High-touch Service Critical to Government’s Prosperity Agenda

Kingston, Jamaica; Thursday, October 26, 2023: The Government of Jamaica (GoJ) has underscored its commitment to service excellence as a fundamental pillar of its prosperity agenda. The emphasis on high-touch service and unwavering dedication to quality service delivery was at the forefront as Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett delivered the keynote address at yesterday’s (October 25) staging of the second annual GoJ Service Excellence Awards at the Spanish Court Hotel.

Speaking on behalf of the Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, Minister Bartlett lauded the efforts of the Public Sector Modernization Division (PSMD) within the Office of the Cabinet for leading the charge in service improvement and implementing the Service Excellence Awards to acknowledge public-sector entities demonstrating outstanding performance in delivering quality services to citizens.

Highlighting the global impact of service excellence, Minister Bartlett said: "Service excellence enhances the competitiveness of a nation. In the global economy, countries that offer exceptional services attract foreign direct investment, stimulate economic growth, and create job opportunities. It's the hallmark of a nation's commitment to progress and prosperity."

"The sheer enormity of Government responsibility makes it critical that we take seriously the effective implementation of a framework of service excellence in the public sector that will provide quality in service delivery and enhance how we do business with the Government on a community, national, and international scale. Nation-building depends on it,” Minister Bartlett concluded.

Bartlett passionately asserted: "Service excellence is the backbone of Jamaica's thriving tourism industry and a key driver of profitability and growth. However, this is not by accident; we are continually elevating visitor satisfaction through high-touch service.”

“In this age of social media and instant communication, every tourist's experience can influence countless others. Positive experiences result in glowing reviews and enthusiastic social media posts, amplifying Jamaica's brand value. On the other hand, poor service can damage the reputation of the entire industry,” the tourism minister added.

He went on to describe high-touch service as "service from the heart" and underscored the importance of investing in people to deliver such service. "Recognising that you have to invest in service delivery invites you to consider that the key driver of service excellence is people, and therefore, the investment must first be in building the capacity of people to deliver high-touch service," Minister Bartlett expressed.

The Service Excellence Programme, launched by Prime Minister Holness in 2022, has placed service quality and reliability as the cornerstones of a more equitable and thriving society. The belief that consistent, high-quality services can enhance our standard of living, foster social cohesion, reduce inequalities, and, most importantly, build trust among citizens is driving this vision of excellence.

Cabinet Secretary, The Hon. Audrey Sewell, emphasised the significance of the event. She said, "This awards ceremony is a reminder that the Government is on a mission to enhance the lives of our citizens through enhanced government services. We must ensure innovation and efficiency in the delivery of world-class services. Our goal as the Office of the Cabinet is to foster an environment where excellence becomes the norm and not the exception in all government institutions."

The National Health Fund (NHF) was the big winner at this year’s awards, walking away with wins in four of the 10 categories which included: Operational Excellence, Public Education & Communication, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, Website of the Year, Digital Innovation & Modernisation, Customer Engagement, Customer Experience, Best Front Office Décor and the Service Excellence Award. The Registrar General’s Department (RGD), Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries & Mining, Ministry of Finance & the Public Service and Ministry of Education & Youth were the other winners.