Al-Futtaim motors select employee champions in annual skills contest

A total of 903 employees entered the contest with 56 finalists competing for the title of Champion across nine categories.

Winners from the Parts and Service division were also awarded a place at the Annual Assembly of International Customer Service Champions in Japan later this year.

The all-day motivational event was designed to provide entertainment for staff and their families while recognizing and rewarding participant's abilities.

Contenders battled it out in a series of rounds that tested technical knowledge and sales skills.

The contest ended with a grand finale in the style of a TV quiz show with participants working against the clock to answer as many questions as possible.

Simon Frith, Managing Director of Al-Futtaim Motors, stated that the contest was aimed at motivating employees and improving the quality of after-sales services.

"The Toyota Way is to always seek improvement in everything that we do. This is the reasoning behind the event. This contest is a fun method to encourage and motivate employees to develop their skills and thereby provide the best customer service practice that is integral to the success of our business."

The event holds particular significance in view of the company directive identifying customer service as a key area of focus for 2008.

Winners were selected by the judging panel made up of managers from the Parts and Service divisions alongside representatives from relevant outside service and technological companies including BP Middle East and Sharjah Institute of Technology.

The categories and their champions were as follows: Best Tyre fitter - Mohammed Shaikh, Best Tyre Mechanic - Daniel Thomas, Best Tyre Express In-charge - Shaikh Rizwan, Best Parts Salesman - Rashiduddin Khan, Best Paint Technician - Saleem Ahmed, Best Body Technician - Basilio Tumangday , Best General Technician - Carm Gonsalvez, Best Estimator - Iqbal Hassan, and Best Service Advisor - Muttahir Pasha.