The Kingston and St. Andrew Corporation (KSAC) won the Best Parish Council award, at the recent Public Sector Customer Service Competition (PSCSC), held at the Terra Nova All Suite Hotel in Kingston.

For this award, the entity received $40,000 in cash and a plaque.

In an interview with JIS News, Her Worship the Mayor of Kingston, Senator, Councillor Dr. Angela Brown Burke, said winning the award is an indication that the KSAC is working to improve its image and “it feels good to know that we are being recognised by our peers.”

The Mayor said that the KSAC, for the first time, implemented a Customer Charter, which ensured that all customer queries were answered and resolved on the first call. She added that this charter gave the KSAC the edge in winning the award.

Senator Brown Burke informed that the charter was established to ensure that several customer service areas are enhanced.

“This means that staff members are trained in customer service and their knowledge about the different services offered by the Corporation is also improved,” she said.

Senator Brown Burke pointed out that a help desk has been established to assist with the processing of queries and applications in a timely manner.

“The physical space was also renovated to boost staff morale for better interaction, and an area assigned to accommodate persons doing business,” she added.

Senator Brown Burke pointed out that it is one of the KSAC’s strategic objectives to be a people-centred organisation.

The KSAC was nominated under the ‘Best of Like Entity’ category, which meant that they were judged based on customer feedback.

The PSCSC is a biennial event, staged by the Cabinet Office, through the Public Sector Transformation and Modernisation Unit. It represents the special emphasis placed by the Government on quality service delivery in the public sector.

By Petagay Rowe