Page 39 - KZN Top Business Portfolio - EBOOK 2019

Owner of MCS Debt Recovery of the debt collection industry. Through her
mentorship, one of her senior managers now serves
ASKIA HILL, owner of MCS Debt Recovery, on the ADRA board.
says that the success of her business has One of her favourite quotes about employees is
been based on treating her staff as assets from Richard Branson: “Train people well enough
Sand believes that happy staff equate to so they can leave, treat them well enough so they
successful collectors. don’t want to”.
She says, “Our vision is to be a leading debt Hill is very hands on in her interactions with the
recovery company, providing excellent service to call centre agents. The location of her desk on the
our clients, in an environment where our staff can call centre floor (alongside the other members of
grow and develop.” the management team), enables her to constantly
Says Hill, “We promote a family type culture with monitor collections and engage first hand with
both our staff and our clients. The business slogan, the staff. That way, Hill says, she can quickly
‘Walk in as a guest, and join the family’, is one that acknowledge an agent who handles a telephone
we all embrace.” call well or is able to discuss a difficult call.
MCS Debt Recovery was established in 1995. Hill is as passionate about giving back to her staff
Hill, then the external accountant for the business as she is to the wider community. “We include our
and staying true to her entrepreneurial spirit, staff in regular charity drives which involve various
acquired the business in 2009 on the retirement organisations and communities.”
of the founder Jo Tets. Since then, Hill has Hill says that a highlight of her call centre journey
increased the number of clients and has grown has been watching the growth of the business.
the staff base significantly. However, this has not been without challenges, as
MCS Debt Recovery is located in Cornubia well as many sleepless nights. Being a woman in
Business Park, accommodating all the staff and business and having three children - Lara, Matthew
includes a generator room, staff canteen and a and Ross, she has often had to juggle her time and
training centre. work long hours to ensure that all her commitments
are met.
Hill’s passion for client service is evident in that
she personally liaises with clients. “Our long- As a member of the Entrepreneur Organisation
standing relationships with our clients demonstrate in the Durban Chapter, Hill also actively promotes
not only the trust they have in the service we entrepreneurship in South Africa. She says, “I
provide, but also their satisfaction with our success would like to instil a sense of entrepreneurship
rates. We have, for example, been working with in my children so that they are equipped with
one client since inception (24 years). We take the mindset to have a stronger appreciation and
pride in the professional services we provide to respect for business, and to be diligent in their goal
all our clients. Our team is our greatest asset and settings.”
combined with the effective and reliable service In her free time, Hill may be found indulging
providers, we are well positioned to grow into the in her love of sport, be it through supporting her
international market.” children and husband Grant in their sporting
Hill has attended conferences in the United endeavours, watching a rugby game, or cycling on
Kingdom, Australia and USA, bringing back a tandem.
valuable learnings and sharing the progress Hill concluded by saying that every day is a
South Africa has made in both the ICT and debt school day, where we should challenge ourselves
collection sectors. In addition, Hill served on to learn something new. We should hold ourselves
the ADRA board (Association for Debt Recovery accountable for achieving our long-term goals.
Agents) from 2014 to 2016, contributing to various “Don’t be afraid to chase your dreams, reach up for
industry body discussions and changes in respect the stars while keeping your feet on the ground.”

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