HPB Voices Reloaded

Interview of Excellent Service Award winners

Launched in 1994, the Excellent Service Award (EXSA) is a national award that recognises individuals who have delivered outstanding service. It seeks to develop service models for staff to emulate, create service champions and professionalise services. The objectives of EXSA are:
- Inspire service staff to scale new heights
- Develop service models to emulate
- Create service champions
- Recognise the efforts of service staff
- Professionalise services

This year, HPB is very proud of Ms Yeo Ah Lek and Ms Rossni Bte Abdullah, both from Student Health Centre, Youth Health Division, to be part of the EXSA Star Awards winner 2007.

Here is the short interview with our 2 EXSA Star Awards 2007 winners:-

How do you feel when you knew that you’ve been awarded the EXSA 2007 Star Award?

Ms Yeo: Happy of course for the recognition (Editor: This is the 2nd time Ms Yeo has been awarded the EXSA Star Award, WOW!)

Ms Rossni: I feel honoured and grateful to be awarded the EXSA 2007 Star Award. I am especially grateful to my supervisors who have been working alongside with me and give me support which have enabled me to achieve this award.

Why do you think your supervisor has nominated you for the award?

Ms Yeo: Being genuinely friendly, courteous and pleasant is part and parcel of our daily work. My supervisors normally do routine checks and I must have been nominated based on their observations and feedback which they have gotten from the patients.

Ms Rossni: It is probably because I do my best everyday and try to help each and everyone, be they staff or customer in whatever way I can. This makes the day pleasant for everyone.

Can you share with us how you would help build an excellent customer service culture back at your own department or even within HPB?
 
Ms Yeo: I put myself in the shoes of the parents. They take time off from their busy schedule to fetch their children to SHC. I understand the stress they face, the anxieties and the care and concern they have for their children. I would try to assist whenever possible and explain the waiting time to them. I would suggest to them to take a quick bite, especially if their appointment is between 1.30pm to 2.30pm. By showing care and concern for them, it makes the day for both parents and us.

Ms Rossni: I will go out of my way to assist patients whenever possible. Even though, I am stationed at the counter, I’ll assist patient by bringing them to the correct rooms when they need help.

Can you cite an example of how you have provided excellent service to your customer?

Ms Yeo: I remember there was once a Secondary One Student who forgot to bring her consent form for immunisation and she needed her mother to come to the clinic to sign the form. Her mobile phone battery was flat and she could not contact her mother. She began to panicked. I offered to call her mother. She was so happy that I assisted in solving her problem of having to come back to the clinic on another day.

Ms Rossni: One day, there was an angry parent who brought her child to SHC for check-up. As she was in a bad mood, she spoke rudely to me. To provide excellent services, I was not bothered by her rudeness. Instead, I continued to put on a smile,  assisted her in getting a queue number and showed her to the seat at the waiting area. After that, she apologised to me and even gave good feedback about me.   

Once again, Voices would like to congratulate Ms Yeo & Ms Rossni for achieving the award!