Electronic & Electrical Appliances/Telecommunications; A positive attitude helps dedicated staff to reach their goals ALL STAFF AT SmarTone-Vodafone have proved that they can offer products that enable people to communicate efficiently. Gary Chan, winner of the Supervisory Level award, stresses the importance of engaging a customer in conversation. 'Understanding customers' needs, thinking about the best way of meeting their needs and treating customers in a personal and engaging way so that they feel special is very important,' the telecommunications retailer's North Point branch assistant supervisor said. Derek Yeung, his colleague from the Causeway Bay outlet, also realises the role of communication. The Junior Frontline winner said that to provide good service you had to have a positive attitude, outstanding communication skills and should think more and do more for customers during the interaction, with the goal of bringing them a total customer experience. Both employees cited examples of how they helped unite customers with relatives. One man was delighted to hear from Mr Chan that he could assign a specific ring tone that rang when his granddaughter called him. One woman, courtesy of Mr Yeung's clear understanding, was able to recommend a video phone so that she could feel closer to her mother while she stayed in hospital after an accident. Human resources general manager Rita Hui said: 'It's not about luck that we've won. 'We put in a lot of effort and worked together as a team. Ultimately, the awards are because of the company culture we have created. We always think our customers should be impressed with their experience, whether in our shops or on the hotline.' Ingrained in this culture is what the company likes to call its U ACT Principles - Understanding, Agility, Clarity and Teamwork. 'This is not just talk. We really expect all of our employees to know and execute these principles,' Ms Hui said. While four SmarTone-Vodafone employees have come away with a gold pin and recognition for their achievements this year, you can be sure that every other staff member also talks the talk.
