Hong Kong : On her first working day as Executive Director of the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), Margaret Fong underlined her commitment to listen to staff and strengthen communications with customers. Ms Fong’s first port of call was 
the HKTDC’s Call Centre located at Wu Chung House in Wan Chai. She later met with frontline staff at the HKTDC’s SME Centre at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre.
Ms Fong said she would strive to uphold the HKTDC’s commitment to provide companies, especially small and medium-sized companies (SMEs), with services that add value to their operations. “Through organising various marketing campaigns and offering trade-support services, we have helped enterprises explore new market opportunities, establish extensive networks and expand business in international markets,” said Ms Fong. “We closely monitor developments in international trade and keep abreast of global market trends. This helps the Council stay relevant and provides the best services for SMEs.”
Ms Fong said that enhancing communication with both staff and clients would be her first priority as Executive Director, with the aim of further improving service quality and efficiency. “We have put a lot of resources into staff training. We have a highly competent workforce that listens to our customers, understands their needs and responds to and resolves issues promptly,” Ms Fong said. “We can strengthen our professional image by offering a total service experience for our customers.”
The HKTDC SME Centre attracts some 140,000 visitors a year. Apart from providing a wide range of up-to-date business information, the Centre offers free advisory services for business start-ups and traders. It also organises seminars and workshops on various markets and industries.
Ms Fong said the HKTDC Customer Service Hotline (1830 668) team handles more than 100,000 enquiries a year on such topics as local exhibitions, trade magazines, online sourcing, business-matching services, conferences, research publications and overseas promotions.
She added that the Council has set high service standards, such as answering calls within four rings and offering one-stop resolution services. “We’re proud of our frontline staff who can meet our target 98 per cent of the time,” Ms Fong said. Two frontline staff were recently complimented on “Praisage” for their work in assisting a customer.