Exceptional customer service at NIS office

THE EDITOR, Madam:

On Thursday, May 5, I visited the National Insurance Office (NIS) on Ripon Road to enquire about my pension and had the most extraordinary experience of service excellence from a public servant. She is Kerry-Ann Davis, whom I wish to shine the spotlight on for her exemplary display of customer service Excellence. I dare say, if the public sector had others like Ms Davis, there is definitely hope for a meaningful transformation of the sector.

In all my visits, I have never experienced such impeccable service, and have only read about similar experiences.

I am a recent retiree who is receiving a NIS pension. I recently relocated to the United States and noticed that no deposits were made to my account. I came back to Jamaica for a short visit and went to the office to enquire about my deposit.

I visited the office on previous occasions, but the lines were long and the security guards were not particularly helpful. However, on Thursday, May 5, I decided that I would go to the office early, so that I could be at the head of the queue. I got to the NIS office and learnt that the office would be opened at 8 a.m.

MATTER DEALT WITH EXPEDITIOUSLY

I took a seat near to the entrance and sometime around 7:50 a.m., a lady came out of the building and proceeded to speak with a gentleman seated not far from me. After she was finished with him and heading back to the building, to my surprise she looked in my direction and asked how could she assist me. I told her I was there to enquire about my pension. She immediately asked me to follow her. I was nonplussed, because the office was not opened to the public, yet she took me to her office and requested my information, and proceeded to deal with my matter expeditiously.

I am getting ahead of myself; before requesting my identification, she apologised for not being able to offer me a seat. She next accessed my information, identified my problem and resolved the issue. She then after gave me her email address and telephone number to contact her, in case there was a recurrence.

My issue was resolved before the official opening hours. If that is not knocking the socks off service, then tell me what is?

I thanked her profusely, but as I drove off, I felt the need to shine the light on this exemplary public servant.

I am requesting Karl Samuda, minister of labour and social security, to declare Ms Davis the poster lady for excellence in customer service in the public sector, and encourage all public servants to be just like her.

CLEMENT WILLIAM ITON