If Your Business Communication Is Like a Lagos Bus Ride, You Have a Problem

So there I was, minding my business, hopping on a bus from my office to Gerald. The fare? 300 naira. If they were feeling spicy, maybe 400. I always have change because Lagos.

As usual, I asked the driver if he had change. He gave me the classic “No wahala, enter.” Cool. We get halfway there, and this man suddenly says, “Oya, come down.”

Excuse me?

I’m looking at him. He’s looking at me. Then he starts yelling. I just pressed my phone. He kept shouting about how he’d deal with me, how I must come down. I stayed put. At this point, it wasn’t even about getting to my stop anymore it was about principle.

And that’s when it hit me: this is exactly how businesses lose customers.

1. If Your Business Makes Empty Promises, Clients Will Walk

The driver said he would stop at an agreed stop. Then he changed his tune when it mattered most. Sound familiar? It’s the same way businesses promise top-notch service, only to fumble the moment a client commits.

If your brand says you’ll deliver something, mean it. Because people remember when you don’t.

2. Customers May Not Argue, But They’re Taking Notes

When the driver started shouting, I didn’t respond. Not because I was scared, but because sometimes silence is the most powerful response.

This is exactly how customers react when businesses mess up. They won’t fight you. They’ll just quietly move on and tell everyone else to avoid you.

3. Your Brand’s Reputation Is Bigger Than One Transaction

As we got to Ladipo, passengers started pleading, saying they’d pay my fare back. I told them, “It’s not about the money; it’s about principle.”

Most customers don’t leave because of price, they leave because they don’t feel valued. If your communication is poor, if your processes are a mess, if your brand constantly reneges on agreements, your customers will find someone else who respects them.

4. Business Without Strategy Is Like a Bus Ride Without Cash — Stranded

Now, the real punchline? After all this, I realized I hadn’t withdrawn cash.

I was prepared to fight for principle, but guess who wasn’t prepared for real life? Me.

A lot of businesses are like this focused on the drama but not on the fundamentals. If you’re not actively refining your business communication, storytelling, and project strategy, you’ll wake up one day and realize your competitors have driven off with your market share.

So, What’s the Solution?

I help brands communicate with clarity so no one feels stranded; build trust through storytelling, so customers stay for the long haul; manage projects effectively, so your business doesn’t become a chaotic Lagos bus.

Because in business, just like in Lagos traffic, if you don’t have direction, you’re just moving anyhow. Now, over to you: has a brand ever Lagos-bus-drama’d you before? Drop your story, I promise I won’t just press phone.