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Last Updated: Feb 13, 2017 - 1:45:37 AM |
TRAINING BEGINS AT HOME FOR GBPA: Employees of The Grand Bahama Port Authority, Limited (GBPA), including company president, Ian Rolle ( ) participated in two days of training aimed at improving the Group’s customer service standards.
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Freeport, Grand Bahama Island - Cognizant of the need to improve on the delivery of quality customer service both as an organization and an island as a whole, The Grand Bahama Port Authority, Limited (GBPA) hosted a two-day mandatory workshop for all of its employees, including management.
Under the theme, “Customer Service Workshop - An Inside Job”, more than 200 staff members, led by the company’s president, Ian Rolle, explored the value, dynamics, and impact of customer service.
“GBPA’s focus this year is ‘Growth and Impact’,” Rolle revealed. “We are competing with various jurisdictions around the world, and therefore, we need to up our game.” Rolle shared during his address to employees on opening day of the training. “Customer complaints amongst Licencees have become more frequent, and we all understand the impact that poor service can have. But, we also believe that by setting the standard for service excellence, GBPA can influence this trend and transform Grand Bahama into a customer service leader, not only in The Bahamas, but the region and beyond,” Rolle continued.
The training was facilitated by Public Domain, a Bahamian-based marketing research consultancy firm, which specializes in customized market and opinion research services. The event was held at the Pelican Bay resort.
Employees were eager to delve into the training sessions which included mini-group discussions, comparisons of positive and negative attitudes and conduct, and a motivational guest speaker.
GBPA’s Chief Financial Officer, Deann Seymour, described the event as, “an ideal team building exercise which allowed employees to interact with each other constructively outside of the normal office setting and focus on a common goal of improving customer service.”
After attending the training session, sixteen-year veteran, Elon Ferguson, said he felt inspired. “It raised my expectation that things are changing and I want to be a part of it,” he expressed.
Contact, context and content were buzzwords that struck a chord with Executive Assistant, Deidre Rahming. “In our interactions we need to focus on the whole picture and remember that foremost we are service providers,” she stated.
Service Clerk, Glendia Sweeting appreciated reminders to always deal with customers in a cordial manner. “We should always strive to convey the impression that we are not the enemy but a friend who is trying to assist the customer in whichever way possible,” she added.
Edith Martin, receptionist and telephone operator, offered her ground rules for success as the first person of contact at GBPA. “You cannot fight fire with fuel. By maintaining a pleasant attitude, you can calm down angry customers you have to deal with whether in person, or on the telephone,” Martin said.
GBPA staff attendees as a whole expressed their gratitude for the training initiative. All concurred that it was different, lively, well-presented, engaging and most of all, informative.
Along with the customer focused employee training, which is an initiative of GBPA’s Invest Grand Bahama Small Business Bureau (IGBSBB), the Port Authority also recently established a Licencee Grievance/Complaint Committee. Comprised of representatives from the business, legal and religious community, along with law enforcement, its focus is to hold GBPA and its Licencees to a higher standard of customer service.
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