Winners Of The Public Sector Customer Service Competition To Be Announced By June

Winners of the Public Sector Modernisation Division’s (PSMD) Customer Service Competition 2012/13 will be announced by June 2013.

Members of the public are being invited to vote for the public sector entity and individual that are delivering the best customer service. The deadline for receipt of all nominations is January 31, 2013.

Consultant of the PSMD, Cabinet Office, Fabian Brown, told JIS News that the six-month timeline between the submission of nominations and announcement of winners is to allow for detailed analysis to ensure that the most deserving person and entity are selected.

He said that judges will be required to go into the field to observe the entities, to look at videos or documentation, and do a detailed analysis of data, “so that at the end of the day, the winner really can stand up to serious scrutiny.”

Members of the public can vote for any public sector entity or individual of their choice by using the toll free line 1888-991-2752 or by voting online at www.cabinet.gov.jm. Customers can also place their entry forms in voting boxes available at the various entities.

According to Mr. Brown, nominations are not restricted to the entity at which the person is doing business. “It does not matter, once a box is available… it is a government wide process,” he said.

The communication consultant is urging entities to place competition posters, nomination forms and nomination boxes in conspicuous areas in their customer interface areas, so that customers will be informed about the competition and encouraged to vote for the entity or individual of their choice. Additionally, he said, customer service officers and frontline employees should encourage members of the public to submit nominations.

All public sector bodies are eligible to enter the competition, including central civil service organisations, executive agencies, public companies, statutory bodies and government departments.

Categories to be awarded in this year’s competition are the Most Improved Customer Service Entity, Most Creative Entity, Best Customer Service Officer and the Best Joined-up Service. The main prize is the best Customer Service Entity.

The competition, implemented in 1994, under the National Customer Service Programme, Cabinet Office, was initiated as a means of recognising sustained commitment to service excellence. It was also intended to promote continuous improvement in the quality of service.