First 100 complete 'Frontline Oman'

"The 'Frontline Oman' programme has been created to raise awareness of customer care in the public sector," explains OBMU's Azzan Al Busiadi.

"It is a series of intensive one-day workshops that focus on customer care skills. Each workshop had 25 participants who we hope will now share what they've learned with their colleagues," Al Busiadi adds.

Al Busaidi explains that OBMU decided to start the programme with ROP airport personnel because they're in the 'frontline' of dealing with people when they enter and leave Oman.

"The role of ROP officers at the sultanate's borders is of prime importance; they deal with people when first and final impressions are formed. As they say, you never get a second chance to make a first impression but that's also true of the last impressions too. Everyone who works at our borders is, in essence, an ambassador for Oman, therefore we need to make sure their customer care skills are well-honed," Al Busaidi adds.

Abeer Al Jasim, General Manager of Knowledge Horizon, who oversaw the design and delivery of the 'Frontline Oman' programme, says:

"Customer care is a crucial and much neglected art. It's something that is essential to get right in any business and when you're talking about branding a nation then it's importance can't be overestimated."

"We put a lot of effort into getting the input for 'Frontline Oman' just right - from filming a special DVD for the participants to the mix of activities on the programme - which included plenty of group work and analysis because we value the experience and opinions of the course participants. In fact, a valuable part of an in initiative like this is what participants learn form each other," she says.

Al Jasim adds that ROP was very supportive and helpful throughout the preparation for, and delivery of, 'Frontline Oman'. "Their assistance with providing background information and pre-course input was an essential element in the success of this important programme."

"We hope that the 100 ROP officers from this phase of the programme will now share what they learned with their colleagues," adds Al Busaidi. "Ultimately we will all benefit from 'Frontline Oman' as even better impressions of the sultanate are formed - which is, of course, a good thing in itself but, more importantly, it can lead to increased business and trade as well as tourism."