People of Vox: Spotlight on Bandi Maduna
There’s something special about amazing customer service, especially when you’re on the receiving end of it. As the world saves time by moving towards service via chatbots, smart apps or telephonic voice prompts, there are still times when talking to a person is the ultimate end-goal.
Here at Vox, our Johannesburg Head Office Receptionist Bandi (Bandile) Maduna is famous for her warm and wonderful way with people.
Bandi doesn’t just get compliments from satisfied customers – sometimes they go out of their way to bring her coffee and muffins, and even flowers! Now that really says something.
In this edition of ‘People of Vox’, we shine the spotlight on Bandi and how she has perfected customer service into an art form.
When the Warm Words Keep on Coming
The secret to Bandi’s successful ways with people isn’t a secret at all.
In fact, it’s very simple: she just really likes dealing with people and is always inclined to give them her very best efforts. In turn, she seems to bring out the best in the people she’s dealing with.
Bandi explains: “I deal with phone calls that come in, as well as walk-in queries and deliveries. I could find myself assisting on insurance and payment issues, as well as follow-ups on the status of a technician call-out. I’m always happy to help by trying to move a customer’s challenge along.
“This could include helping the customer to pay on the Vox portal, or following up to find out if a technician is en route. I really enjoy dealing with our customers and trying to help them with their queries or challenges, to move towards an outcome.”
In essence, one of Bandi’s strengths is making people feel that they are being heard. Perhaps this is why she gets the compliments that she does.
Here are just two of the warm words that customers went out of their way to pass on via email:
I must compliment your lady at the front desk, Bandi. She was most friendly, calm, efficient and immediately put me in touch with the person I needed to speak to. In my opinion, Bandi is an amazing ‘first face’ to engage with when arriving at your office. I thanked her on my way out, and I hope you pass this message on to her.
AND
I was welcomed by the switchboard operator, Bandi, in the most professional, warm, welcoming, efficient manner. Bandi was extremely polite and assisting. I give lots of praise to this wonderful employee of yours.
And then there was the time when a satisfied customer dropped in to bring Bandi coffee and a muffin – topped only by the person who once brought Bandi flowers!
When people in today’s busy world go out of their way to say ‘thank you’ like this, taking time and effort, you know that the service must be well deserved.
A True People Person and Life-Long Learner
Perhaps Bandi’s skills are also rooted in her deep understanding of ‘Ubuntu’ – the belief that ‘a person is a person through other people’ – with its underlying principles of interconnectedness, kindness, and the importance of community and relationship.
“I regard myself as being a typical Zulu,” she says. “I was born in Ladysmith in Kwazulu-Natal, and I grew up with a deep respect for Ubuntu – for giving back and being part of your community. When I joined Vox, in 2009, I think this came through in my first job, where I was a tea lady. I spent my days going from desk to desk at set times with a trolley so that I could bring some of the Vox office workers beverages at regular intervals – tea, coffee, water – and in that way allow them to concentrate on their jobs.”
It would not be too long before Bandi, who is versatile and always open to new challenges and responsibilities, was able to start moving into different positions within the company. She completed a course in facilities management, and became a facilities team leader in 2014 and was able to showcase her leadership skills in this role.
Bandi’s people skills began truly coming to the fore in 2016, when she spent time at the front desk as a reliever for the then-receptionist – proving to be so good at this that she was able to begin working in a full-time position in reception the following year. Another highlight was when Bandi became the personal assistant to the chief financial director, which again spoke to her skills with people as well as her organisational abilities. Today, she still assists the current Vox CFO, Gert Koen, by doing various insurance claims for him as part of her duties.
Bandi adds: “I’m always eager to gain knowledge and learn new things. I am open to new challenges, and I like being versatile. I’m very grateful to Vox for giving me opportunities to use my skills in different ways. Vox has also paid for me to do two different one-year courses, to help me with my learning aspirations and my workplace skills. I have completed an administration course through Damelin, as well as a project management course through Boston City Campus.”
While she regards herself being as a lifelong learner, Bandi also notes that it hasn’t always been easy. “You could say that I am a BBT – ‘born before technology’ – and I did find parts of my project management course very challenging, when it was online during Covid,” she explains.
“I was ready to give up, actually, and here I am so grateful to our HR Director, Pam McLeod, who supported and encouraged me to keep going. I am also very grateful to Trudy Truscott for believing in me; she took me from being a tea lady to a facilities manager and receptionist, and she is still my line manager today. She has been very supportive at all times.”
Creative with Her Hands
Away from work, Bandi remains busy in her spare time with her hobbies, which include cooking, crocheting, knitting and making soap.
“I like using my hands,” she says. “Recently, I began taking some of my unused plastic bags to make them into a crocheted welcome mat for the entrance to my home. And I enjoy making soap from scratch, which I often scent with ingredients such as cinnamon and lemon juice, and give to my friends and family as gifts from time to time.
“I also like taking part in ‘isipheko’, which is a traditional custom of bringing food or other provisions to a family or community during celebrations or periods of mourning, and which is also part of the spirit of Ubuntu.”
Bandi says she has experienced this same spirit of warmth and community working at Vox, which is another reason why she has been with the company now for 16 years.
“I am grateful to be part of an organisation that takes care of its clients as well as its employees. I find Vox as a company to be very reliable, with a strong ethos of caring and humanity. I think this is very much a distinguishing feature of Vox, and I’m proud to be associated with this constant theme of caring, mixed in with humour and humanity.
“I love working for Vox – I always like to say that ‘My blood is green!’ and am very grateful for all the opportunities that the company has given me,” she concludes.
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