The Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI) has hired a private contractor to deliver service bills to customers as it is intensifying its campaign to remove water service for non-payment.
In a press release, GWI Customer Services Manager Jeanette Thomas said the new initiative was implemented under the current Customer Services Improvement Programme which aims to correct the challenges posed by late bill delivery and to encourage customers to make prompt payments.
“Bill payment must be a priority for our customers,” Thomas said, adding that the contractors were hired to reduce the incidence of bills being lost in the post as it had been experiencing with bills delivered to customers via the Guyana Post Office Corporation.
In 2013 the company launched bill payment reminders via text messages and its managers and team leaders are in the field meeting with customers to learn about their challenges in making timely payments, it said in the press release. To this end, GWI intensified promoting its Wallet-Friendly Payment Plan which allows customers to pay their debts in small, flexible payments.
In addition, GWI account holders currently receive quarterly service bills and the company has started to implement a new system of monthly meter readings and delivery of bill payments by mid-year to offer customers more flexibility.
According to the press release, customers can expect prompt bill delivery by the second quarter of the year. The company is also urging all account holders to ensure that payments are timely or their services will be cut off. The company said due to non-payment last year it was forced to start removing the entire service from customers who did not contact the office or made any payments.
“This exercise has intensified and customers are urged to query any outstanding service payments since they will be required to reapply for a new service if disconnected,” Thomas said. Customers are invited to contact the Customer Services Call Centre on telephone number 227-8701/03/04 to make enquiries.
