CICRA (the Channel Islands Competition and Regulatory Authorities) are proposing new quality of service targets for Jersey Post.Whilst it is admirable that CICRA want to ensure that 95% of local mail is delivered on the next working day, SSTAG believes that the actual time of the delivery is more important.
SSTAG has received many complaints about the late delivery of mail from the most vulnerable section of the community ie. those people whose only source of income is their weekly Social Security cheque. Pensioners and recipients of incapacity benefit have to survive on a very tight budget and even Mr. Micawber couldn't make their money stretch to an extra day because their cheque was not delivered until 3pm. These people are having to cancel medical appointments because it is impossible to guess what time of day their mail will arrive.
Any public service company must have contingency plans to cover staff sickness or any unforseen disruption to normal service. Unfortunately, Jersey Post has reduced staff levels to such a degree that their delivery service is no longer viable.
CICRA and Jersey Consumer Council are interested in views from the public on the service they receive from Jersey Post.
SSTAG would like to hear your comments and experiences with Snail Mail.
This follows on very well from the previous article on Jersey Telecoms (JT).
ReplyDeleteBeing able to send and receive communications is essential but it is clear that the least well of and others with various "problems" are being left behind in the race for electronic gizzmos.
Perhaps SSTAG should combine the reference to CICRA for JT with another regarding Jersey Post.
Looked at together the scale of the problem will be easier to understand and if anything is done about it (some hopes) ALL the defects can be dealth with together.
Obviously improvements won't happen if people don't even complain.
SSTAG emailed the CICRA explaining the problems caused by late delivery of mail. Andrew Riseley from CICRA replied within 24 hours. Apparently Jersey Post's existing quality of service targets do not cover delivery times but CICRA will take up the issue and give consideration to intrduce explicit targets for all postal deliveries to be made by a certain time of day.
ReplyDeleteThats good. Can you add the JT questions too with CICRA so that the whole thing is looked at together as already suggested?
ReplyDeleteOur government talks a lot about being "joined up" but it is obvious that the various departments don't have a clue about how the system actually fails to work for so many people on income suppport and such like.
When is the next SSTAG public meeting?
SSTAG contacted CICRA regarding Ytel's refusal to accept cash payments for their broadband packages,thereby discriminating against people who do not have a bank account.CICRA can regulate JT and Sure's payment collection practices for basic telephone services but feel they cannot regulate Ytels product because customers have alternatives to this product.
ReplyDelete