MEET THE STAFF SERIES

Increased Staff Training Will Bring About Increased Productivity 

CCD: Let's meet Basiru Matawalle Isah.

BI:Well, as you already know, I am Basiru Matawalle Isah. I was born on the 11th November 1983 in Argungu. I attended Dankoji Ninzamiyya Model Primary School and later Sama Secondary School Argungu.

From there I proceeded to Sokoto State Polytechnic in the year 2003 where I got a certificate in Public Accounting & Audit and a Diploma in Public Accounting and Auditing in the same college. In 2006 I bagged a degree in Economics from Usman Danfodiyo University Sokoto, thereafter, I served in Bayelsa State, Kolokuma Ofokuma Local Government Area as an INEC adhoc staff in 2011 and a volunteer teacher at Emir Mohammed Mera College from 2012 to 2015.

CCD: As a Sales Representative, tell us what your challenges were. 

BI: Sales Reps are the life wire of this company, but we are faced with a lot challenges which includes the attitude of some staff who do not see themselves as part owners of the business. There is also the inability of some Sales Reps to handle their Key Performance Indicator (KPI).

Other challenges are inadequate in-house training or proper orientation and the time frame for bill distribution. 

CCD: Now as a Service Center Supervisor, what are your major responsibilities?

BI: My responsibilities include effective supervision and monitoring, and proper management of the service center. Others include, ensuring 100% bills distribution and cash collection, customer enumeration and escalating issues emanating from the service center.

CCD: What is your concept of Marketing especially within Kaduna Electric context?

BI: Marketing in Kaduna Electric is nothing but customer relationship building, which involves creating more customers via customer enumeration. Another method we use in building customer relationship is through the use of SWOT analysis even though the company has a monopoly in energy distribution. 

CCD: In your opinion, how do you think revenue can be increased starting from your Service Center and companywide?

BI: Everything rests on how much information the workforce has, there is also a need for proper staff orientation which should include requisite trainings, customer enumeration, proper tariff classification and Pre-paid meter monitoring. 100% bill distributions and 100% cash collection.

CCD: Sales Reps are constantly being given targets, what is your take on this?

BI: Let me start by saying that targets we receive are realistic especially because the method of measuring electricity usage is accurate. Also, as Sales Reps, we need to be given targets so that we can work with a focus in mind.

CCD: How can we maximize our collection and minimize our losses?

BI: Collection maximization can be achieved with proper management while loss reduction can be achieved by ensuring that people are assessed using their KPIs.

CCD: How does your role as a supervisor add value to the company?

BI:  My role as a supervisor has helped especially in revenue generation because we have moved from a collection of 13million Naira to 19.4million Naira in three months.

Secondly, we have also done well in community engagement and through the introduction of effective marketing strategies like SWOT analysis that I mentioned earlier.

CCD: Do you have any advice for the management of Kaduna Electric

BI: Yes, my advice is for management to intensify in-house trainings because everything we do stems from how much knowledge we have.