was used for theme analysis using semi-structured interview guides. This helped identify recurring themes, significances, and relationships in participants' stories. According to University of the Niger Research Ethics rules, informed permission, confidentiality, and written and sign language interpretation were ensured. The results show that a lack of skilled interpreters, sign language ignorance, and staff hostility hinder Deaf people from using customer service. These constraints slow treatment delivery and worsen psychological anguish and economic marginalization. Through inclusive customer service, sensitivity training, visual communication technologies, and sign language integration promote equity and corporate growth, according to the research. The study reframes Deaf accessibility as a human rights and economic development issue, contributing to Nigeria's disability-inclusive service design discourse. It suggests that public and private entities should institutionalize inclusive communication techniques to achieve equal participation and sustainable national development.
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