COMPETENCY

The combination of observable and measurable knowledge, skills, abilities and personal
attributes that contribute to enhanced employee performance and ultimately result in
organizational success.

DIFFERENT TYPES OF COMPETENCY

Competencies usually fall into two categories:

Behavioural Competencies, which are usually an expression of the softer skills involved
in an employee's effective performance at a company.

Technical Competencies, which are usually concerned with effective use of IT systems
and computers, or any technical skills which are necessary for a job role.

IT- BPO - Business process outsourcing (BPO) is the contracting of non-primary

business activities and functions to a third-party provider. BPO services include payroll,
human resources (HR), accounting and customer/call center relations. BPO is also known
as information technology enabled services (ITES).

BPOs, because of the nature of the industry , look for the same competitive in their job
applicants although every company me called this by different names.

 Cognitive ability - are brain-based skills we need to carry out any task from the
simplest to the most complex. They have more to do with the mechanisms of how
we learn, remember, problem-solve, and pay attention, rather than with any actual
knowledge.
 English proficiency -is a student’s ability to use English to make and
communicate meaning verbally and in writing during their program of study.
 Computer literacy -used to describe individuals who have the knowledge and
skills to use a computer and other related technology.
 Perceptual speed and accuracy -measure the ability to focus attention and quickly
process information.
 Communication -abilities you use when giving and receiving different kinds of
information. Some examples include communicating ideas, feelings or what’s
happening around you.
 Learning orientation -scale measures the tendency or habit of seeking to
increase one’s knowledge and skills.
 Courtesy - the showing of politeness in one's attitude and behavior toward others.
 Empathy -the ability to understand and share the feelings of another.
 Reliability - the quality of being trustworthy or of performing consistently well.
 Responsiveness – the quality of reacting quickly and positively.
How does each competencies are applied in the industry?

Cognitive assessment tests evaluate a person’s ability to think and solve problems.
Cognitive ability (also called intelligence or the g factor) refers to the capacity to reason,
plan, and solve problems. A person’s cognitive abilities impact job performance.
Therefore, cognitive ability plays a crucial role in an employee’s job suitability and
success.

Enhanced communication skills in English can result to not only an improved social life,
but also better job opportunities in the future. From job interviews to the actual
professional world, communication skills are very crucial, and being proficient in English
means being able to communicate clearly and effectively.

Computer skills are a valuable addition to any employee’s personal portfolio. Upskilling
and polishing your computer literacy can greatly increase your desirability to employers.
This is the perfect opportunity to take on roles you might not have previously considered.
As an employer, motivating your employees to become computer literate will increase
productivity and also stave off problems that can cost time and significant amounts of
money.

Perceptual speed and accuracy commonly used as part of selection systems for jobs
requiring workers to quickly identify errors or mistakes, such as those in clerical,
assembly, or warehouse positions. Such positions generally require less intellectual
complexity, but high ability to process information quickly and accurately – particularly
under periods of time pressure.

Good communication is an essential tool in achieving productivity and maintaining

strong working relationships at all levels of an organization. Employers who invest time
and energy into delivering clear lines of communication will rapidly build trust among
employees, leading to increases in productivity, output and morale in general.
Meanwhile, employees who communicate effectively with colleagues, managers and
customers are always valuable assets to an organization and it is a skill which can often
set people apart from their competition when applying for jobs.

Learning orientation is important because it lays a foundation for the new employee’s
entire career with the department. First impressions are important since they establish the
basis for everything that follows. Without orientation, a new employee sometimes feels
uncomfortable in his/her new position and takes longer to reach his/her full potential.

Courtesy- Respect towards others should be standard behavior in the workplace,

regardless of role, rank, or reputation. Courtesy is the responsibility of every employee.
Everyone is expected to be courteous, polite and friendly to our customers, vendors and
suppliers, as well as to their fellow employees. No one should be disrespectful or use
profanity or any other language which injures the image or reputation of the [employer].

Empathy- When people feel understood themselves, they’re more receptive to others’
concerns—and team cohesion and collaboration follow suit. They’re also more apt to
take risks, believing that they’ll be supported, rather than punished if they fail.

A lack of genuine empathy at the company-wide level might be why your best customer
service representative is suddenly writing curt emails, or why your standout software
developer seems standoffish during every stand-up. When people don’t feel understood
or cared for, they start to pull back, and thus, your team is not getting their best efforts.

Reliability and Dependability is an important quality for a worker to possess because it

enhances a wide variety of job performance categories. A dependable employee not only
shows up for work on time every day but also produces consistent work and can apply
company policies and business strategies evenly to each task and assignment. Dependable
member of the workforce usually garners steadily increasing levels of responsibility
within a department or the larger company. Basically, if you're dependable, you require
less supervision, can work with increasing levels of autonomy and management may
even begin to trust you to supervise other workers. This may lead to an increase in your
pay scale and may begin your ascent up the business leadership structure. Continuing to
show dependability and consistency at each job level only increases your value to your
employer.

A lack of responsiveness is the most common underlying problem I find at the businesses
I work with that are experiencing issues achieving growth.

I am not suggesting you and your team respond to every spam e-mail, unsolicited phone
call or direct mail item you receive. If you know the person, and the inquiry is
reasonable, you should respond. Responsiveness is especially important amongst those
within your company

WAYS ON HOW TO DEVELOP SUCH COMPETENCIES

Cognitive ability – reduce stress. Stress impairs your cognitive performance by

diminishing your ability to focus.

English proficiency – don’t be afraid to make mistakes. Practice every day.

Computer literacy - familiarize yourself with an understanding of how computers

Perceptual speed and accuracy – practice focusing one step at a time.

Communication – practice with people around you.

Learning Orientation – learn to accept knowledge from others.

Courtesy – this can be practiced anywhere especially in our homes.

Empathy - put aside your viewpoint and try to see things from the other person's point of
view.

Reliability – manage commitments.

Responsiveness – improve speed of decision-making.

TAKING CHARGE OF YOUR LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT DURING

YOUR PROFESSIONAL LIFE

What is learning and development?

Learning and development, a subset of HR, aims to improve group and individual
performance by increasing and honing skills and knowledge. Learning and development,
often called training and development, forms part of an organization’s talent management
strategy and is designed to align group and individual goals and performance with the
organization’s overall vision and goals.

On a practical level, individuals responsible for learning and development must

identify skills gaps among groups and teams (often through SMART objectives, one-to-
one interviews and performance appraisals) and then finding suitable training to fill these
gaps.

Procurement is an important part of the training and development process because

training providers must be cost-effective and appropriate for the organization’s needs.
Good training provides individuals with tools and skills and shows them how to apply
these new tools and skills within their own organization and role.

Importance of professional learning and development

It is really important and necessary to have a professional learning and

development because it will enhance the career of a specific worker. It will have a big
impact on his/her skills and overall performance, which may lead to improvement and
great expectations.

Effective learning and development can also lead to greater employee motivation
and satisfaction as employees feel valued and able to grow and develop throughout their
careers. And importantly, learning and change are interlinked because it enables
organizations to respond to changes and adapt to an increasingly competitive (and ever-
changing) market. Through learnings and development, innovations, productivity, and
efficiency can be attain and be maximize within the organization.
DIFFERENT WAYS TO HAVE A SUSTAINABLE PROFESSIONAL CAREER

1. Set strategic goals

Invest some time brainstorming about your career. If you’re unsure what you want to do
next, take the time you need for research, informational interviewing, job shadowing and
exploration. Once you understand where you want to go, it’s much easier to put together
a plan to get there.

2. Set tactical goals

Start each day with a list of specific action items. Be sure to include tasks that support
your personal growth goals at least once a week. Prioritize the list to ensure the important
things are addressed first. Unfinished items can be rolled over to the next day. And
consider removing any items that are continually deferred.

3. Keep the big picture in mind

Post a reminder in your workspace to help you maintain focus on a larger business/career
goal as the demands of the day distract you from more strategic concerns. Change your
reminder as needed; or create a set and post a new one every month.

4. Give it a deadline

It’s easy to defer action items—like those related to your own personal growth—when
they don’t have deadlines. Elevate the importance of tasks on the path to your personal
growth by assigning firm, but realistic deadlines.

5. Allow transition time

An eight-hour workday doesn’t produce eight hours of output. There are too many
interruptions and it’s unrealistic to think you can always finish one task and immediately
hit the ground running on another. When planning workdays and workloads allow for
some transition time between tasks.

6. Learn from criticism

When your work or behavior is criticized, try not to take it personally. Try to remove any
“attitude” from feedback you receive and focus on the information. Chances are there’s
something in it you can learn from. In fact, that’s the key value of criticism. It gives us a
different perspective and provides the opportunity to learn.
7. Share your results

The greater awareness others have of your successes, the more your career will benefit.
As you develop project and career goals, establish metrics to measure your progress and
success. When you have solid progress to report, share it with your team. Don’t brag,
frame your accomplishments in a form that others will benefit from. For example how
you cut costs, relieved a bottleneck, applied new technology to an old problem, etc.

8. Stay positive

You can’t control the world around you, only your reaction to it. Think of your reactions
as an opportunity for personal growth. Most of the time the cure for negative feelings is
their opposite. When you feel judgmental, think of it as a chance to learn how to be more
accepting and compassionate. When you feel insecure, use the occasion to learn how to
be more confident and independent.

9. Increase your productivity

It may be counterintuitive to stop working when you have a lot to do, but it actually
makes you more productive. Non-stop work slowly begins to take its toll on productivity.
A short break will refresh your body and mind. Try to really relax and stop thinking
about work for a few minutes. When you return, you’ll be ready to dive back into your
tasks with renewed vigor.

10. Ask for advice

You don’t have to solve every problem by yourself. It usually helps to talk things out.
Ask a colleague with related expertise for ideas on how they might handle the situation.
Problem solving is an area where two or more heads are almost always better than one.

11. Keep growing

In business and in life, stasis is an illusion. You’re either moving forward or falling
behind. The best ways to ensure continuous growth are to keep learning, embracing new
challenges and adapting quickly as the world around you changes.

12. Learn from experience

At the end of the day: reflect. Take five minutes and ask yourself what was the most
productive thing you did today? The least productive? Learn from your answers and
adjust your actions accordingly. Tomorrow’s a new opportunity for personal growth.
AMERICAN SERVICE EXPECTATION

American Express Study Shows Rising Consumer Expectations for Good Customer
Service

Consumer survey reveals that when customers are happy with customer service, it leads
to more spending.

Satisfied customers are the lifeblood of any business. It takes a lot of money to acquire a
new customer, so business owners need to do what is necessary to ensure these customers
comeback. Many retailers try to encourage repeat business through sales and promotions,
but one shouldn't underestimate the importance of good customer service. A recent
survey showed that good customer service played a significant role in getting customers
to come back to a business.

Modern technology has increased consumer expectations for things like selection, cost,
shipping times and more. While the constant barrage of social media posts can make it
seem that no one is happy with the customer service they receive, that couldn't be further
from the truth. American Express recently released its 2017 Customer Service Barometer,
which showed that customers are happier than in recent years with the quality of
customer service exhibited by retailers.

According to the report, eight in 10 Americans (81 percent) report that businesses are
meeting or exceeding their expectations for service, compared to 67 percent in 2014. In
fact, 40 percent of consumers say businesses have increased their focus and attention on
service, a significant increase in just three years (up from 29 percent in 2014).

"More companies are realizing that delivering great care is not just the right thing to do; it
also makes great business sense. Seven in 10 U.S. consumers say they've spent more
money to do business with a company that delivers great service," said Raymond Joabar,
Executive Vice President of American Express' servicing organization. "Service is an
increasingly important competitive advantage for companies, both large and small, that
make doing business easy and put their customers' needs first."

A key to providing good customer service for modern-day consumers is providing ample
choice for contacting customer service. For example, more than six in 10 U.S. consumers
in the American Express survey said that their go-to channel for simple inquiries is a
digital self-serve tool such as a website (24 percent), mobile app (14 percent), voice
response system (13 percent) or online chat (12 percent).

It's important to remember that technology isn't a complete substitute for human
interactions. People are willing to use self-serve options when it's quicker, but, as the
complexity of the issue increases, such as with payment disputes or complaints,
customers are more likely to seek out a face-to-face interaction (23 percent ) or a real
person on the phone (40 percent).

The value of good customer service will become more important over the next few
weeks. Following all the Christmas shopping and gift giving, it's time for returns. This
can be a busy and frustrating time for retailers, but ensuring that employees give good
customer service in these situations can build lifelong relationships with customers.

The study shows the value of good customer service is terms of the benefit to the bottom
line. US consumers say they're willing to spend 17 percent more to do business with
companies that deliver excellent service, up from 14 percent in 2014. As a group,
Millennials are willing to spend the most for great care (21 percent additional), followed
by men (19 percent).

Some of the best practices when dealing with North American Customers:

1. We are in the business of 100% customer retention.

2. You can never win an argument with a customer.

3. Even though a customer isn’t always right, it’s your job to make them feel that they
are.

4. If a customer leaves a message by email or telephone or text that implies they are
expecting a callback, return the message

the same day (ideally, the same half of the day),

5. Make it easy for the customer to give us their business and their money. If they don't
want to do business the way we usually do, then try to do business their way.

6. Don't assume that you have the solution when a customer’s problem comes up: be sure
to get input from the customer as well

7. How you say (or write) something is as important as what you say.

8. Every customer stands at the center of their universe; make sure they feel that they’re
at the center of yours as well.

9. Keep your attitude fresh.

Analyzing their responses paints a picture of consistently high expectations across
Europe – with consumers unafraid to switch provider if they don’t get what they want.
Amongst the results, five key areas stood out:

1. The need to get it right first time

Consumers value a seamless experience that provides the information and answers they
want, first time. Over three quarters (77%) of respondents said it was very or extremely
important that their query was resolved through a single interaction – with a further 20%
judging it as ‘moderately’ important. As one respondent commented “companies do not
deserve repeated chances to put things right.”

Successful First Contact Resolution has benefits beyond boosting customer satisfaction.
It also reduces the volume of interactions that a company receives, bringing down costs
and freeing up staff time to focus on other queries. Key to getting it right first time is
arming agents with the right information so that they can respond quickly, confidently
and consistently, across every channel.

2. Listen to customers and respond to their comments

Less than a third (32%) of European consumers said they’d carry on doing business with
a company that failed to acknowledge their feedback. 64% wanted to receive an answer
to their message, rising to 79% in France. This demonstrates the importance of building
engagement with customers and listening to their views, whatever channel they use to
express them. Increasingly consumers will only stay loyal if they feel they are receiving
the personalized, tailored experience that best meets their needs – analyzing their
feedback and the questions they ask is the best way to drive ongoing improvement to
deliver this.

3. Deliver fast responses

There have been many research reports which highlight the importance of speed when it
comes to customer service, and the Engage study shows that the demand for fast
responses is universal. 50% of consumers want to get a reply to their message within the
same working day, with a further 18% expecting an answer within 24 hours. Italians are
the most impatient – with 34% demanding a response in 6 hours (against 24% in other
countries).

Given the increasing volumes of queries that companies are receiving they need to ensure
that they have the resources in place to meet changing customer expectations.
Technology can help – for example, using linguistics will enable incoming digital queries
to be analyzed and template answers automatically suggested to customer service agents.
This brings down handling time and allows the fast responses that consumers demand.
4. Address their frustrations

The biggest issue consumers reported were companies that failed to deliver on their
promises, cited by 32% of survey respondents. This was followed by being asked for the
same information multiple times (28%) and failure to resolve queries first time (19%).

Many of these frustrations stem from the same cause – a lack of joined up thinking
between departments and systems, which means that agents don’t have the information or
knowledge they need to provide successful responses first time. To combat this many
organizations are creating customer hubs, which bring together skills from across the
business to work together to solve consumer issues, speeding up both response times and
consistency.

5. Be on their channel of choice

Consumers want to be offered a full range of communication channels, and to be given

the choice to use the one that best suits their particular needs at that time. So while 58%
said they’d be happy to use online-only processes, 78% wanted a telephone number to be
clearly displayed on the company website so that they could switch to that channel if
required. Yet 60% of CX professionals said they’d removed or hidden phone contact
details, normally in a bid to reduce call volumes and encourage consumers to use other
channels.

Ensuring that customers have a choice is vital – depending on their needs or query they
may well switch channel, so companies have to resource all of these in line with demand.
To help with this look to break down silos between channels, sharing information, such
as through centralized knowledge bases, and by multi-skilling agents so that they can
easily handle different types of queries.

Across Europe, consumer expectations are rising, meaning that whatever industry or
country you operate in the customer experience you provide is critical to winning and
retaining their loyalty, now and in the future.

Asian Service Expectation

Understand the service expectation of consumer located in the Asian region

1. Patience

2. Attentiveness

3. Clear communication skills

4. Knowledge of the product

5. Time Management skills

6. Ability to “read” the customers

7. Ability to handle surprises

8. Persuasion skills

Best practices when dealing with Asian customers:

1. Hire the right people, and treat them well.

Take the extra time while hiring to make sure that the service agents you bring on
board are up to the task.

2. Correctly manage customer expectations

Tell your customers exactly what they can expect from you, and then work hard
to exceed those expectations.

3. Focus on first impressions

This has become even more true as customers have become more connected.

4. Be where the customers are

Today’s clients have more than a few channels they can use to contact you, and
you need to be available on all of them. From conventional telephone, to mobile device,
to social media, to live web chat, to online forums, and beyond, an Omni-channel
customer service center will show your clients that you care enough not to dictate how
they communicate.

5. Maintain your focus

Give you agents the right tools and support to be able to provide superior service,
and reward them when they do so. After all, your customers are the heart of your
business, and staying focused on them is best practice of all.