BACKGROUND OF THE AGENCY Isuzu, before it is known today was first introduced in the Philippines in the 1950s through its trucks. Twenty years later, General Motors and Isuzu forged a partnership and GM Philippines was created in 1972. In span of two decades, several changes in management occurred which finally led to the creation of Isuzu Motors Pilipinas. In 1999, now fully owned by Isuzu Motors Limited in Japan. Isuzu Philippines Corporation (IPC) was established in August 7, 1995 as a joint venture company with Isuzu Motors LTD. Mitsubishi Corporation, Ayala Corporation and Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation. On one hand, Isuzu Iloilo Corporation (IIC), an off-shoot of Isuzu Philippines Corporation opened on January 2, 2007 at Sen. Benigno Ave. San Rafael, Mandurriao, Iloilo City is a franchised dealer of Isuzu commercial vehicles, partially owned by Ayala Corporation. It sells Isuzu Crosswind variants, Dmax variants and Alterra. Aside from selling Isuzu units, the company also offers vehicle repairs, detailing, painting and other car parts and services provided that it must be of Isuzu brand.
The facilities are designed to make the dealership visit of customers delightful. It has a showroom that houses the latest car models of Isuzu. Clients can also test drive the vehicles. While availing for vehicle services, clients can stay in their customer lounge with overflowing coffee and has a TV to watch their favorite shows while parents can coax their children in the children’s playpen. The company further employs the latest technology in upgrading its tools and equipment. Systems and process are continuously reviewed to provide superb service.
Isuzu Iloilo Corporation, in pursuit of excellence continues its journey with a steadfast commitment to excellent service in the automotive industry. IIC takes pride in having values driven and highly skilled associates. Following the core values of the company pervades its dealings with its valued customers. The relationships strengthen and prosper under the ideals of kinship and respect. CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY Being the company’s most valuable asset, IIC also vows to provide its associates with opportunities for career and personal growth. IIC draw strength from its dynamic pool of young talents as it continues to grow.
Not only honing every associate through career development does IIC focuses on. It also has its share in giving to the community what is due to them. An order from the Finance and Admin manager has been mandated to donate all drums that store their mechanic oils to every barangay in the city that will serve as garbage bins. In Cebu, Isuzu also gave huge jars in every district parks that will, too serve as trash bins for tourists. More so, Isuzu Philippines Corporation in totality, supports mangrove protection and reforestation in Palawan through adapting hectares of mangrove plantation in the area.
Together, the team is committed to fulfill its aspirations and face the challenges along its journey to success. ISUZU ILOILO CORPORATION (IIC) ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE THE ENVIRONMENT IN THE WORKPLACE Isuzu Iloilo Corporation is an avenue where there seems to have no apparent and felt competition among associates. I have to say that it best fits the workforce who already surpassed the pressure stage in their career, who already have families to sustain and raise. In my more than a month stay in the company, I have observed that everyone does their job in a relaxed manner amidst series of deadlines and reports from the manager.
They help each other in pursuit of organizational goals and like any other organization, they are a family governed by their core values-integrity, excellence, commitment, teamwork and concern for others. Also, aside from the formal groups, associates involve themselves in informal groups. Informal groups most of the time eat together and even goes home together. They, too hold a regular Kamustahan (a general assembly) wherein they have games and birthday celebrations to fully-acquaint everyone else in the organization.
But what is more surprising is their regular first Friday mass. I wasn’t expecting this activity in an organization wherein the founders and the principal leaders are Japanese. This goes to show that amidst their undeniable association in a different religion and belief, they still imbue Filipino customs and tradition in their organization. Moreover, they have stress management activities and to site, they will be holding a badminton cup participated by everyone in the organization that will last for months. Thus, a good way to keep in shape amidst their daily workloads.
In the office aspect, Isuzu Iloilo Corporation have two office or working set-ups such as the main office building and the service area. The former houses the sales admin, service reception, insurance and CRM and the latter comprises the series of car repair outlets and technicians that take charge of the various car repairs, painting and detailing that the company offers. With these two different set-ups, it was a good thing that people seem to know each other well and still work harmoniously despite the physical diversity. On one hand, to increase sales, Isuzu regularly conducts service and sales caravan throughout the Panay region.
Most of the associates especially those in the sales and service departments oftentimes are on caravan and are on field duties. However, when these activities happen, they too, assure that they can still cope with the demands of clients in the office and the service area. Furthermore, Isuzu also sends service technicians for technical and mechanical skill trainings in Manila. They too conduct product knowledge exams for sales executives and service exams with service personnel to improve their knowledge in their products, services and the industry. PROBLEMS OBSERVED
As someone assigned in the outer wing of the office, specifically in the customer relations and service, I have seen the daily transactions of clients and how the associates deal with it. The first and the most significant aspect that I have observed is lacking among the first-liner workers are the insufficiencies of training among associates in these departments especially that they are exposed to a highly-specialized industry. Associates in service and customer relations should undergo rigorous trainings on product knowledge most especially with the way they relate with clients in order to give value to their stakeholders.
Furthermore, based on my survey, associates want to have trainings to better their performances, to site, the customer relations assistant. It is due to the fact that her job is more on strengthening the bond of the organization with that of the stakeholders by calling the clients after they have availed of the company’s services. In my observation, clients raise concerns with the CRM assistant and the employee in turn doesn’t have the ample knowledge regarding the industry and their services offered and so, she cannot respond immediately to whatever concern the client have.
Personally, in automotive industry it is a paramount concern to let everyone in the organization know every corner of the system and operations not just the people concerned with their respective jobs if the management want to offer their clients excellent service. With the way they handle concerns, especially angry clients I would say the first-liner associates lack the patience and proper decorum. They need more training. Basically, the service as well as the sales department is fully exposed to this task. Where is the organization heading without local patrons who determine their long-term survival?
So the value given to clients should be large and vital that management should look critically to. In the service department, associates are not very accommodating. They constantly fail to coax an angry client and address his clamor smoothly. On one hand, in the sales department majority of the sales executives do not stay in their posts (in the showroom) all the time. They prefer to stay in the office area rather than in the showroom. If a client enters the showroom, the guard entertains and calls on a sales executive who is not in his proper post.
Isn’t it better if the sales executives are all in their respective areas so when a client enters, he will be overwhelmed by the welcoming ambience? This maybe a psychological strategy of motivating and inviting a customer to consider buying the brand instead. I would also like to underscore employee dissatisfaction in the workplace. I have known a number of associates who are not happy with their work. Perhaps the reason for this is that lack of fulfillment and character of their work. Other associates seem to have a work overload while others are work under loaded.
Some clamor that they can no longer answer the call of their responsibilities in the workplace while others scream for boredom. PROBLEM SOLVING SKILL AND EFFECTIVENESS With the aforementioned problems observed in the workplace, the management also reacts to it. Although during the period of my OJT, associates already come on time, during the previous months a number of them come to office late and I have known that they were suspended for a number of days because of this reason. The management effectively addressed the problem since associates now come early to office.
They also give verbal and written warnings to associates who have committed violations in organizational rules. The management also devised some of the job description of their associates to re-allocate jobs among its people. Also, I have observed how effective the manager is when he talks with his people. He is the type who maintains grace, professionalism and stays calm amidst difficulties and pressure in the workplace. He talks to his supervisor when he sees things are not going well and when supervisors gets out of his office, it seems that they have the enthusiasm to correct things done.
He is a very good boss and I guess one of the major reasons why its people work hard. LESSONS AND INSIGHTS LEARNED My 200 hours I would say is a very enriching experience. As an On-The-Job-Trainee I was expecting clerical works but what was assigned to me were far better professional works. I was entrusted some of the confidential files of the company too. Because I was primarily assigned in Customer Relations, I was tasked to call a long list of their clients to invite them to come in their Service caravans in two areas.
That job, I will consider was the most accomplished task I have done because the caravan garnered a good number of patrons. Feedback tells that it was because of my tedious follow-ups among clients. It was a good experience that as early as today, I was able to learn how to relate well with clients and to know my effectivity in the assigned ask. Furthermore, I learned how to operate the fax machine and the photocopying machine. If we come to think of it, this is one of the most basic jobs that workers should know in the office and future neophytes in the business world like me should also know as I soon become part of it.
This serves a good preparation. Above all, the most remarkable experience I had was when our supervisor, the HR Assistant brought us during the Jobs Fair. In it, I saw a clearer picture of what to expect after graduation. At some point, it is a very huge advantage for me since I already have an idea on what HR Heads normally look for in an applicant. I, too was tasked to give examinations to applicants. Lastly, and the most helpful of all my OJT experience is to have contributed to the organization information that can be of help in their quest towards fulfilling their organizational goals and objectives.
As an OJT, I have observed flaws with regards to, especially the rank and file employees. These are the people with whom the organization depend their technical operations and without giving due attention, might be the cause of a bigger problem in the workplace. My observations served as a verifying signal of hearsays to the corporate level of the organization and have them react and do measures to fully address the various concerns of the associates. It feels good to have contributed a long-term way out to future setbacks that may arise in the organization.
Aside from profit and sales, where is the organization heading without its committed people who underscore customer value and satisfaction? After all, its people will always be its most-valued asset. With my 200 hours in Isuzu, I say, I learned a lot, I have contributed something to the organization, I did well, I never failed myself in choosing the right organization to work on and one thing to always remember are the friendships and the bond I had gotten from the company.
