According to GraceKennedy Money Services (GKMS) operators of Western Union, while the amount of money people send has decreased, the number of transactions has gone up by five per cent.

GKMS managing director Joan-Marie Powell said although persons complain that remittances are down, Jamaicans overseas continue to take care of their families. “Persons who used to send US$100 may send $80 or $50, but the fact is they’re still sending. In fact, the number of transactions has actually increased by about five per cent, as people send a little less, but more often,” she notes.

Powell contends that despite the challenges, Jamaicans remain committed to their families and will continue to demonstrate that commitment in a tangible way. 12 months of economic hardship  Acknowledging the economic hardship of the last 12 months, Powell said GKMS still had a lot to be grateful for. “Our clients have stuck with us, and we just want to thank them for their support,” she said. Powell promised additional resources to handle the increase in customers of Western Union and FX Trader during the peak period, adding a word of caution for persons who may be tempted to neglect their bills. “People have a tendency to defer payments and spend all their money during the holidays.

We’re encouraging customers to pay their bills so that come January they won’t have that hanging over their heads,” she advises.
According to the GKMS executive, additional personnel, computers, as well as terminals, have been deployed to Western Union, FX Trader and Bill Express locations to handle the increase in holiday business. Powell said GKMS had also created a special service for their customers in the United States (US). “For those persons who live in the US or those who may be visiting family there this Christmas, we have introduced our Cross Border Payment Service, which will allow them to pay utility bills at any of the more than 50,000 Western Union locations across the US,”she said.

Powell noted that the Cross Border Payment Service came out of a demand from GKMS customers in the US, who wanted to have direct access to utility companies in Jamaica. “They (customers) told us that although they live in New York or Florida they still had responsibilities in Jamaica and often they would send the money but the bills would go unpaid,” she explained.

Anyone armed with an account number can simply walk into a Western Union outlet, pay a fee and settle balances owed to the Jamaica Public Service Company, National Water Commission, LIME, FLOW, National Housing Trust and Students’ Loan Bureau. Powell said customers will eventually be able to pay bills to all the companies for which Bill Express collects.

Going forward, the GKMS managing director said the company will continue to consider the requests of their customers, as they try to improve the company’s suite of services. “I also just want to tell our customers to stay safe this holiday season and wish for them a prosperous New Year,” said Powell.

For more Good News from Grace Kennedy Money Services: Email your questions and comments to editors@gleanerjm.com. Browse the Gleaner’s website  www.go-jamaica.com. Tune in to ‘Real Business’ on Power 106 FM every third Wednesday at 9:35 a.m.

It is no wonder the average worker is feeling unsure of the future. One anxious reader wrote: “I have been working for the same firm for the last 10 years. It doesn’t seem as if there will be job cuts here, but I am still nervous. What can I do as a worker to ensure that even if I lose my job I’ll be able to survive?”

Assistant Vice-President for human Resources at GraceKennedy Money Services, Genieve Sundar, acknowledges that it is a stressful time for workers but cautions against allowing the uncertainty to become overwhelming. “You have to be positive because stress is going to sap your energy and you really don’t want to lose the job you currently have because of underperformance,” she says. In addition to a healthy dose of optimism, Sundar advises workers to take practical steps to ensure they are able to survive this turbulent period.

● First, sharpen your skills so that you are marketable, regardless of redundancy.

● Do some self-assessment to determine where you are in the organisation, what you are doing, what skills and other qualifications you need for the career or field you work in.

● Exploit all the training that you have in the organisation right now – volunteer to participate on a project. Your skills will be expanded by doing that. You can also gain experience and training by volunteering in service clubs.

● Network, network, network!

Sundar also advises workers to utilise the Internet to find out what jobs are available locally and globally; and to get useful information, such as tips on writing effective résumés and doing successful interviews.

The GraceKennedy executive says, despite the economic crisis and the adverse effects on the workforce, she believes people are still the greatest asset to any business. “Employees bring value to a business. They bring value to customers and customers facilitate growth in your business. If employers believe that, then they are going to ensure that the work environment is so structured that they will get value from their employees,” she argues.

Sundar spells out some basic things companies should do to ensure they motivate their workers and keep them energised and committed:

● Make sure you have good hiring practices.

● Ensure you have training programmes.

● Create development opportunities.

● Create a culture of excellence and performance

“You also have to recognise and reward excellence and outstanding performance within your company,” she adds. The human resource specialist points to the success she and her team have had in guiding the process of empowerment at GraceKennedy Money Services.

“One of the things we have done is to start with the hiring practice. We make sure we find the right fit by creating a list of criteria and using specific tools to recruit the ideal GKMS worker. Once we bring them into the organisation, we provide the opportunities for training and development,” says Sundar. “There is also succession planning that is very structured. People are identified as potential successors for a post and then given the training and the exposure to prepare them to compete for the position when it becomes vacant,” she notes.

Stacy-Ann Smith,  Contributor