expression of understanding between the customer and the service provider about the nature of services that the latter is obliged to provide. The Charter is a tool to improve the quality of services, to address the needs of customers’ rights and to set clear standards of performance.

SERVICOM was established in Nigeria because, the public offices for too long have become showcases for combined evils of inefficiency and corruption whilst being impediments to effective implementation of government policies (SERVICOM Document, 2004). SERVICOM is a social contract between the Federal Government of Nigeria and her people. It is an effort geared towards transformation and a dynamic, focused and relatively short-term process designed to fundamentally reshape the public service.

According to Management Development and Productivity Institute, Accra – Ghana (2009) customer service involves all the activities which businesses and employees conduct or perform to satisfy customers. Customer service is the speed and dependability with which an organisation can deliver what customers want. It means doing everything possible to satisfy the customer. Customer’s satisfaction is the hallmark of the efficiency and effectiveness of the delivery of services. They are interrelated and interdependent. Economic Regulation Authority Perth, Western Australia (2006, August) defines Customer Charter as published statement containing: a list of customer entitlements; details regarding a licensee’s services; and information relevant to the relationship between the customer and the licensee. In fact Customer’s Charters aims at

improving the level of satisfaction of the customer.

Statement of the Problem

Secretaries in the Nigerian public service, of which an organisation in the south eastern states of Nigeria is among, tend to fall short of the expectations of customers in the provision of services. Successive administrations in Nigeria have instituted various administrative reviews and reforms to re-invigorate the public service. Some of these administrative reviews and reforms predate Nigeria’s independence. From the Tudor Davis Commission of 1945 till date, the initiatives range from installing more appropriate structures and conditions of service to issues of improving the efficiency and effectiveness of the service and, lately ensuring service delivery improvement.

William and Tiffany (2007) assert that an organisation world-wide face a growing gap between the level of services expected by customers and what customers believe they actually receive. There is also a growing concern that in large and complex organisations such as an organisation, the problem of secretaries’ inefficiency seems to delay the rate of operations and procedures.

Since there seems to be no clear evidence of effective performance of the secretaries this research is therefore an effort to ascertain the level of secretaries’ utilisation of service delivery skills in an organisation by office secretaries. The problem of this study, therefore, is to establish how adequately secretaries in the public service, including those of an organisation in the South Eastern States of Nigeria apply their professional skills to meet the expectations of their customers.

Purpose of the Study

The main purpose of this study was to assess the extent to which secretaries in an organisation in the south eastern-states of Nigeria apply interpersonal and resource skills necessary for improving their service delivery. Specifically, the study sought to:

1.      Determine the extent to which secretaries in an organisation in the south-eastern states of Nigeria apply interpersonal skills in their service delivery;

2.      Assess the extent to which secretaries in an organisation in the south-eastern states of Nigeria apply resource skills in their service delivery;

3.      Determine differences in the extent secretaries apply interpersonal and resource skills based on the ownership (Federal, State and privately owned) of their institutions; and

4.      Determine differences in the extent secretaries apply interpersonal and resource skills based on their type (universities, polytechnics and colleges of education) of institutions.

Research Questions

The study was guided by the following research questions:

1.      To what extent do secretaries in an organisation in the south-eastern states of Nigeria apply interpersonal skills in their service delivery?

2.      To what extent do secretaries in an organisation in the south-eastern states of Nigeria apply resource skills in their service delivery?

Research Hypotheses

The following null hypotheses were tested  at  0.05 level of significance:

1.            Secretaries in federal, state and privately owned organization in the south-eastern states of Nigeria do not differ significantly in the extent they apply interpersonal skills in their service delivery;

2.          Secretaries in an organization in the south-eastern states of Nigeria do not differ significantly in their application of resource skills in their service delivery based on institutional ownership;

3.            Secretaries in universities, polytechnics and colleges of education in the south eastern states of Nigeria do not differ significantly in the extent they apply interpersonal skills in their service delivery;

4.            Secretaries in an organisation in the south eastern states of Nigeria do not differ significantly in the extent they apply resource skills in their service delivery based on type of tertiary institution;

Significance of the Study

The findings of the study are considered vital in the present reforms for best practices in Nigeria. The outcome of the study should be beneficial to secretaries of an organization in identifying their needs for professional development in service delivery in line with the SERVICOM principles as that will enhance institutions reputation and increase profits.

The findings should sensitize secretaries on Government Reform process and its implications for their institutions. It will also provide an insight into the extent to which secretarial roles and responsibilities may have changed due to the changes in technology.

The findings of this study, if implemented, will help in curricular development of business education programs, plans and organisation of in-service training for secretaries in their areas of need.

Scope of the Study

This study was to assess the role of secretaries as tool for enhancing the quality of services rendered by government establishment in the five South-Eastern States of Nigeria, namely Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu and Imo States. The study focused on interpersonal and resource skills of secretaries in an organization in the zone.

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