• Exchange Rates
• Unit Trust Prices
• Customer care for front-liners
• Shell Gas: Increase only of 100,000 cylinders in '98
• Lanka Lubricants receives ISO 9002 certification
• London Tea Auction puts up shutters

The Central Bank's Spot Rates for transactions with Commercial Banks announced on the morning of July 03, 1998 were as follows:

The approximate middle exchange rates of following currencies calculated on the basis of cross rates quoted by Gulf International Bank, Bahrain as it appeared in Reuters Financial Information System on July 03, 1998 were as follows:

Average rates at which the following currencies were quoted by Commercial Banks in Colombo for Telegraphic Transfers at mid-day on July 03, 1998 were as follows:

Average Weighted Prime Lending Rate (AWRP) and Lowest Prime Rate (LPR)
The Average Weighted Prime Lending Rate (AWPR) during the week ended June 26th 1998 was 14.4 per cent for all banks. The Lowest Prime Rate (LPR) among banks during this week was 12.5 per cent.

Average Weighted Deposit Rate of Commercial Banks (AWDR)
The Average Weighted Deposit Rate (AWDR) of Commercial Banks for the month ended May 31st 1998 was 9.6 percent.

Customer care for front-liners

People form 90% of their lasting impressions during the first 90 seconds spent with a person.

People finally buy satisfaction, and front liners play a vital role in generating this satisfaction. To ensure that your company does not lose out, your front liners should be trained to develop a mind set to extend customer care which is paramount to making your business more competitive and profitable.

A two-day workshop titled "Customer Care for Front Liners" is being organised by the Sri Lanka Institute of Marketing on the 10th and 11th July from 8.15 a.m. to 5.30 p.m. each day, at the Earl's Court, Trans Asia Hotel.

The primary objectives are to teach participants the fundamental skills in superior customer service, assist them develop the right mind set in customer service management and help them take responsibility for personal growth and development on-the-job.

Among the areas to be addressed at the workshop are Communication Skills for Frontliners, A Mindset to Extend Customer Care, Grooming for Success, Assertiveness and Listening Skills for Customer Care and how to develop and apply these skills in your career.

Ideally suited for Secretaries, Customer Service Executives, Showroom and Counter Sales Staff, Telesales staff, Receptionists and Telephone Operators, the methods employed for training include interactive presentations by resource persons followed by group sessions to prepare role plays, based on practical scenarios, for presentations and feedback using video playback. A Certificate of Participation issued by the Sri Lanka Institute of Marketing will be awarded to each participant.

Shell Gas: Increase only of 100,000 cylinders in '98

Shell Gas Lanka Ltd., the monopoly supplier of cooking gas will increase its supply in 1998 to 100,000 cylinders only.

This limitation despite the increasing demand is said to be due to logistical and infrastructure constraints, it is said.

A press release from the company says:

Following the privatisation of the Colombo Gas Company, Shell Gas Lanka Limited (SGLL) has succeeded in increasing the Sri Lankan LPG market by an annual rate of 20% despite existing infrastructure-logistical constraints. When Shell entered the market. Sri Lanka's cylinder population comprised 750,000 cylinders. Since early 1996, 325,000 new domestic cylinders were introduced to the market. A further 100,000 will be systematically introduced in the course of 1998.

Cylinder availability is restricted, as the company wants to ensure that the existing infrastructure will not be overstressed by uncontrolled growth, which could have a strong negative effect on those who are already utilising LPG. The company wants to ensure a safe and reliable service to all of its existing customers whilst at the same time, encouraging the use of this efficient and environmentally friendly fuel.

By limiting the new gas cylinders to 100,00 for 1998, we can ensure that refills for LPG consumers are available. Providing a continued, reliable and efficient service is paramount to Shell Gas Lanka.

SGLL has been working on measures to overcome the existing infrastructure-logistical constraints. To date over six new filling machines have been installed in the Company's primary filling depot. The Distributor System established by SGLL has resulted in a more efficient and effective service to its consumers as well as the Distributors and Dealers themselves. Today, Distributors and Dealers do not have to wait for days in queues at the depot for their refills as they had to in the past. Most importantly, consumers can rely on Shell gas their LPG provider for a continued supply and service that will not compromise safety and quality.

In addition, the Company plans to build a new LPG terminal which will quadruple the LPG supply capacity to the market. With the completion of this terminal, now expected by late 1999, the infrastructure constraints will be solved and ample supply of new LPG cylinders will be made available. In addition, it would also mean that this fuel would be available to other market segments as well, such as industries.

Lanka Lubricants receives ISO 9002 certification
By Shirajiv Sirimane

Lanka Lubricants Ltd., (LLL) commemorated a major milestone last week when they received the ISO 9002 certification through the British Standard Institute (BSI) for its Manufacturing Laboratory and distribution facilities.

L.L.L. is only the second institution, after Ansell Lanka Ltd., to receive this prestigious certification through the BSI, which is dubbed as the most acknowledged National Standard body in the world.

Shaun Donnelly, Ambassador of the United States in Sri Lanka who was the guest of honour at a special ceremony held at the L.L.L. complex in Kolonnawa said that though privatisation has caused some problems, L.L.L. has not faced any of them.

"This is because the right attitude the management has taken with their work force," he said.

He said this concept should be an eye-opener to other privatised institutions as well. He also disclosed that Caltex of USA own 51% of L.L.L.

C. V. Gooneratne, Minister of Industries and Industrial Development said that L.L.L. had helped to achieve the objectives the government had in mind.

He also requested other privatised ventures to take a cue from L.L.L. to have fruitful employer-employee relationships.

"The certification of the company's facilities to ISO 9002 is the culmination of an infrastructure development program that was begun in 1995. Our philosophy was to change from the inside out", said Lanka Lubricants Limited Managing Director, Ronald C. Hopkins. "Our commitment to the Government or employees, and to the Sri Lankan public was to expand and modernize the local facilities and to produce international standard products locally. This certification is another example of honouring our commitments to the country and as they say in ISO "say what you do" and "do what you say," he added.

"ISO certification is not the end but the beginning. Exports are the next major thrust in the program that we have set out for the company and its local and overseas shareholders." The MD expressed his confidence that "the Company will deliver on its future promise for exports just as it has delivered on all the previous commitments it has made to the Government, employees and shareholders", he added.

Jaliya Medagama, Secretary of Irrigation and Power stated that the achievement is "further evidence that Sri Lankan companies can achieve self-sufficiency through the manufacture of high quality international products locally."

London Tea Auction puts up shutters

The London tea auctions which had gone on from the time tea became a beverage of choice in the west put up its shutters with the final auction held on June 29 and selling a line of Sri Lankan tea fetching £ 555 per kg.

The fact that in today's context the London tea auction had become redundant became a point of discussion among the trade. In fact not much tea was sent to London and what was sold there became charity auctions.

According to the Asia Siyaka report the last auction was a line of Hellbodde FBOP grade which had realised a price of sterling pounds 555 per kg.

The Hellbodde estate is managed by Pussellawa Plantations Ltd.

Meanwhile Asia Siyaka report for the week says:

The market for High Grown teas improved at this week's sale to with below best and plainer category teas gaining Rs. 3 to Rs. 4 on last week's prices. The exception however, was the decline in price levels in the better category, which resulted in substantial drop in prices for those teas, which fetched long prices last week.

Low Grown teas appreciated in value this week especially the better well made category. The poorer varieties continued to meet with limited interests and prices in most instances were lower than those realised in the previous week. Teas offered in the Off Grade catalogue showed an upward movement in prices, whilst the Dust Grades continued to be lower this week.

Eastern planting districts have reported dry weather conditions with some blowing during the past one week and we could expect to see some improved teas coming up for sales in the near future.

The final London auction was concluded on 29th June 1998, which brings an end to a 319-year tradition of auctioning teas from most producer countries by public auction in the UK. The last lot auctioned for charity, was a line of Hellbodde FBOP Grade, which realised a price of Pound Sterling 555 per kg. Hellbodde Estate is managed by Pussellawa Plantations Limited.