Letter of the Day | No improvement in accessing the ABMs

THE EDITOR, Madam:

Following numerous outcries from customers about the frustrations in accessing funds from the ATMs/ABMs islandwide, the Bank of Jamaica, on April 2, developed some minimum service-level standards/guidelines that the deposit-taking institutions/banks must conform to, to improve customers’ experiences. A nine-month transition period was given for the institutions to conform to these guidelines. Being one of those disgruntled customers, I eagerly anticipated the implementation of these guidelines. It is now approximately three months since the institutions were mandated to begin the transition to conform to these standards, and we should have at least started experiencing some level of improvement in the system by now.

When I examine the minimum service-level standards set, there are some low-hanging standards that could easily be implemented to make customer experience and life much less frustrating, and that would not require three months to implement. To my dismay, this is not the case.

It is so frustrating to still have to go from one machine to the next all over the place, trying to find a working machine to get some needed cash. This is not only unproductive and time-consuming but also very frustrating. There is one particular location in Mandeville where I am from where there are three machines of three different banking institutions and, most of the time, the three machines are out of use. This can be so very frustrating.

The good thing for me is that I am mobile and able to move from one location to another. So, can you imagine the frustration for people who don’t have a vehicle to get around?

One of the standards that I consider a low-hanging fruit is the availability of cash. This standard speaks to having a minimum of 90 per cent of the ABMs being operational, and the maximum time for them to be out of cash is 60 consecutive minutes (urban and resort areas) and 180 minutes (other areas).

The implementation of the standard on the availability of cash is not just a matter of convenience, but a potential game-changer. It could significantly cut down on time wasted just waiting to access an ABM and prevent overcrowding at one machine. This could result in a significant boost in productivity and a much improved customer experience. The urgency for this change is clear.

AUBYN PERKINS

Mandeville, Manchester