Inside Hokodo
18.5.2022

A day in the life of a Collections and Claims Officer at Hokodo

Cynthia Oikeh
Collections & Claims Officer

Joining Hokodo 4 months ago was one of the best decisions I've made in a while!

At the end of 2021, I had an epiphany to change jobs. I had been stuck in my previous role longer than I wanted to because of the never-ending pandemic. I was just about to turn 30, which is a big milestone, and decided I needed something new and fresh. And let me tell you something, Hokodo has been such a breath of fresh air!

Coming from corporate, there was a big shift in culture. The atmosphere is so relaxed and motivating at the same time. I found myself over-explaining my actions for no reason due to years of micromanagement but I had to snap out of it very quickly after realising that you can just be yourself at Hokodo. Everyone is treated equally and fairly which makes it even more enjoyable to work for this company. Anyways, enough about my life story, let's talk about my role...

The life of a Claims & Collections Officer is about one main thing... MONEY. If you're not on the phone, you're definitely busy emailing somebody to pay their debt. Emailing and calling people sounds like an easy job, right? Well, here's the thing... There are days when the phone calls are a walk in the park! You'll be having a laugh with the clients which is quite surprising, 'cause what's really funny about paying debts? Let's just say some people woke up on the right side of their bed, lol…

But there are also days where the calls don't go as smoothly as you want them to go. Maybe the customer is not in the best mood so they'll probably take out their anger on you. Or they are just not in the best place to pay their debt. And that's when things get trickier.

As much as you may not like the way a client speaks to you, you gotta park your feelings to the side 'cause it's not about you right now. I know that sounds harsh but just put yourself in their place for one minute... If you walked a mile in their shoes right now, could you understand why they're not happy? I'm sure we've all been on the phone to customer service before complaining about one thing or another so you must know that feeling! All of this is to say, you gotta be empathic in this role. Once you master the art of empathy, it will make your job a lot easier!

Coming from corporate, there was a big shift in culture. The atmosphere is so relaxed and motivating at the same time. I found myself over-explaining my actions for no reason due to years of micromanagement but I had to snap out of it very quickly after realising that you can just be yourself at Hokodo.

As much as I've rambled on about chasing money, I also dabble my hands a bit in Buyer Support and give our clients a hand with any query they may have with their order. I like the fact that I do a bit of both which can be challenging but growth never comes from staying in your comfort zone! I’m so glad that I've been given the opportunity to rub shoulders with people in different roles and departments as cross-functionality is something I'm quite interested in.

Even though I've been chasing cash for years, one thing I've realised in the past 4 months is that your environment really plays a BIG role in how you perform at work. My colleagues have been so lovely from the minute I became a Hokodian and I'm so glad I landed in a great department with a very supportive team and manager. I couldn't have asked for a better team as this really makes my working days even more enjoyable!

So, if you're thinking of joining Hokodo, don't waste any more time and apply now!

You heard Cynthia! Check out our open vacancies and submit your application today.

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