Mr. Daniel Baidoo, Director, HRODD giving his opening remarks
As part of the Vice-Chancellor’s vision of transforming the University of Ghana into a ‘go- to’ university, the UG Rebranding and Marketing Team in conjunction with the Human Resource and Organizational Development Directorate, has held the first of a two-part series of customer service training seminars for different categories of staff of the University. The UG Rebranding and Marketing Team believe that the seminars would retool and rejuvenate the customer service competencies of staff to deliver a consistent UG brand.
The customer service seminars dubbed: ‘Delivering the University of Ghana Brand Through Enhanced Customer Service.’ is aimed among others, at empowering and equipping staff of the university with the requisite customer service skills to deliver superior customer service.
Opening the first part of the two-part seminar series, Mr. Daniel Baidoo, the Director, Human Resource and Organizational Development Directorate (HRODD) said that the UG has indicated through its Strategic Plan, its vision to deliver goals that meet the expectations of both her external and internal stakeholders.
The seminar series, he added, were in tandem with the vision of the Vice-Chancellor to ensure that the university lived up to the adage of being the ‘University of Choice’ in Ghana. Addressing staff of the University, he stated among others that, “For the next ten years, the Strategic Plan is our working document and I entreat you to religiously follow the nine-point priority areas and play your active roles for UG to live the vision of becoming a ‘go- to’ University”.
Professor Robert Ebo Hinson from the Department of Marketing and Entrepreneurship, University of Ghana Business School (UGBS), who is the Chairman of the Rebranding and Marketing Committee together with a team of customer service trainers from diverse backgrounds engaged staff in customer service delivery fundamentals. The Resource Persons were Mr. Jerry Nathaniel Halm, Chief Service Officer, Customer Experience Consortium, Mr. Eric Prempeh, Customer Service Manager, Ghana Airports Company Ltd and Mr. Clifford Duke Mettle, Director, E-Banking, uniBank Ghana Ltd. Others who brought their expertise to bear on these training sessions were Apostle Wilhemina Ayebea Opare-Ayeh, Team Leader, Service Quality Beige Capital Savings and Loans and Mr. Albert Ocran, of Legacy and Legacy.
Some Resource Persons during the training sessions
The Resource Persons stressed that services were intangible and their patronage largely depended on recommendations of people based on their expectations and experiences. They added that for the University to realize its vision of becoming a ‘go-to’ university there is the need to build the skill of efficient and excellent customer service delivery at all points of contact at the University. Participants were encouraged not to be spectators, but to get involved in all aspects of activities related to the delivery of the UG brand to its stakeholders.
Each seminar session concluded with a case study discussion where participants were engaged in a hands-on practice of real life customer service and complaints handling.
Some of the participating staff commended the Human Resource and Organizational Development Directorate, for the initiative. They called on the University to keep staff updated on current customer service dynamics.
Mr. Baidoo, in his closing remarks challenged Staff to use the information and knowledge acquired to improve upon their output to enhance delivery of the UG Brand.
The University of Ghana is determined to strengthen and build good bonds and customer relationships through an enhanced customer service delivery, to deliver on its brand and image. The seminars were therefore held to help staff identify, understand and work to satisfy all stakeholders of the University.
Among others, the training seminars would also challenge UG staff to pay infinite attention to detail in their work and ensure they provide every assistance to make the university competitive
It is expected that a consistent excellent customer service experience would reverberate in the minds of our stakeholders going forward.
A cross-section of Participants at one of the seminars
