Money Moves Building on an awarded infrastructure by Isabella Lee The more straightforward it is to set up a new company, the better for business. In Hong Kong, the Companies Registry plays an instrumental role to enable companies to incorporate their enterprises easily and to register all documentation required by the law. A record number of 101,512 new local companies were registered in Hong Kong during the 07/08 fiscal year. Many of these were established by business consultants. One leading agency is SBC International, which has been named one of the Companies Registry's Top Customer Awards winners who were the top three users of the registry's incorporation service last year. "The Companies Registry's official figures and Top Customer Awards are a clear indication of our company's standing," says Fion Cheng, treasurer and corporate controller, SBC International. "In the past, we only had data showing the growth of our business, but now the award shows us that we are a leading agency." Ms Cheng gives SBC staff the credit for the company' success, saying that they have been working hard to handle an increasing workload and expanding client base. She adds that the growth has been a direct result of referrals and repeat business. "The award is an indication of our commitment to efficiency and a recognition of our staff's diligence and meticulousness. Our team is constantly seeking to improve in order to excel in the highly competitive business environment," Ms Cheng points out. SBC pulls out all the stops to add value —f rom investing in tailor-made software to speed up documentation to adding stationery into customer kits to cater for changing needs. The agency also conducts regular studies and implements new initiatives to enhance its service standards. "Like our competitors, we provide both tailor-made and ready-made company formation services. What differentiates our company from others is that we also have a special team that draws up ready-made company names, enabling customers to simply walk in and choose from a vast list," Ms Cheng adds. With 19 offices across Hong Kong's major commercial districts and in major mainland cities, the company has a workforce of more than 400 employees. SBC is currently running a number of recruitment drives to expand its staff complement to cope with growing operational demands. New recruits undergo a comprehensive three-week orientation programme. In-house training programmes include classroom lectures and mentoring programmes, teaching newcomers how the company operates and brief them on client servicing, industry best practice and other necessary skills. "We also have additional training in place to further polish skills; and our management team reviews our talent management policies regularly in order to identify training needs in different departments," Ms Cheng points out. "We do our very best to equip all our staff because every one of them is a valued member of the family," she concludes. Fundamental growth Customer referrals drive business growth Award indicates company's commitment New initiatives enhance service standards Training imparts knowledge and best practice Taken from Career Times 19 September 2008, p. A6 Your comments are welcome at [email protected]