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Following is the speech by the Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Mr Gregory So, at the Hong Kong Association for Customer Service Excellence 12th anniversary celebration cum Customer Service Excellence Award presentation ceremony today (February 2):
Chairlady, ladies and gentlemen,
First of all, let me wish you all a very happy and prosperous Year of the Dragon. It is my great pleasure and privilege to join you today to celebrate the 12th anniversary of the Hong Kong Association for Customer Service Excellence (HKACE). I am also honoured to be presenting the awards in recognition of exemplary service for customers.
Our service industries lie at the very core of Hong Kong's economy. Its contribution accounts for 93 per cent of our GDP (Gross Domestic Product) and 88 per cent of the total number of jobs according to the latest available figures. The key to success of our service industries - and for that matter our economy - is our commitment to providing quality services. Our customer-oriented approach makes Hong Kong a popular tourist destination and one of most robust service economies in the world. Some say that excellence is doing the ordinary things extraordinarily well. Therefore if we keep up our quest for excellence, we will stay on top in the global competitive markets.
Founded in 2000, also a Year of the Dragon, the HKACE has been a driving force in pursuing and promoting service excellence in all industries. The reputation our customer service practitioners enjoy today is in no small way attributable to the sterling efforts of your Association.
Because excellence is often measured by the ability to achieve and sustain outstanding outcomes for our stakeholders, it is imperative to sustain the momentum for service excellence. In this connection, I am pleased to note that you have been maintaining an active lookout to identify and nurture talents in the younger generations.
For example, in the past three years, the HKACE partnered with the Tourism Commission and the Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups in organising the successful "Young Service Stars Programme". About 700 young people were given a valuable platform on which to be trained and to expand their horizons.
In short, customer service excellence is the backbone of our hospitable "can-do" and customer-oriented culture. It strengthens Hong Kong's attractiveness as Asia's world city. This is true for all industries including finance, retail, hospitality and all other areas that you can think of.
I wish to congratulate the winners today. The next best thing to excellence is the appreciation of it. And in appreciating excellence, we make it our own property. Your services have won you the due recognition evidenced by the presentation of the awards today. I do not need to remind you, of course, that very few winners can consistently stay on top. Those who fall behind will usually find complacency and status quo as their companions. But I am confident that your corporate strategy playbook will instead hold in high regard attributes such as innovation, creativity, pro-activeness, and leadership.
In closing, I would like to leave you with this quote:
"Excellence can be obtained if you:
... care more than others think is wise;
... risk more than others think is safe;
... dream more than others think is practical;
... expect more than others think is possible."
Thank you, and may I wish you all an excellent New Year!
Ends/Thursday, February 2, 2012
Issued at HKT 16:51
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