THE Postal Corporation of Jamaica on Wednesday announced a major step forward in its bid to be commercially viable. Paymaster Jamaica Limited, one of its major partners has announced its intention to invest $25 million in the computerisation of post office counters across the island.
Over the past two years, Paymaster services have been available in 26 post offices and under this new agreement it is expected that over 200 post offices will be on-line within the next two years and thereafter there will be a phased build out in all 320 post offices and the remaining 311 postal agencies.
Audrey Marks, Managing Director of Paymaster Jamaica Limited, speaking at a press conference called by Phillip Paulwell, Minister of Industry Commerce and Technology, informed the media that an expanded alliance with the post office would significantly increase Paymaster's physical network and customer base. She stated that this was all part of the company's new vision and strategic direction as it sought to expand its market share in Jamaica and overseas.
" Today through alliances such as this one with the Postal Corporation of Jamaica, Paymaster's system is now available at over 100 locations across Jamaica processing transactions amounting to approximately $12 billion annually and serving over 715,000 Jamaicans.
This growth, however, has certain challenges of maintaining excellent service delivery. Based on our experience over the past 5 years we have decided that our focus will be in 2 major areas: customer service training and enhancement and the most robust on-line real-time transaction system that modern technology has to offer, " said Ms. Marks.
She took the opportunity to add that the Paymaster system will commence operation in three locations in the United States on October 7, 2002, five years after starting operations in Jamaica.
Mr. Paulwell in his address congratulated the Postal Corporation of Jamaica and Paymaster Jamaica Limited on being "front-runners in a new type of public/private sector partnership which benefits the people of Jamaica and which demonstrates that communication, understanding, trust and integrity can go a far way in enabling Jamaica to attain its economic and social goals. He reported that since Paymaster began operating in post offices $4.2 billion has passed through post office counters representing a customer base in excess of 60,000 persons per month. He saw the investment as enabling the post office to "leapfrog into the technological age" and to significantly increase its income while at the same time improving its quality of service.
