The seminar was officially kicked of by Mr. Nelson Kuria the CIC Group MD, who’s key note address brought out clearly the role of cooperatives in the rural communities especially in improving lives. While sharing his personal work ethic, Mr. Kuria challenged all persons present to take pride in serving people and not in making profit only. The Chairman of WPS, Mr. Zedekiah Agata, appreciated the gesture CIC had extended to WPS by presenting Mr. Kuria with a traditional Abagusii stool that signified he had been given an ‘Omogaka’ status
s the day unfolded, participants were taken through, why the customer is everybody’s business, how to build trusting relationships with the customer, how to make every customer feel valued among other aspects. The staff members were challenged to go out of their way to improve customer experience as it only took seconds to lose a customer and a lifetime to get one. The gathering was also grace by the PCO Nyanza, Mr. Zephania Osok who urged all present to use what they had learnt to improve the way they do things.
He said, “It must result in a change in the way we run our various departments not only as the board but also as the management team. Remember that even after graduating from university, people don’t care what you know until they know how much you care.” He took the opportunity to thank the board and staff for the good work they are doing at the SACCO. The PCO said that he had carefully examined all the parameters that determine the well being of a SACCO and that they all indicated that WPS is on firm growth path.
He congratulated the SACCO for acquiring office space in Nairobi and challenged the Chairman and the CEO to take a trip to Minnessota in the USA where there are over 100,000 Abagusii. Recruit them and open a branch there where they can save the big American dollars in a bank that belongs to them. All these in a bid to think outside the box and to think big. The PCO stated that he was aware that WPS had already started the process of transforming its microfinance department into a deposit taking MFI.
He however pointed out that the starting pont must be the transformation of our mindsets to pursue organizational goals other than our own self interests. He challenges all present to be full of drive, be tenacious and proactive, self confident and able to see around corners, surround themselves with people smarter than them, think strategically and develop heavy duty reselliance so as not to celebrate intentions. He finally stressed the importance of teamwork i.e. all must speak in one voice and read from the same script.
As the PCO declared the seminar closed, he stressed that to improve and sustain performance we should plan well, set targets, always aim to improve, create competitive advantage and avoid complancency. “We are moving into county structures which will bring lots of opportunities for this county. Co-operatives are strategically placed to benefit from such opportunities because YES WE CAN”