Ferhana Docrat: “Don’t let anyone make you believe that you CAN’T!

14 August 2020 11:15

Ferhana Docrat: “Don’t let anyone make you believe that you CAN’T!

Collections Manager Ferhana joined LexisNexis in October 2016 and appreciates the daily exposure to new technologies and their power to enhance the way we and our customers work. She also loves the diversity, great minds, personalities and strong work ethic of the people of LexisNexis.

“Reporting into and working with a Global team and having that level of contact is enriching from a global cultural perspective and being able to share our experience and knowledge. I enjoy that I get to interact with customers from different industries and at different levels across various organisations,” she says.

“I also enjoy the fact that no two days are the same at LN. I am challenged continuously by my team and other internal stakeholders and externally by our customers. Each day there is something new that we learn or experience.”

An Endometriosis Warrior and IVF Ambassador, Ferhana is on a mission to remove the stigma associated with people conceiving through IVF and wants the younger generation to be educated about endometriosis so that it can be diagnosed much earlier, treated and contained.

What does your work typically involve?
- Lead the collections department to improve cash flow and reduce receivables
- Review and Manage collections processes
- Providing support and guidance to team and other stakeholders in the business
- Lead the Cash Application team
- Report on the departments progress and statistics
What qualifications do you hold and from which institutions?
BCOMM Cum Laude (HRM & BM) –– MANCOSA
Please summarise your career path to date including any professional associations you might belong to.
Customer Services Call Centre Agent, promoted to
Customer Services Call Centre Supervisor, promoted to
Regional Support Supervisor for the KZN Corporate Sales Business Unit, promoted to
Customer Services Call Centre Manager promoted to
Customer Services Call Centre Operations Manager at MTN.
After a decade at MTN I joined a recruitment agency as an Operations Manager for their KZN branch for about 6 months and moved back into the Call Centre industry where I set up a new Telesales Call Centre for a 3^rd party contractor for one of the leading Cellular Networks in SA and got it fully operational before I left after 3 years to concentrate on starting a family.
I started at LN in October 2016.
Where do you see yourself in the next few years in terms of your career?
My interest in Data Analytics, RPA and AI has been piqued so I am pursuing courses in this area and trying to learn what I can to be able to move ahead in this direction.
Where did you grow up and in which area do you currently reside?
I grew up in Durban and reside in Morningside.
What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?
Spending quality time with my family, parents and siblings and having a big delicious meal. We a very close-knit family so we spend a lot of our weekends and holidays together.
I also love planning and putting together parties and functions so where I can and time permitting, I get involved in this for friends and family.
“Me” time involves a good movie, getting engrossed in a book (I still prefer the smell of a new book and that feeling of turning a page) and of course great food. And my all-time favourite - an awesome massage!
Do you have a family / children?
Husband and son. Soon to be 5-year-old; but, going on 50!
How do you achieve home / work / life balance?
It’s not always easy but I have learnt to segment my time between work and home activities and now thanks to Covid also home schooling.
Of course, having a supportive spouse and family always helps!
What advice do you have for young women trying to carve out a successful career?

Focus on your goals; When you fall, pick yourself up again and move ahead. Ask for help when you need it and mostly don’t let anyone make you believe that you CAN’T!