LG Electronics has launched a six-point customer charter for the Middle East and Africa as part of its efforts to give priority to customer service, the South Korean electronics giant says.

"LG's customer service strategy was launched over 10 years ago when our company laid down a management credo of value creation for customers," M B Shin, president, LG Electronics Middle East and Africa (MEA) operations

"This has now become a focal point of our management philosophy and research shows LG is now being perceived as a leading after-sales carer.

"In this region where the best of service is now a core competency of LG, we have average brand awareness of 50 per cent, individual product market share of between 25-30 per cent and we believe that heightened customer service will help bring more customers into the LG fold."

Currently LG Electronics has 1,520 service centres in 55 countries throughout the Middle East and Africa and, earlier this year, it opened 10 new digital service centres, where customers and technicians meet face-to-face, in five MEA locations, including Dubai.

Now LG has stepped up its service offering with the launch of a network of Customer Information Centres (CIC) across 12 countries throughout the Middle East and Africa. The launch of the dual-language CICs, which operate on proprietary LG software, means that one-stop service is just a single phone call away for LG customers.

"The CICs have been verified and their launch is in line with our determination to provide customers with the best possible facilities for customer care," says Y R Roh, managing director, LG Electronics Middle East Company Limited (LGEME), LG's service subsidiary for the region.

The CICs have been opened in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Oman, Iran, Pakistan, Jordan, Syria, Tunisia, Morocco, Egypt and South Africa.

The launch of the CIC network means LG now provides service access for 16 hours a day, 365 days a year in the 12 countries.

"We are actively pursuing an aim of providing same-day service for our customers in the region. Currently we deliver a same-day service to an average of 80 per cent of regional customers and we are looking to improve that," he says.

"Also, another four countries will have CICs before the end of this year. These are Qatar, Kuwait, the Ivory Coast and Algeria."

LG also offers its market-leading international warranty on products bought in 17 Middle East and is expected to reach 15 west African countries in 2003.

"This means that the warranty moves with customers. If a product is bought in the UAE and the customer moves to Saudi Arabia, his warranty moves with him because it is guaranteed by LG," says Roh.

LG is looking to launch a cyber CIC service in the region by the end of this year.