By Amin Kef Sesay
It has been proven times without number that a highly skilled staff in any workplace produce excellent results when it comes to the performance of certain assigned tasks vice versa. Regardless of whether members of staff are directly employed by a corporate institution or they are auxiliary staff the fact of the matter is that their levels of performance in terms of contributing to the fulfillment of the organization’s aims and objectives depends on their competency.
Against this realization, competent Managerial teams of corporate institutions prioritize periodic training exercises which can take the forms of sending certain members of staff overseas for advanced studies, conducting workshops, seminars and hands on deck courses. Whatever form it takes the overall objective is geared towards having a highly competent members of staff that are highly knowledgeable in their areas of operation that will deliver tangible results capable of catapulting the organization or entity from one level to another.
One successful indigenous business entity that has harnessed this strategy efficiently and maybe could be a pointer to its meteoric rise is indisputably the National Petroleum-Sierra Leone Limited (NP-SL Ltd), which is an entity that is highly specialized in the marketing of petroleum products including petrol, diesel, gas and highly acclaimed lubricants chief among which is the Castrol Oil.
From time to time the Management of NP-SL Ltd facilitates training s of Station Managers and Pump Attendants with the avowed aim of improving their competencies in the course of performing their duties. Those trainings have been tailored in such ways that the two areas that have been featured are Customer Care and Safety.
As a petroleum marketing company, the various Filling Stations that carry its brand name do interface with members of the public on a regular a basis. It therefore behooves that in the midst of competition the way and manner customers are treated is very key and decisive. Such will determine whether a particular customer should remain a loyal customer or do otherwise. The experience the customer gets at the first instance will definitely create a lasting impression. In the case of NP-SL Ltd, the company has made its mark positively in that direction which led to it earning the reputation, 1st for Customer Care.
But as a forward looking company the Management says it will not rest on its oars basking in its accolade but rather to make improvements, thus from time to time try to improve on the skills of Station Managers and Pump Attendants with regards improving on its customer care portfolio.
Besides, the pump attendants deal with highly calibrated machines which they must be skilful in operating which is why training them how to handle them is very much important.
Petroleum products are indeed highly inflammable and therefore must be treated with caution. Training Station Managers and Pump attendants on how to enhance safety standards, in order to avoid dangerous accidents is highly imperative. It could be that some members of the public may want to do certain untoward things that could undermine safety but if the Station Managers and Pump Attendants are knowledgeable enough they could avert any major conflagration taking place.
Just recently, NP-SL Ltd concluded such a training for Station Managers and Pump Attendants in Freetown after which they certified them and awarded those who did well as against certain set criteria one of which was cleanest Filling Station.
It was the understanding of this medium that the petroleum marketing entity intends to replicate the award of certificates and gifts to Station Managers and Pump Attendants in the provinces soon.
