Distinguished Visiting Professor at the University of Johannesburg, Professor Ebo Hinson, has called on central banks across Africa to develop a deeper understanding of customer experience (CX) in order to more effectively guide the financial institutions under their regulation.

Speaking during a session on “Enhancing Customer Service Experience in the Financial Services Sector” hosted on X Spaces, Prof. Hinson emphasized the need for central banks to take proactive steps in shaping customer service standards across both banking and non-banking financial institutions.

“Regulating CX temperature should be part of the mandate of any forward-looking central bank in Africa,” he said. “There are a multitude of customer experience issues where central banks can offer guidance, not necessarily legislation but strategic direction. CX best practices may not always fit a standard chart, but top-level influence can make a difference.”

Prof. Hinson also urged central banks to first model good customer experience within their own operations, then extend that understanding through clear, actionable guidance to the institutions they supervise.

“I’ve always dreamed of a time when you could walk into a bank and see a pop-up banner that simply says: Call this number. That’s the kind of simple, accessible experience we need to aim for,” he added.