NWC Ahead in Customer Service

Surveys conducted by Market Research Services have shown that commercial and domestic customers, served in the 2004/05 financial year by the National Water Commission (NWC), the Jamaica Public Service Company Limited (JPS) and Cable and Wireless Jamaica Limited, were more satisfied with customer service provided by the NWC.
In the NWC’s 2004/05 Report tabled in the House last week, it was noted that in four points of comparison for customer service in the three main utility companies – general satisfaction, accuracy of bills, professionalism of staff and call centre services – customers were, overall, more satisfied with the support they got from NWC.
“The overall results of the NWC’s customer service efforts are reflected in the continued improved result of customer surveys conducted by the Office of Utilities Regulation (OUR),” the report states.
The document further notes that their service practices are benchmarked against the Quality of Service Standards developed and monitored by the OUR.According to the report, which also emphasised the water company’s aim to transform the quality of its service to its growing customer base, the NWC wants to eliminate the need for customers visiting their offices.
“Among these were attempts to improve the services of a contracted call services operation to more efficiently handle customer calls, queries and complaints. During the year, more calls were routed through the call centre and the call centre operating hours were extended,” the document says.
Compared to JPSCo. and Cable and Wireless, which received scores of 55 per cent and 74 per cent respectively, for customer satisfaction with their call centre services, NWC customers were 79 per cent satisfied.
“The volume of calls received increased significantly during the year, necessitating an increase in the number of agents handling calls as well as the installation of additional telephone lines,” the report notes.
Meanwhile, there remain 10 convenient bill payment options for customers who can reach the NWC’s customer care centre by calling 1-888-225-5692. Customers may pay their bills at any of its local offices or any of the approved payment agencies. These include, National Commercial Bank, Scotiabank, with the options of Telemidas or at the bank’s website or Telescotia, Jamaica National, RBTT or Paymaster.