Civil servants drawn from various ministries and departments are attending the first of two week-long workshops on Pathways to Legendary Customer Care which began on Monday, May 7. The other workshop next week will continue until May 18.

L-R: Valerie Hodge, Arjul Wilson, Rodney Ray, Rev. Niles And Dr. Ben Thomas

The training was arranged by the Community College Development Unit in collaboration with the Department of Public Administration. The resource person is Dr. Ben Henry of the Customer Services Academy in Jamaica who has conducted similar courses in Anguilla some eight months ago.

Participants at the workshop

Superintendent Minister of the Anguilla Methodist Circuit, Rev. Dr. H. Clifton Niles, who gave the invocation, said from his perspective customer care involved four things: commitment to understanding people; to serving people; developing trust in people; and contributing to the wellbeing and comfort of people. He added that the four commitments were only possible if there was love for people.

Another section of workshop participants

Dawn Reid, Project Director with the Community College Development Unit who welcomed the participants, said the workshop was part of a continuing programme in hospitality training towards the establishment of a National Community College. She stated that the workshop served as an indication and commitment of Government and the Department of Public Administration to improving quality service in the public sector.

Mrs. Dawn Reid

“Over the next two weeks, we are working to ensure that quality service provided by various public offices measured up to and exceed the high level of service which the Anguillian public deserved.

Permanent Secretary, Public Administration, Aurjul Wilson. She told the participants that they were selected from among 779 established employees from the many departments and ministries to attend the training as they jobs brought them in constant inter-action with the public. She said it was expected that they would pay particular attention to the information disseminated and ultimately employ improved methods of customer care in their respective departments and ministries.

“Whether you are greeting visitors at the ports, meeting the patrons at the Post Office or at the Companies Registry addressing the needs of offshore investment, it is necessary that you offer appropriate and friendly customer service,” she stressed.

Rodney Rey, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Social Development, declared open the workshop. He said the Community College Development Unit was again demonstrating its commitment to education and training by coordinating the customer care workshops over the two weeks. He commended Mrs. Reid and her staff of two for their effort in identifying the training needs of Anguillians and making the training available particularly to the young people.

Rey said the Minister of Social Development, Evans Rogers, had played a leading role in the decision to offer the valuable training to as many employees in the public sector as possible. He stated that the Department of Public Administration had responded positively and willing agreed to under-write the cost of the training. “That decision is an expression of the agency’s commitment to human resource development both in the public and private sector,” Mr. added.

The Vote of Thanks was delivered by Valerie Hodge, Deputy Director, Public Administration.
Meanwhile, a number of other workshops have been planned covering the period July to October. The training will be in babysitting, event planning and management; certified hospitality, basic food service skills, bartending skills, supervisory housekeeping, energy conservation and plant maintenance and quality customer care.

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