MEET THE STAFF SERIES

How We Increased Revenue and Reduced Conflicts in Hanyin Danmani

CCD: Baba M. Hassan, as the Supervisor for Hayin Danmani Service Center, tell us what your role typically looks like?

BMH: As a supervisor, I oversee the whole Service Center, which includes staff and the customers. Basically, as a Supervisor, I run the Service Center the way the Managing Director of a company would run a business by ensuring that anything that concerns the Service Center is properly taken care of

CCD:  Give us an insight how you manage the Service Center?

BMH: Firstly, when I get complaints from either my staff or customers, I give both sides fair hearing because as the saying goes: “no one has a monopoly of knowledge”. I can equally learn something from them even though I am a Supervisor.

When there is an increase in supply, it is expected that there would be a corresponding increase in the amount that customers are expected to pay for the month, so Sales Reps are expected to educate the customer on the reason for the increase on their bills to prevent the customer from thinking he has been arbitrarily billed.

Some of the problems we face start from bill distribution. The Sales Reps are not just to deliver the bill to the customers but to encourage them to pay. 

And that is one of the areas in which we can differentiate ourselves from the defunct PHCN by convincing them to come and settle their bills themselves.

We have also been able to engage Sarkin Dillalai 1 & 2 Kankona communities to dispel rumors that customers should pay for infrastructural maintenance and sale of old meters. They were also enlightened on the need to insist on receipt after any payment is made no matter how small the amount.

CCD: Tell us some of your accomplishments as the Supervisor of Hayin Damani?

BMH: There are a lot of achievements, even though I have only spent two months; one of them is the relative peace we are currently experiencing, a departure from the numerous conflicts before I came.

Secondly, we were able to increase the collection by almost a 100%. From a collection of around 1.9 Million Naira to 3.8 Million Naira and hopefully in the next three months I am targeting a collection of 7million naira especially with the cooperation I am getting from the BDRO and my staff. 

CCD: What are the challenges of manning a Service Center like yours?

BMH: The challenge always comes from billing; this has to do with how much a customer is willing to pay when there is outstanding and current charge on his bill. This is why I have said that the least we can collect from a customer is the current charges plus VAT. Before now, some customers pay below their current charges and 5% from their outstanding. I have changed that method, even though there has been some resistance, I have taken time to enlighten them so that they can see reasons.

CCD: As a Supervisor, how do you manage relationship with customers and the staff you work with?

BMH: We have a very cordial relationship with customers as well as staff because for you to succeed in this business, you need the collaborative effort of staff and the customers.

We hold meetings three times in a week and in these meetings, everyone is free to present his/her challenges and achievements, where there is need to proffer solutions we do so to enable us achieve our objectives. 

CCD: If you had an opportunity to speak with management, what advice would you give them?

BMH: My advice would be for us to have an office of our own in Hajin Danmani, this would make the work easier and it would make us closer to the people that we serve. 

It is difficult for some customers in Danmani to come here to pay their bills because of the distance; our collection would improve if we had an office closer to them. Our response time to resolving technical faults will also be shortened. We are also suggesting that we need a relief transformer.