Since our inception, HKBN has always trumpeted the potential of our Talents. Attracting and retaining high-caliber people is always our main business objective.
On an annual basis, we show our appreciation to individuals who give their dedication and loyalty to HKBN. And we organize the HKBN Long Service Awards, an event that celebrates the contributions of Talents who have provided us with 5, 10, 15 or even 20 incredible years of service!
This year, our HKBN 2014 Long Service Awards ceremonies were recently held in Hong Kong and Guangzhou. Attended by friends, family and fellow HKBN Talents, both events honored each recipient individually with a gold coin – weighing up to one ounce in size – and a lovely award that came with a special letter handwritten by our CEO William. In Hong Kong and Guangzhou, 148 and 88 Talents were respectively recognized for their long service – which altogether combine for 1,925 years at HKBN!
And in the spirit of looking back that accompanies our Awards, we've gone up close with three colleagues who have spent most – if not all – of their working life with HKBN. Together we’re reminiscing about half a lifetime spent here to ponder how each person – from the early days up to the present – has grown alongside HKBN.
Groomed to lead
Ryan Li, Senior Manager – Sales Co-Owner
15 years with HKBN
1. Ryan's early years at HKBN (1st from left, front row) / 2. A charming family portrait / 3. Ryan and his teammates
Ryan Li, our Senior Manager – Sales, is an inspiring example of what's possible when the relationship between employee and employer is built around trust. Shortly after earning a degree in Engineering, Ryan joined HKBN as a fresh-faced Talent selling IDD services door-to-door. Energetic and eager, he soon delivered results and received his first promotion within 6 months. "Early on, I was entrusted with the responsibility of looking after other Talents," he recalls.
Early on, I was entrusted with the responsibility of looking after other Talents.
Two years after meeting his girlfriend, a former HKBN Talent, Ryan was asked to focus on Guangzhou in 2003, where he would spend 6 days a week overseeing telesales and Customer Service operations. "It was difficult, but I would return to Hong Kong on Sundays, spending time with family and my girlfriend," says Ryan, "At the time, we had a plan set out for marriage."
A faith in Ryan's leadership skills saw his eventual return to Hong Kong five years later. Armed with a spectrum of experiences, he soon managed close to 300 Talents and impressively expanded – as he continues to do – HKBN’s market share in residential broadband. Now an HKBN Co-Owner and married with two children, aged 3 and 1, Ryan looks back and smiles, realizing how much he has transformed over the years.
1. Charlies at her workstation in Guangzhou / 2. Sweet gesture from teammates on Valentine's Day
By her own admission, our Customer Relations Supervisor Charlies Fung was once a quiet, easy-going person who shied away from the limelight. Her about-face was noticed six years ago, when she was reunited with former teammates. "Everyone was shocked at how outspoken I'd become," she recalls. So why the sudden turnaround? "By nature, I'm a shy person," she explains. "This company has always treated me with lots of patience, allowing a chance to develop my confidence – and discover myself – through more opportunities."
Through trust and opportunities from the company, I developed the confidence needed to express myself.
From roles in Customer Service (CS), Customer Care, and Retention to her work with IDD and eventually becoming a team leader for other CS Talents, Charlies has had a hand in virtually every aspect of HKBN operations in Guangzhou. Grateful for her experiences, she correlates success with her change in personality. "Through trust and opportunities from the company, I developed the confidence needed to express myself," she remembers. "From that point, I became unhinged and pursued what I really wanted professionally, excelling in areas I hadn't before."
A proud mother, Charlies is now an outspoken role model who provides training to less experienced Talents. "Thanks to HKBN, I was able to transform into the person I am today," she says proudly. "And now I want to give back to HKBN by sharing everything that I've learned."
1. Brian posing with teammates from Customer Service (2nd from right) / 2. At a fun team-building exercise
Buzzing with a fond sense of nostalgia, our Quality Management Officer, Brian Au recalls his early experience: "Back then, things happened extremely fast," he says. "Most astonishing was how the entire company could mobilize in an instant for any task." This sense of duty to go wherever needed still remains, and is the motivation that drives Brian's ongoing development. "It's quite normal to be invited to experience new aspects of the HKBN business," he says.
I've come full circle in the knowledge chain of HKBN, going from the frontlines to the supporting backend.
Having started his career in Customer Service (CS), Brian grew as he mastered his knowledge of each new service such as IDD, 56K Internet, broadband and more. After a tenure as CS team leader, Brian was given another new challenge – testing his ability to handle tricky situations – in Customer Care. "Thanks to the company, I was invited to join our Online Service team," he tells. "At this time, I started to realize how important it is to see the bigger picture." His turnaround drove a new obsession with branding and its impact, and eventually earned him an offer into Quality Management. "I've come full circle in the knowledge chain of HKBN, going from the frontlines to the supporting backend, which helps my work tremendously here at Quality Management," he says. "Over the years, HKBN has given me so many opportunities to develop and grow, and this has so far been the most thought-provoking and satisfying."
