Eyeing to elevate the standard of delivering its services toward its clienteles, the Department of Agriculture – Regional Field Office 10 (DA-RFO 10) conducted a two-day training on Basic Customer Service Skills on July 9 via teleconferencing.

DA-RFO 10 Regional Technical Director for Research and Regulations Carmelita T. Bajarla, extended her appreciation to the participants and the staff of Human Resource and Management Section, who took part in conducting the training despite the difficulties in holding the activity with health precautionary measures.

RTD Bajarla stressed that it is embodied in RA 6713 that public officials and employees should observe standards of Code of Ethics to honor the principle of “a public office is a public trust.

“The promotion or appointment of employees relies on the consistency of one’s good performance; higher knowledge and proficiency; increase in duties and responsibilities with passion and dedication,” she related.

A customer is anyone internal or external to the organization for whom the work, products or services are produced and intended.

There are various kind of customer treatments cited, of which one is being friendly and caring. With this, people want to feel that their needs are important, and they are treated in a friendly way.

This includes simple things as giving information and answering questions. For the other speakers, participants learned skills in building customer satisfaction; keys to good interpersonal communication, among others.

They likewise shared their insights and personal experiences in dealing with DA’s clients in their respective divisions and sections, which are seen to also help fellow participants in dealing with such situations.

Other speakers who also shared their expertise in customer service skills were, Livestock Program Coordinator Ma. Lourdes M. Sypiecco; OIC Chief of Regional Agriculture and Fisheries Information Section (RAFIS) Angelilah T. Cabig; and General Services Section Chief Lester B. Apag.

In compliance to Republic Act 9485 otherwise known as “Anti-Red Tape Act of 2007, DA uses its “Malasakit Help Desk” as a platform to cater the needs and queries of locals on agri-fishery information and data, including those involving registration and accreditation, among others.

The activity, which was spearheaded by the agency’s Human Resource and Management Section (HRMS) picked 24 regular and Contract Service Worker employees from its nine divisions, Office of the Regional Director (ORD); Agribusiness and Marketing Assistance Division (AMAD); Integrated Laboratories Division (ILD); Administrative and Finance Division (AFD); Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation Division (PMED); Regional Agricultural Engineering Division (RAED); Field Operations Division (FOD) and the Research Division.# (EMBentulan)