Winners of The Public Sector Customer Service Award!

Recently I blogged about the awards for the Public sector entities that displayed the best customer service.

Before I identify the winners, I think it is essential that all Public Sector entities take note that we expect the best from all of them whether they win awards or not.

Too often we hold public entities to a lower standard since we know that they operate under tighter budgets than privately owned organizations.

Cost is not a factor for Customer Service

I once had dinner at a popular Chinese restaurant with beautiful ambiance and lovely decor.  The food was delicious as well so I should have had a great dinner right?

Well unfortunately, I did not enjoy my dinner the way I would have if we had been given a better server.

His lack of interest in meeting our needs during the meal certainly affected my overall dining experience.

I can easily compare that experience with a stop at a roadside diner. The quality of the food was the same but the pleasant demeanor of the server and his willingness to meet our needs made the experience a pleasant one.

So even though the parking was a bit cramped and the restaurant did not have the capability to afford expensive decor, that did not stop them from ensuring that their customers’ left feeling as if they just enjoyed a five star dining experience.

The Value of Customer Feedback

Although some entities try to meet the needs of consumers, there are often gaps in what they think they are doing and how customers perceive their actions.

One way to overcome this challenge is by using customer feedback forms as an avenue for change.

Customer feedback is only useful if it used so it can be meaningful business operators need to ensure that their suggestions are implemented.

Winners

Well it’s time to address the main issue. Which public sector entity won the awards?

There were awards in a number of categories!

The public sector entities won trophies and cash prizes of $50,000, $100,000 and $200,000.

As announced on The Jamaica Information website:  The winners are The National Health Fund (NHF) and the Administrator General Department (AGD). They were jointly awarded the Prime Minister’s  Trophy for ‘The Best Customer Service Entity’.

The other winners included The Firearm Licensing Authority (FLA), The National Housing Trust (NHT), The Passport Immigration and Citizenship Agency (PICA) and the Jamaica Civil Service Association (JCSA).

It is my fervent hope that this win is a shot in the arm for the public sector as they continue to make consumers experience a good one.

The other entities who were not involved in the competition should recognize that poor customer service is the wrong way of doing business in Jamaica and embrace the change!

What’s your take?

Let me hear from you!

Teri Ann Paisley
Gleaner online writer

Tags: customer service, public sector