AUIS Ministry of Finance

 Brwa Aziz

The AUIS Finance Department is a lackluster place for the AUIS students and faculty staff members. Alas, the Finance Department is not what it should be: it has weak customer service, cold relationships with its clients, and inefficient work performance.

The Department, unfortunately, has weak customer service; instead of seeking to serve others, they act superior.  Indeed, the Finance Department is famous among students for not communicating well with its customers. Employees, who work there, with the exception of one or two, act like they are elites and the top class at AUIS. The way they respond and talk to people, and the way they walk around campus bothers many. Today, the Finance Department is more about showing authority than performing their work just like what people experience in the ministries of government. 

 I wonder what is behind their arrogance? Should not these people act exactly the opposite way? By visiting that department once, you will understand these people prioritize themselves over their customers and their work.

Moreover, the Finance Department is too inefficient. Though the office has many workers, students must often wait. There are several chairs and laptops in that office, enough for five people. However, the office often looks like only one person works there! You know why? Well, because no body knows where these people are. Number of people line up there and barely find one employee to run their works.

Where are all the other employees who work there? Well, they either gather together in a room at the same department, or they are in the cafeteria. Not only that! When they walk around, they feel like they are on a red carpet. Furthermore, that department seems to be the best place to sit, talk, and socialize instead of work.

Last but not least, it seems to me that miscommunication among the members of that department is common. Students said they get invoices from different people of that department and each invoice is for a different price! They also said, sometimes, they get several invoices until they finally receive the right one. Why?

What is the solution then? Well, there are several steps that department should take to be improved.

First, the customer service must be developed by far. The representatives of that department should change their attitudes toward the clients. Simply, they have to take money from clients with smile not scorn. Maybe the Finance Department can assign an employee just to serve customers that come to their office, answering questions and providing solutions.

Second, the department’s top managers have offices on the third floor, far away from that department. It seems that they leave these employees all alone and do not ever monitor their work. So, I recommend the manager to place his office within the Finance Department to monitor the office. If that department refuses to change its attitudes, I highly recommend the administration to fire these employees and hire more professional ones.