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| Visitors to Severance Hospital send a message of encouragement to a patient via their smartphones. The message is displayed on the electronic board seen in the photo. Severance introduced the system, as the hospital limits physical visits by family members to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Courtesy of Severance Hospital |
Samsung C&T, Daegu Metropolitan Transit, Kumkang among other notable firms
By Kim Bo-eun
Severance Hospital topped the industry-wide customer satisfaction NCSI ranking this year, with 84 points. The NCSI ranking is determined based on customer evaluations of the companies' products and services. The index is released on an annual basis to enhance the competitiveness of firms and industries.
The Korea Productivity Center (KPC), which publishes the index, ranked 333 companies of 80 sectors for 2021. NCSI is a global index, with its model employed by more than 30 countries around the world, including the U.S. and 20 European countries.
Severance Hospital was evaluated by patients as having kept them safe amid the COVID-19 pandemic, and having provided other satisfactory services.
This is attributed to the hospital's efforts to provide patient-centered services, such as stationing nurses that explain difficult medical terms, setting up a chair inside each elevator for patients and employing sign language interpreters at the hospital.
Severance says its "respect patients" campaign has helped foster a patient-centered culture at the hospital. The hospital sends out cards via the Kakao messenger app, to encourage patients. The hospital also introduced a system through which family members and friends can deliver short messages to patients via an electronic board via QR codes, given physical visits have been limited due to COVID-19.
In addition, the hospital has introduced upgraded contactless medical services to prevent the spread of COVID-19. For example, patients can register body symptoms via a kiosk and complete questionnaires via a smartphone app. The application also connects patients with insurers to register for claims, and enables them to check their meal plans and drug prescription records.
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| A resident is aided by an employee at Samsung C&T's apartment "Raemian Hestia." The apartment has been recognized for its resident-centered services. Courtesy of Samsung C&T |
Korea's No.1 conglomerate's construction arm Samsung C&T, came second in the industry-wide ranking with 83 points. The company topped the apartment construction industry for 24 straight years.
Samsung C&T is noted for the apartment construction industry's first serviced apartment brand, Raemian Hestia. The apartment has managers and engineers who develop various programs for residents throughout the year, such as gardening classes and volunteering based activities.
The apartment also offers a smartphone application, named Hestia, by which new residents can make reservations to visit their home before moving in, and can upload pictures of issues that need fixing so that the problems can be addressed. App users are able to check the progress of how their complaint is being dealt with.
Daegu Metropolitan Transit Corp. ranked eighth in the industry-wide NCSI ranking, with 81 points. It has topped the urban transit sector's ranking for 13 consecutive years since 2009.
The public corporation has been acknowledged for its efforts to prevent the spread of COVID-19, by operating a 24-hour monitoring station and placing antibacterial films in appropriate areas within stations that passengers might come into contact with.
This year, the company set up self-temperature measuring devices within stations nearby the baseball stadium in the city, as well as hand sanitizing temperature measuring gear.
The company has also been recognized by the Ministry of Interior and Safety and the Presidential Office for such efforts.
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| Kumkang's men's premium handmade shoes brand "Heritage" / Courtesy of Kumkang |
Kumkang has topped the NCSI ranking for the men's dress shoes category for 18 years straight, with its premium handmade shoes brand, Heritage. The brand is noted for its quality offered at reasonable prices. This is possible because Kumkang is the only local dress shoes maker with a local factory.
Kumkang also offers a "bespoke" service, in which a master shoemaker of over 30 years tailors shoes for individual customers. The shoes are created with the master visiting the customer, measuring their feet for shoe size and determining their design choice.
The KPC began ranking companies' customer satisfaction levels in 1998.
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