Bishop Patricia Sappor, one of Ghana’s respected banking executives and the first woman to serve as President of the Chartered Institute of Bankers, Ghana (CIB Ghana), has launched her third book, Creating a Unique Client Experience: How Leaders Build Client-Centric Organizations and Inspire True Loyalty.
The book launch, held virtually, also witnessed the unveiling of the SAPPOR Framework, a practical model designed to help organisations develop and sustain a strong customer-centred culture.
The event was moderated by Mr Robert Dzato, Chief Executive Officer of CIB Ghana, and chaired by Mr Albert Essien, Board Chairman of Development Bank Ghana and former Group Chief Executive Officer of Ecobank Transnational Incorporated.
It brought together chief executives, board chairpersons, entrepreneurs, religious leaders and other distinguished personalities. The Governor of the Bank of Ghana, Dr Johnson Pandit Asiama, was among the dignitaries acknowledged at the event.
Mr Tony Elumelu, Chairman of Heirs Holdings and former Group Chairman of United Bank for Africa (UBA), was represented by senior customer experience executives from UBA Group and Heirs Insurance Group.
Drawing on more than three decades of experience in banking and leadership, Bishop Sappor’s latest publication highlights the importance of making customer experience a central part of organisational strategy.
The book argues that customer-centricity must go beyond courtesy and frontline service to include policies, processes, systems, technology and human interactions that shape the overall customer experience. It further emphasises that delivering excellent client experiences is a responsibility of organisational leadership and should not be left solely to customer service departments.
In his remarks, Mr Albert Essien described the book as a practical leadership guide that addresses one of the most important sources of competitive advantage, particularly at a time when products and pricing strategies can easily be replicated.
“Products can be copied in weeks. Prices can be undercut overnight. But there is one thing no competitor can copy, and that is the way an institution makes its people feel,” he said.
He added that the publication provides valuable guidance for leaders seeking to transform customer service “from a poster on the wall to behaviour in the hallway, from a department to a DNA.”
Explaining the motivation behind the book, Bishop Patricia Sappor said her decision to write it was influenced by her professional experiences and personal observations of poor service delivery in some institutions. She stressed the need for significant improvements in customer service across Ghana and the African continent.
She recalled an experience at a medical facility about eight years ago, where vulnerable patients received care without the empathy and attention they needed. She also recounted a conversation with a finance executive who questioned why a profitable company should continue investing in customer experience.
“Over the years, I have come to appreciate that the customer is the oxygen that keeps an organisation alive. Without customers, there is no business, no institution and, ultimately, no reason for an organisation to exist. Yet, customer experience is often treated as a departmental responsibility rather than a fundamental leadership obligation,” she said.
She further stressed that excellent client experience must be reflected in the systems and structures of an organisation.
“Client experience is not a luxury. It is indeed a divine necessity. It goes beyond being courteous or putting on a smile. It is about creating systems, processes, policies and cultures that make people feel valued, respected and consistently served.
“Every interaction matters, whether it takes place at the frontline, through a digital platform or within the internal processes that determine how quickly and effectively an organisation responds to its customers,” she added.
Bishop Sappor challenged organisational leaders to examine whether customers must rely on personal connections to receive timely services. She also encouraged institutions to embrace technology to anticipate and respond to customers’ needs rather than waiting for complaints or requests.
“As leaders, we must therefore take ownership of the experience our organisations deliver. We must ask ourselves these difficult questions:
“Do people have to know ‘a big man’ before they can receive the service they deserve?
“Are our systems designed around the convenience of the institution or the needs of the customer?
“Are we using technology to make service more accessible, responsive and humane?” she asked.
She, however, commended leaders across various sectors in Ghana for their continued efforts to improve service delivery. She cited SSNIT’s online medical support for pensioners and the user-friendly ECG mobile application for purchasing electricity as examples of initiatives that demonstrate how technology can improve customer experience.
At the heart of the publication is the SAPPOR Framework, which outlines six key steps organisations can adopt to establish and sustain a customer-centric culture.
The framework comprises setting the vision, assessing the current state, promoting awareness and standards, aligning people, processes and technology, observing, measuring, owning and rewarding performance, and reinventing continuously.
The model provides organisations with a structured approach to evaluating their existing service culture, aligning internal systems, measuring performance and continuously improving the experiences they deliver to clients.
Reviewers of the book described the framework as Bishop Sappor’s signature contribution to customer experience management, with some describing the publication as “the blueprint that we need for customer centricity.”
They also highlighted the relevance of its principles to organisations across various sectors, including financial services, healthcare, education and faith-based institutions.
Dr Ellen Hagan, Chief Executive of L’AINE Services Limited and co-founder of Legacy Girls’ College, formally launched the book and framework.
In her remarks, she urged organisations to maintain the human element of service delivery even as they embrace technological advancements.
“In the race to become more technologically advanced, let us never become less human,” she said.
Several institutional and industry leaders also endorsed the publication, describing it as a valuable contribution to leadership development and service excellence.
The President of CIB Ghana, Dr Ellen Ohene-Afoakwa, congratulated Bishop Sappor on her contribution to the banking profession and her historic achievement as the Institute’s first female president. She noted that the book would serve as an additional resource for knowledge acquisition within the Institute’s professional courses.
The President of the Institute of Directors Ghana, Mrs Mary Asare-Yeboah, also endorsed the publication, emphasising that service excellence must become an organisational culture rather than a one-off initiative.
Mr Arnold Ekpe, former Group Chief Executive of Ecobank Transnational Incorporated, who reviewed the manuscript before publication, described Bishop Sappor as a missionary of customer service across Africa. He noted that he had not encountered another publication on client-centricity that examined the subject in such depth.
Dr Awuraa Abena Asafo-Boakye, an Executive Legal Consultant of Ecobank Ghana PLC, who joined the bank alongside Bishop Sappor in 1996, also highlighted the author’s contribution to strengthening Ecobank’s reputation for customer-focused service.
The foreword to the book was written by Mr Samuel Ashitey Adjei, former Managing Director and Board Chairman of Ecobank Ghana. He recounted how the privilege of writing the foreword turned into genuine excitement as he began reading the publication.
Religious leaders also commended Bishop Sappor for documenting and sharing lessons from her professional and personal journey.
Archbishop Nicholas Duncan-Williams, Founder and Presiding Bishop of Action Chapel International, who has known Bishop Sappor for more than 40 years, praised her commitment to excellence, integrity and service.
“Having known Mrs Patricia Sappor for over 40 years, I have witnessed her dedication to excellence, integrity and service. Her decision to document the lessons from her professional and personal journey is commendable.
“This book is not merely a reflection of her experience but a valuable resource for leaders seeking to build institutions that genuinely serve people,” he said.
Most Rev. Dr Samuel Noi Mensah, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Full Gospel Church International, led a prayer of dedication for the publication.
Participants at the virtual launch were also invited to sponsor copies of the book and support the publication of future titles. Orders were received during the programme, including a request for at least 100 copies.
The book is available for orders through WhatsApp on 0559897115 and at Dominion Bookshop at Action Chapel International on Spintex Road. Readers can also purchase it online through Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Smashwords and Apple Books.
Bishop Patricia Sappor is a seasoned banker, author and inspirational leader with more than four decades of professional experience, including over three decades of shaping and influencing the financial services industry.
As the first female President of the Chartered Institute of Bankers, Ghana, and a former senior executive at Ecobank Ghana Plc and the Ecobank Group, she has consistently championed excellence in client engagement and service innovation.
Beyond her corporate achievements, she is the founder of Empowered for Influence (LBG), a non-governmental organisation dedicated to equipping middle-aged corporate women and developing them into impactful leaders.
She is also a reverend minister at Action Chapel International, overseeing four branches of the church, where she combines her professional expertise with spiritual mentorship to inspire transformation.
Her previous publications include The Christian Woman: Secrets to Enjoying Your Marriage, which focuses on empowering women to thrive in their careers and marriages, and Creating Wealth and Enjoying It, which promotes financial discipline.
Bishop Sappor is married to Mr Frederick Sappor, a Chartered Accountant. They have three children and five grandchildren.
Her latest publication, Creating a Unique Client Experience, is a practical guide to delivering consistent and memorable customer experiences that contribute to long-term organisational success.
It explores exceptional service delivery, customer loyalty, leadership accountability and the systems that shape every client interaction.
Through the SAPPOR Framework, the book provides leaders and organisations with practical steps to translate customer experience strategies into meaningful action, build trust, strengthen client loyalty and achieve sustainable growth.
The publication is particularly relevant to business leaders, entrepreneurs, corporate executives and institutions seeking to improve service delivery and establish a lasting customer-centric culture.
