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Learning Journal and Internship Report of a POL student attached to Hong Yip Service Company Limited in 2020 summer

Learning Journal (after three weeks in internship)

Brief information about my placement

I am working in Farmroad 18 clubhouse, and my

position is called internship trainee. Farmroad 18

is a residential building, there is a total of 50

floor, floor 6 to 50 are apartment units, each floor

has 7 units, the number of the total residents are

around 3200 people. Our clubhouse is called

Club 18 and it is located on floor 5. The opening

hours of my clubhouse are 7 am to 11 pm.

Facilities in Club18

There are numerous facilities in Club 18. I will introduce it one by one. We have a

gymnasium, many machines provide to the resident such as treadmills, bike machine,

hammer strength machine, dumbbells and rowing machine. Moreover, we have a garden,

newspaper & magazine lending service area, indoor and outdoor children playground, game

room, swimming pool and two function rooms.

 

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The structure of your team/department and my position

You can see the structure of my department. My position is called internship trainee, some

tasks that part-time officer do not need to finish while full time needs to do, I need to learn

and do in this situation. I will mention in the upcoming part about what tasks I need to

achieve. The place I work and stay mainly is reception.

Main duties of my team

a) Daily operation

There are examples of my daily operation. Due to the COVID-19, our children indoor and

outdoor playground, water and coffee dispenser and the function room were closed. The

opening hours of the gymnasium was changed from 24 hours to 7 am to 11 pm. Moreover, our

job duties include check the date of the notice in the board, if it is outdated, we need to take it

off. Paying attention to the posting period. There is a swimming information board we need to

change it day by day. We need to check the quality of water by water tester. Adding 3 drops to

both tubes; thus, find the relevant colours so as to testing PH value and chlorine (CL).

 

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In the gymnasium, there is some reminder.

First, ensuring that the workout machine like

treadmills and bike machine are separated in

order to prevent people too close to do the

exercise. Second, since we are using a

technical called antimicrobial coating, we

need to remind the user kindly that if they

want to clean the surface of the machine,

they just need to use a water spray bottle that

we provided to clean it up because using alcohol will reduce the function of the antimicrobial

coating.

 

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In the newspaper & magazine lending service area, we used to put all

the newspapers in the holder and let the resident borrow it by

themselves, and now we need to keep all the newspaper in our office

if the resident wants to read like apple daily and SingDao, they need

to come to reception and borrow the newspaper. Furthermore, since

the government launched the policy that is about reducing gathering.

Due to the government policy, we are required to assign a seat to

them, there is 4 number of tables and sofa.

b) Special arrangement

Moreover, due to COVID-19, Farmroad 18 clubhouse has a new policy, which is special

inspection, the checking list is called COVID19 - Facilities Cleaning Record Sheet, it is a

checking list on the cleanliness of facilities. Which is mean checking some facilities that are

many people will touch or use it like newspaper & magazine lending service, gymnasium,

shower room. The list in the COVID-19 includes gym club, restroom and changing room,

newspaper area, game room. Checking 4 times in one day. Hence, we need to check the

number of things in the sanitization box, for example, hand sanitizer, sanitized tissues, mask

and thermometer.

 

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c) Roster

Morning, 6:45 am to 3:45 pm. In the morning, there are lots of duties need to do it. First, we

need to go to the security room to collect all the newspaper, and then staple the newspaper

one by one. Putting it on our office desk, and collect the yesterday one into the box. We need

to do the first check of all the facilities and cleanliness of the facilities, and check is there are

$300 our money saver box, $300 is standard money inside the box. And we need to open all

the lock includes garden and gymnasium. Opening all the light and air-conditioner in the

clubhouse. Checking our log book and follow up the upcoming reminder.

Afternoon, which is from 10 am to 7 pm. In the middle one, The number of tasks is less than

the morning session and night session. The basic task we need to do is to check the body

 

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temperature of every resident when they entering into the front door. Also, there is some

phone call and we need to remind our WhatsApp group since there are some maintenance

worker will come to fix or wash the machine. When they arrive, we need to use a temporary

railing to frame an area and let the worker put down their equipments or tools. Also, we need

to record their entering time and the leaving time of the worker in the logbook. We need to

take some of the photos while they are working so as to record it and send it to the related

WhatsApp group to report it. If there are a phone call is about the confirmation date of

working, we must write down the confirmation date and stick it on the computer, and report it

in the WhatsApp group.

Night, 2:05 am to 11:05 pm. Usually, there are two colleagues prepare it, one person for

accounting all the deals and one person for counting the goods. Around 10:30 pm, we start to

close the deal and account the total selling price per day. We have a book called '銀頭' in

Cantonese and we need to mark the number inside the book. Moreover, we need to enter the

number that we got inside our system, ensuring that we need to print it out and record it.

Making sure that we need to print out a total of 5 documents per day. Additionally, there are

another person counts the number of the remaining goods, for instead, shampoo, toilet paper,

tissues, cups include small and large cups. Due to the COVID-19, we do not provide any

beverage, all of the beverages like coffee, coca-cola, tea and juices, we also need to count it.

Are there any areas for improvement in the workflows and system?

Yes. Since the task is not difficult at all if you want to improve the flowing of the work, I

suggest doing more times. If you repeat the task again and again, you will familiar with the

procedures of the task. Then, you will become efficient, the waiting time of the customer will

be reduced. Taking resident enter to swim pool as an example, we have four steps need to

follow it. First, using a thermometer to check their body temperature, giving them to fill in

the health declaration form, we have Chinese and English version in order to fulfil different

target groups like domestic helper and the local people. Then, we will help them to stick the

wristband, and the last step is to mark down the number of wristband into the swimming

 

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record book. In the first week, since a majority of user in swimming pool are 4 members

family. I used 1 minute to finish the whole steps per one person, but now I use a minute in a

half to finish the whole steps.

How can I build a better relationship with my colleagues?

Honestly, it is not a problem as we already have a good relation. All of my colleagues in the

clubhouse are young, we all 90s and Y-generation person. As a result, there is no generation

gap between me and my colleagues. But this is just about the clubhouse co-worker, others

like security, lifeguard, maintenance worker and gardener are older than me. No matter

clubhouse co-worker has the same age, older or younger than me, it is important that keeping

courtesy and smile to everybody includes colleagues and customer in daily life and in

customer service-oriented industry especially. I think the question changes to how can I build

a better relationship with the resident in my placement. Since I am working in a residential

building. As I mentioned, there are 3200 people are living in the building. Although there are

not much of people will use the facilities of the clubhouse, the remaining people who usually

or go to our clubhouse every day, is our ‘VIP’. The very first things we need to do is try to

remember their name, it is hard for me in the first working week, despite I cannot remember

all the ‘VIP’ in the second and the third week. I can remember some of them. When they

 

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enter the clubhouse front door, I will say good morning Mr._ or Mrs._ and then help them to

check their body temperature with using a thermometer. If the people are usually come to see

newspaper, I will usually ask them ‘Which newspaper do you want to see today?’. If the

person like to see SingDao newspaper, I will go to office and give SingDao to that person

before he come to reception.

Most of the people are nice and like to interact with you. If they make a conversation with

you, I must reply to them due to courtesy. Sometimes there are some elderly come to me and

talk about sensitives political topic, I will answer the question simply like yes, I think so and I

agree with you that's all in order to prevent some unnecessary conflict between me and the

person. No matter that person is or not holding the same stand and opinion, you should not

express too much on your own opinion when your are working. Additionally, I will open

another topic so as to skip the current topic nicely and kindly like have you finish your lunch.

Internship Report (after completion of internship)

My Achievement

In my opinion. the greatest things that I gained in 18Club is reaction and communication

skill. In the customer service industry, these two elements are indispensable. A risk is not

predictable, it is a sudden come and you need to tackle the issue immediately, otherwise, your

clients will get mad at you and adverse consequences.

Taking glass piece in the swimming pool as an example, once the lifeguard found there are

some glass pieces in the swimming pool, they evacuate the swimmer in the pool and closed

the pool immediately. Estates management office post a notice to inform the residents. In this

internship period, I have learnt ‘how to explain thing’, sometimes you cannot answer the

question so accurately. Since we do not know the exact date of the re-opening, we cannot

answer it with a sure tone, you need to answer to question with conservative estimation, for

instance, it takes around 2 weeks for cleaning the swimming pool as they need to drain all the

water out of the swimming pool, this process takes 3 to 4 days, after that you need to clean

the surface on the swimming pool. It takes around 2 to 3 days, and the final step is adding the

water into the swimming pool, it takes about 3 to 4 days also. In this situation, if you answer

the question wrongly such as it takes 1 week, some tenant may argue and said you told me it

takes 1 weeks only, why the swimming pool is still closing? Then, the best and suitable

answer is we are not sure to tell you the exact opening date and we promise that we will get

the latest information and post it in the notice board from the lifeguard. Moreover, you can

call our hotline for asking the exact opening date before you enter to the swimming pool.

 

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There are innumerable things I have learnt during the internship period. Independent, when I

work in the middle session my colleagues who work in the morning session go for lunch, I

must work independently like answering the phone call, printing service, coffee service.

Weekdays are not busy while the situation is totally different in weekends in contrast to. Not

only training working independently but also improving multitasking skill. Cooperation,

requiring 4 coworkers per one day in 18Club. There is some transitional time between one

session and another session. We inform the fellow of next session to complete ‘to-do-list’ and

reminder. Taking printing service as an example, if 13A unit had a phone call to print out some

document, she did not collect the paper on time and I was going to have lunch, I need to notice

to my partner tell him 13A did not collect the paper and the place I put down the printed paper.

Then, being patient, we must manage your emotion in a peaceful way, in other words, obtain

high emotional intelligence (EQ) will assist you to overcome challenges, communicate to

people effectively, and stress relief. In my internship period, there is at least one bad comment,

request and communicate while you interact with the resident. Presently, calming down your

emotion is indispensable and tackle the problem and situation effectively. Last, self-discipline

is an essential attitude in this internship even more in my future working. It is an issue of

responsibility, if you attend an internship program in CityU, you are not only representing

yourself but also CityU. Hence, behave well when supervisor next or not next to you. You

should keep 100 percentage insistent and industrious and commit yourself to your work.

Technical Skill Gain

When we working at night roster, one of our task we need to do is balance the accounts every

day. There are two types of system are used included: POS and IBS. POS is for recording

sale about laundry services like laundry in pounds and laundry in specific items, for instance,

leather jacket, bed sheet and down coat. This POS system is seldom used since not very

resident need laundry service. In IBS, it is about recording sale about ‘normal items’ for

example, octopus adding value service, payment of printing service, laminated paper and

 

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photo service, payment for a guest user in swimming pool, function room, gymnasium and

game room. Tasks of balancing the accounts are consists of printing out a total of three

documents. Printing out a copy of the document; thus, fax the document to a coworker from

the accounting department in Hong Yip service company after printing out three documents.

Management Skills Gain

The biggest thing I have learnt is a reaction and problem-solving skills. Fortunately, there are

several ‘special occasions’ happened during my internship period, for instance, COVID-19,

red rainstorm warning, thunderstorm warning, strong wind signal no.3 and glass piece found

in swimming pool.

As I mentioned the resolution for coping with the pandemic of COVID-19 like facilities

cleanliness record sheet, the closure of coffee dispenser and special arrangement in a

gymnasium in the learning journal. In red rainstorm warning, we will change the red

rainstorm card in information board of swimming pool first, then, we will close the

swimming pool immediately, after the signal was cancelled, we will remain closed in order to

clean the swimming pool as there is some branch in it. Moreover, preparing sandbags for

preventing leaking water problem from outside. In thunderstorm warning, we need to visit

Hong Kong Observatory and search location-specific lightning alert webpage, inspecting

whether there is any thunder sign located in radius 15 kilometres regularly. In strong wind

signal no.3, we fasten the masking tape on the window in the garden and indoor children

playground. Ensuring that the door of the garden was locked. In my last day of internship,

there is another outbreak of COVID-19, my supervisor according to Hong Yip Service

 

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Company instructions, temporality closed 18Club for seven days. The service that 18Club

only provided is a printing document.

Location-specific Lightning Alert

 

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Additionally, I acquire knowledge in planning an event. Despite I did not in charge of an

event conducted by 18Club, I asked the planner for more information about event planning.

All the procedures of conducting an event are included: pre-event report and post-event

report. The pre-event report includes an event proposal and designs a poster. The information

that mentioned in event proposal like the purpose of the activities, venue and time of the

activities, estimated income and expenditure, activities fee, manpower, number of attendance

and the content of the activities such as what is the event about? Designing a poster, the

planner needs to list out all the essential information like time, fee and venue. Post-event

report like statement of income and expenditure form, review report and activity highlights.

Review report includes suggesting the improvement. Making the activity highlights which

gathering all the photos took in the activities and design the background like making a poster

in order to appreciate to attendances support.

The example of hosting activities are presented below one by one:

In ‘1-2 Switch Battle’, they need to pre-play the game in order to test the flow of the game

and the function of the switch holders, ensuring there is no technical or other problem before

the event. In ‘used clothes recycling activities’, planner required to contact recycling

organization which is Friends To The Earth. Once the recycling bags are full, the planner

needs to inform the staff in Friends To The Earth to collect it. In ‘DIY Music Box

Workshop’, I took part in this event. Finding the materials of a music box is the most

important thing, you need to pay attention first: what is your target participant, children at

 

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kindergarten age, primary school-age children or higher age? Have you find different types or

shades of music box if there is a boy participant, unicorn and pink colour may not their

favourite choice. You may consider other colours for boys like blue. The planner found the

materials in Taobao, the number of the music box are also need to consider, there are a total

of 10 children participate in the event, the planner needs to prepare a total of 18 music box as

there might have some fail case during the event and 2 for demonstration model.

Comments and Suggestions from My Supervisor

I got positive feedback from residents like I always look friendly as I always smile at them,

engaging with them. Moreover, they said I am an effective and efficient person, we have

printing services, before printing the document I will ask them clearly like the number of

copy, colour print and one side or two sides print? Some resident told me is a caring person.

We have a coffee dispenser and there are various types of hot drinks they can select like

chocolate and white coffee. If children want a cup of chocolate, I will give an extra small cup

to them for cooling the chocolate since the original cup is too huge for children. Then, my

coworker said I am making hay while the sun shines, there are different types of record sheets

such as checklist in the engine room and record of cleanliness of facilities, sometimes, my

colleagues use the last sheet and forgot to fill in, I will help them print it out and fill in. In

swimming health declaration form, there is always an insufficient number of forms in every

Sunday; thus, I will print the extra out before the peak hours. Furthermore, they said I am a

punctual person, I arrive at 18Club not only on time but also being early. There is an implied

thing during lunch hours, we had 1 hour for lunch. As a matter of fact, my coworker would

not comply with the rule usually if it is not busy. If it is not too much over time, it is

acceptable. However, I never use this ‘right’. The reason why I did not use this ‘right’ is I am

 

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representing CityU as I mentioned. To be honest, If I work in 18Club as a part-time worker, I

will use the ‘right’. But I am an internship trainee, I do not want to make mistakes even

though some people may call it ‘minor mistake’. I do not want the resident to think I always

sit in the office and doing nothing.

My study and further career

a) How does the job add value to my study

This internship teaches me lots of things that are not mentioned in the textbook and lecture

notes. As I mentioned above, reaction and communication skill are the greatest things I’ve

learnt. There is no chapter from textbook to illustrates how to tackle the problem of glass

pieces found in the swimming pool, no guideline from the textbook to teach you how to deal

with the health issue like COVID-19. You need to experience and handle it in person, you

cannot find the answer in the textbook. In my opinion, the experience is to take priority over

knowledge in the customer service industry.

b) What kinds of job/action should I take in the future to equip myself for better performance

in the job

Property Management Service Authority has revamped The Property Management Services

Ordinance about Property Management Practitioner(PMP) Licence, this licence is divided

into two types: PMP Tier 1 and Tier 2 Licence. In the first three years, it will be a transitional

period after implementing the ordinance. After three years, the property management

company practitioner is required to be licensed. Besides of holding a license, PMSA indicates

specifically that hiring at least one full-time licensed PMP (Tier 1) for every 3,000 flats or

below; and hiring at least one full-time licensed PMP (Tier 2) for every 1,500 flats or below.

From my point of view, engaging in property management industry or customer-service

industry is suitable for me in my future career. In the private sector, for instance, Hong Kong

Housing Society, Sun Hung Kai Properties, Henderson Land Development Company and

New World Development Company, these organizations are my consideration in my future

working choices. In the public sector which is Housing Authority, to start with applying for

Common Recruitment Examination (CRE) and Basic Law Test before 2022 as it is an

applicant for civil service posts. In position, I would like to apply property management

trainee(mt), customer-service office and leasing officer. Either shopping mall or property

management will be fine for me. The reason why my supervisor advised me to apply for

housing property is there are numerous challenges in housing property, the shopping mall has

less problem compared with housing building. Furthermore, I will apply the QAS Basic

Security Guard from Hong Kong Human Resource Ltd. before 2021. This two examination is

 

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my short-term career goal, equally important, study diligently in order to get high GPA

results.

c) How does the job help me understand my career and my interest

I believe that I am suitable in the customer service industry since my colleagues told me I am

quite suitable in handling customer enquiries, high sense of responsibility and resourceful

person. In my humble opinion, I desire to engage in a job that can utilize what I have learnt in

university. In this internship period, the job duties are uncomplicated for me, for instance,

giving the newspaper to the resident, using a thermometer for checking users’ temperature

and printing paper, it is a bit crestfallen that this internship position is below my expectation.

I am still very honoured and thankful to obtain this internship position, though. At this

moment, I wish I can get a challenging job, make use of my knowledge learnt from university

and apply it in my work.

One Successful Case

I participated ‘Family Fun Day’, this purpose was to celebrate father’s day. Despite being a

photographer, I benefited enormously from the activity. From brainstorming new ideas to

hosting an activity. In Family Fun Day, we decided to play three games, one of them was

called ‘telepathic’, it is similar to ‘Draw Somethings’ for testing tacit understanding between

father and son. The examples were fruit, cartoon characters and food. Second, it is called

‘ball shooting’, we prepared a small plastic ball for the player and ball nets. Each ball nets

had a different score, for instance, 30, 50 and 100. The higher location you shoot, the higher

score you get. The last game was called ‘three-legged race’, one player strapped right or left

to partners right or left leg and arrive at the finish line, the faster group was the winner.

Additionally, it is vital that considering what present should be select. I suggest buying

presents that is related to popular cartoon characters. Moreover, that cartoon must be about

kinship, we wanted to transfer the message about necessary of family, cherish and be grateful

to not only your father but also your family. The consideration was ‘Despicable Me’,

‘Frozen’ and ‘The Incredibles’ since these are all related to family relationship. In the prize-

giving ceremony, after the children heard the meaning of the present, they embraced with

their father and said ‘happy father’s day’. It was one of the heart touching moment that I have

seen in my life.