Business Development Initiatives

To support the Trading Fund's various business divisions, the Business Development Branch is responsible for functions such as marketing, customer support, communications, information technology, quality improvement and staff training. These functions cater to the needs of the Trading Fund as a whole.

A key marketing initiative during 1997/98 consisted of a series of "EMSTF At Your Service" seminars where senior officers from client organisations participated in a half-day, face-to-face discussion with EMSTF colleagues on service related matters. The seminars were well received. Customers appreciated the opportunity to discuss matters openly with EMSTF senior staff, and to share experience with other customers. More marketing programmes will be launched next year.

To assess customers' opinion of EMSTF services, a survey by an independent consultant was commissioned in July and August 1997 to gauge five key customers' opinions. This was the second survey of its kind and a third one will be conducted in mid-1998. The survey results have been expressed as a Customer Satisfaction Index. Our current score is 4.8 on a scale of eight, compared to 4.7 of the previous survey. We shall strive to attain higher scores next year.

Other customer support initiatives included the introduction of a customer hotline and streamlined complaints procedures, as well as on-going telephone surveys to gauge customer satisfaction on individual jobs, and the use of feedback cards to collect comments on vehicle services.

EMSTF is undergoing a major culture change and communications play a vital role in shaping this change. A communications task force was set up in 1997 on the recommendation of an independent consultant. The task force has steered a number of programmes which aim to facilitate more direct, two-way communication within the EMSTF, such as the Ambassador Programme and regular staff communiques. The Ambassador Programme is a series of on-going work site visits cum staff briefings conducted by senior staff to facilitate face-to-face communication across all levels of the organisation. Staff communiquŽs are issued whenever management has vital information to share with all staff at short notice. These complement the monthly staff newsletter, Group Voice.

EMSTF commissioned an independent consultant to conduct a first-ever staff opinion survey in 1997. Survey findings indicate that whilst staff in general support the department's goals and objectives, many also expressed concerns about job security, training, resources and internal communication. The survey provide valuable information for management to address vital staff concerns, and we would like to thank all those employees who participated in the survey.

EMSTF has plans for significant upgrading of its information technology hardware and software to enhance management efficiency, and to improve internal and external communications. An example is the plan to install in 1998/99 a computer system called "Management Information and Performance Measurement System" (MIPMS) which will assist managers to make decisions by giving them on-line access to costing and financial data as well as analytical tools to perform trend analyses. The system will significantly enhance the effectiveness of our performance measurement system and help improve operations. In addition, our plan for all operational units of EMSTF to be ISO 9000 certified by 1999 is well underway.

Performance Measurement System" (MIPMS) which will assist managers to make decisions by giving them on-line access to costing and financial data as well as analytical tools to perform trend analyses. The system will significantly enhance the effectiveness of our performance measurement system and help improve operations. In addition, our plan for all operational units of EMSTF to be ISO 9000 certified by 1999 is well underway.

Other management improvement initiatives included numerous Work Improvement Teams and Business Process Improvement Teams, as well as participation in the first Inter-company Quality Improvement Experience Sharing Convention as one of its six organisers.