1. Letter Read out by the HOD of HR at the 2015 DFS Awards Ceremony – Shireen America
She joined the company in 1 July 2010 as a Customer Service Agent.
Her attention to detail and providing her customers with an excellent customer experience made her stand out
and be nominated for Frank’s Got Talent 2012, now DFS has talent….
In her Frank’s Got Talent Interview with hiring manager, she answered the following questions….
What are your medium to long term goals working with FRANK.NET?
Would like to be involved in Training or Marketing (2nd option) as well as calibrations. Is very interested in
coaching and development and improving customer experience across the business.
Her assessment report for the Frank’s Got Talent programme read as follows …
She is an anchor and driver in the transfer of knowledge. She loves to master it and loves to teach others and
share her experience.
She had previously expressed a desire to be a coach and not a trainer, however, since she has been exposed to
the training space has become more confident that she would like to pursue training as a career.
She has displayed a natural instinct and social style that supports a trainer function. Her strengths are:
• Ability to pass on knowledge in a logical manner
• Ability to enthusiastically and confidently explain detail and concepts
• Ability to present information in front of a group
Her progress:
In August 2012, she applied for a junior trainer role that was advertised and was successful, commencing her
new role in on the 1st August 2012!
In 2013 – as a Junior Trainer, she delivered the following:
• She prepared 92 people to do their job (on-boarding)
• She developed a Time Management Training Course and delivered this to 35 people across the
business. This was the first time She had tried her hand at soft / office skills and received very positive
feedback from her learners
In 2014 – Junior Trainer:
• She prepared 90 people to do their job (on-boarding) in her second year as a trainer. Due to her
customer service background she almost completely held the fort with regards to Customer Service
training.
• She also delivered Time Management again to 19 people across the business
• Her participation in the training evolution project (multi-media learning) required to manage the business
targets in the second half of 2014 was exceptional based on her experience. Her contribution to the

2. creative process was critical to the great outcomes. She worked proactively and collaboratively to
achieve and exceed what was required.
In 2015 – Trainer:
• She prepared 41 people to do their job (on-boarding)
• Created Compass Material and trained 58 Service Staff - creating and managing delivery of Compass
training to the entire service area by taking the initiative to create a manual and train
• Reinstatement campaign which had started, which involved Creating materials and training staff
• Conducted Service Refreshers with staff
• She fully owned the Liberty Direct project - her first) and managed all resources and delivery in a
thoroughly professional and efficient manner. Not only did she go above and beyond by performing User
Acceptance Testing; educating business; and provided guidance to their developers, but she also
identified a critical missing component in scripting. She took her initiative and created and presented the
scripting to business for sign off.
• She also started the service review project earlier this year due to concerns about the gaps between
what was documented versus what was being done in the live environment. It was her persistence on
this issue that led to the full review.
• She also provides on-going support to her peers - She supported the newest member to the training
team with Sales induction train the trainer; ran a peer members incubation due to resourcing
constraints; provided critical assistance to another during his first Retention team training. She is always
As you can see, it is obvious that she is a valuable Subject Matter Expert and her contribution was very valuable
in the process - She has an impressive list of delivery in 2015 and has shown valuable contribution and passion
in multiple projects, her willingness to help others and this year she has proved that her knowledge has benefited
not only the business but supported her team members too.
….. This is Nicole Van Aarde
And like Nicole, there are many unsung heroes in our business. The lessons you teach many others is that
commitment, consistency and hard work pays.
You also represent what recruitment and development opportunities can contribute to potential of people and
give meaning to what Abraham Lincoln, who said “Whatever you are, be a good one.”
For junior staff - you provide hope and aspirations to others
For your Peers - you raise the bar and keep them on their toes
For line managers - you make them proud and give them purpose to their contribution of making a difference is
someone’s life
For the business – you uphold company values by the way you behave and represent that DFS is a place of
opportunity and beyond,
And in closing, seeing world aids day was 01st
December, Aids activist, Nkosi Johnson said....
“Do all you can, with what you have, in the time you have, in the place you are.”
Nkosi Johnson (1989 - 2001)
Congratulations to all staff placed, developed and promoted during 2015.
We look forward to what 2016 brings.