Objective 2
To improve customer service at Customer Service Centres
The ‘Unheard and unseen – finding a common language’ workshops at the Pomeranian Gas Trading Division
Among PGNiG’s customers there are people with disabilities, or visual or hearing impairments. Employees of Customer Service Centres pay particular attention to such people, relying on intuition and life experience. The Company’s objective is to provide efficient and professional customer service to everyone.
The entered into an agreement with the Society for the Hearing and Visually Impaired, which runs a project intended to promote active living among the deafblind. This brought about the idea of organising workshops with the participation of people with hearing and visual impairments. The first edition, entitled ‘Unheard and unseen – finding a common language’ took place in December 2011 and was devoted to customer service. The training was carried out by members of the Society and addressed to employees of the Olsztyn Gas Sales Unit and the Olsztyn Gas Distribution Division of Pomorska Spółka Gazownictwa. The activities and role playing sessions were based on real life situations faced every day by PGNiG employees.
The participants’ attitude changed after the very first session. At first reluctant and awkward in their attempts at communicating with hearing and visually impaired people, after the end of the workshops all the employees were able to approach a deafblind person openly and thoughtfully. A survey carried out at the end of the training revealed that each of the participants considered such practical skills to be very useful in their everyday work.
The acquired knowledge and skills allow the employees to better understand the hearing and visually impaired and thus serve them in a professional and effective manner. During the training, participants agreed to swap places with their instructors, which proved to be an unusual experience. They were given a brief glimpse of what it takes for a deafblind person to run simple errands. It allowed them to gain a better understanding of disabled people’s vulnerable situation and to see the various limitations and obstacles they overcome every day. The workshops demonstrated that the Company’s care for the disabled goes beyond installing ramps or lifts and involves ensuring that they are served by professional and well-trained personnel. Full of friendliness and understanding, the meetings helped the disabled to open up to others, which according to the participants further underscores the importance of this initiative.
Three more editions of the workshop are planned, to cover all the employees of the Customer Service Centres of the Olsztyn Gas Sales Unit, and to popularise the initiative across the entire PGNiG Group, as the Society for the Hearing and Visually Impaired has branches in all parts of Poland.