By Mia A. Aznar
Friday, August 26, 2011
DESPITE changes in the economic environment, a company’s core values will sustain it through tough times, a chief executive officer said.
Sun Life Financial pre-sident and CEO Rizalina Mantaring said the core values of their company have remained unchanged through the years and serve as a guide for them when faced with difficult decisions.
Mantaring, who was guest speaker at the CEO and Entrepreneur’s Forum in partnership with the Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry, cited integrity, engagement, customer focus, excellence and value as among Sun Life Financial’s core values.
“We have had too many transitions but we have never lost a step.”
She explained that living by their core values is one of their best practices and helps them make crucial decisions.
As an example, she pointed out a case wherein claimants raised doubts about the planholder’s suicide. Mantaring said that even if the case was later officially ruled a suicide and was backed by findings of a forensic pathologist, the company still paid the claim. “We made a judgment call because our policy is, when in doubt, we pay.”
Mantaring also noted that they appreciate angry clients who bother to air complaints, saying many of their policy changes are due to complaints.
Noting the difficulty of provincial clients in paying their premiums, Mantaring said they tied up with major banks and allowed online payment schemes. Staff members are always trained to “go beyond the obvious.”
In striving for excellence, Mantaring said paying attention to details is important for companies.
“Make sure your systems work, the details in your website are accurate and that your people know what they are doing.”
To have a solid foundation, Mantaring said a company should have in place a succession plan and an action plan to make the person ready for the job when the time comes.
Mantaring also pointed out that a company should value their human resources by making sure they are paid benefits due them, spending for their training and improving company systems so they can perform better.
She also said everyone in the company should practice continuous learning and have a mindset to continue to improve.
Most importantly, Mantaring stressed the need to follow rules.
Although their company is 116 years old, they still feel big, strong and vibrant, she said, acknowledging 2010 as their best year in terms of performance.
Published in the Sun.Star Cebu newspaper on August 27, 2011.
No comments:
Post a Comment