Bill Express, Jamaica's leading bill payment service company, has announced a number of initiatives to improve its customer service offerings through its improved and cutting-edge technology and an expanded network. Bill Express is a product offered by GraceKennedy Payment Services Limited (GKPS), a wholly owned subsidiary of GraceKennedy Limited.

Speaking at a press conference at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel on Wednesday, February 15, Mr. Michael McNaughton, General Manager of GraceKennedy Payment Services Limited, said the move was in keeping with the increasing demand of customers across the island for fast and easy access to pay all their utility bills under one roof. He reported that the company now has over 250 locations islandwide and was still growing.

"We can safely say that Bill Express enjoys the competitive edge of being the only true Caribbean collection agency," he said, referring to the company's services which are also available in Trinidad and Tobago, Guyana, St. Lucia, Dominica, Grenada, and Barbados as well as in North America.

According to the company's General Manager, the driving objective of Bill Express is to facilitate the needs of its thousands of faithful GraceKennedy customers in Jamaica, throughout the Caribbean, North America and the United Kingdom. "We also know that the GraceKennedy brand has secured a passport to travel the world, purely because of the superior quality of its goods and services," he added.

Mr. McNaughton said his company always had the guiding philosophy of convenience and service. "To this end we have successfully altered the customer bill payment experience," he said, adding that in some of the company's markets customers were willing to pay a service charge to access the convenient and reliable service.

Mr. McNaughton took his audience back in time to recollect the complicated and stressful methods used some 10 years ago, whereby consumers had to visit three different utility companies to pay bills. "When calculated, the value of time, and the cost of transportation amounted to a very costly and unpleasant experience," he pointed out.

"We made a deliberate decision to be easily available to consumers by putting in place a network which is superior to even our closest competitor," he added. He said that the Bill Express network included the most convenience locations including pharmacies, supermarkets, service stations, credit unions and universities, with extended opening hours.

The introduction of the improved technology by the company will now allow customers immediate access to utility bill balances at all outlets and payments by credit and debit cards at selected locations. In the company's attempt to offer a comprehensive bill payment service, customers will also have the added convenience of paying other bills such as cable, internet, school fees, mortgages and insurance premiums.

During his presentation, Mr. McNaughton pointed out that the company's move towards further improvement in its technology had forced it to look at the cost factors that would impact on the business to deliver and maintain this kind of service. In this regard, he said the company, as of March 1, 2006, would be implementing a minimal service fee of $30 (plus GCT) per transaction. "Based on our customer feedback, we feel that the introduction of the fee is quite reasonable, given the features we are introducing to deliver a first class customer service," he said.

The General Manager added that the company was committed to providing the most convenient and reliable bill payment options in the country, while protecting the confidentiality of customers. "The solid values of GraceKennedy stand behind the brand," he concluded.

Posted: February 17, 2006