Staff at Kotoka International Airport to undergo customer service training

All prospective staff and operators under the Ghana Airports Company Limited (GACL) including staff of airlines would be required to undergo a certification programme in Customer Service Delivery before being issued with Airport Passes.

The programme is being developed by the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA) for GACL to enable the personnel operating at the Kotoka International Airport (KIA) and other aerodrome in the country to contribute to achieve the mission.

Mrs Doreen Owusu-Fianko, Managing Director of GACL announced this at the opening session of a two-day Customer Service Training programme for front-line staff of the company in Accra on Tuesday.

Although she did not announce when the new measures would begin, she pointed out that GACL could only achieve its mission, to “provide an equal world-class facilities and services to meet the needs of their valued customers and expectations of stakeholders, be responsive to their needs with innovative and cutting-edge solutions provided by a well-trained and motivated staff, if they know the customers needs and how to meet them”.

Mrs Owusu-Fianko noted that the programme was being designed as part of the training programme for customer service framework, to enable the company enhance its customer service delivery.

“Every contact with a customer is an opportunity for repeat business, almost every aspect of our operations determines how our customers view business dealings with them,” she said.

Mrs Owusu-Fianko explained that objectives of the training programme were to enhance staff knowledge of GACL’s customers and their specific needs, bring about a significant improvement in service delivery by establishing a strong and visible customer service presence in the terminals.

It would also help the staff to appreciate the current trends in building a customer friendly organisation as well as equip them with techniques to deal with customer requests effectively and resolve complaints promptly.

Professor Franklyn Manu, Dean of GIMPA School of Business and a facilitator said areas to be handled during the training include standards of customer service, its practice, and getting people to understand the importance of dealing properly with customers.

He said the training would cover about 400 staff at the airport, in batches of 40 and would be examined at the end of the training and awarded certificates.

“Passengers can be very difficult and since the airport is the gateway, what you do there reflects not only on GACL but also on Ghana,” he stated.

Source: GNA