SAJ stages successful customer service excellence workshop

The Shipping Association of Jamaica (SAJ) successfully staged its first training intervention, customer service excellence, of the year on February 8 and 9.

The two-day workshop was facilitated and certified by the Management Institute for National Development (MIND), attracting nearly two dozen participants from organisations in four Caribbean countries.

The workshop was designed to help the participants develop skills and behaviours to offer exceptional customer service and empower them to effectively engage customers to understand their needs and provide solutions in a timely manner.

Aquiel Nibte of VSH Shipping (Suriname) said she found the training “very instructive”. “My experience during this training was absolutely amazing,” she said, adding that it was “very interactive, informative, and spontaneous.”

“The training provided information that I can use to upskill as a customer service agent, increasing customer satisfaction. I learned a different approach to make my service better and how to deal with difficult customers.”

The workshop provided several opportunities for the registrants to re-enact real-world situations and respond to them using the techniques they learned. Assessments by the facilitator, experienced human resource practitioner Fay Suhku, and other participants, showed where they could improve their responses to enhance the customer’s experience.

The customer service excellence course included topics on understanding the business of customer service, getting to know your customers, sustaining a service excellence culture, overcoming challenges in customer service, and using complaints to drive improvements in service delivery.

“After the training I can better build customer relationships using emotional intelligence and communication skills. Not only does this result in a satisfied customer base, but it also leads to a loyal customer base, which is the ultimate goal when it comes to customer service excellence,” Nibte shared.

Regarding the course’s structure to address issues related to better customer service, she said: “I was really impressed with both the content and the quality of the course. Ms Fay really knows what she’s talking about in customer service. She presented a great set of tools that I will be able to use.” She added that she would share the information with her work team.