A professional who has worked in both the public and private sectors says Dominica’s productivity problems are most acutely experienced in the area of customer service.
Former permanent secretary Judith Pestaina, who is currently a hotelier, says efforts must be made to “get people on board in terms of looking at what they need to do to be proactive, and to ensure that people are satisfied with the services they receive”.
Hotelier Pestaina’s comments follow government Productivity Consultant Parry Bellot’s assessment that 80 per cent of Dominica’s public officers are not pulling their weight.
She says while not able to point to any percentage figure in the case of the private sector, there is a problem that needs to be addressed.
“We have a cultural problem in Dominica. If you are not challenged and if you are not proactive naturally or if people are not sitting on top of you, you tend to fall back,” Pestaina said.
She is urging individuals to decide whether they want to be professional at all levels or want to slack off.
Pestaina says workers in the Nature Isle need to rethink their work ethic.
“Are we really giving our all and are we really performing at the levels we should, it’s a fair question I think Dominicans should ask and be honest about,” Pestaina who wears the political hat of leader of the Dominica Freedom Party, told Dominica News Online.
Government Productivity Consultant Parry Bellot suggested at a news conference on Wednesday that the majority of the country’s public servants are inefficient.
According to Bellot 80 per cent of public officers fall into that category, an assessment he conceded was not based on any scientific survey or study.
The Public Service Union (PSU) which represents the majority of public workers in the country, has denounced the figures being advanced by the Productivity Consultant.
“That is not true, I don’t know how he arrived at his figures,” PSU General Secretary Thomas Letang told Dominica News Online.
HE SAID THAT HE DID NOT DO AN SCIENTIFIC STUDY OR SURVEY BUT THIS A MAN WHO HAS BUSINESS EXPERIENCE AND PUBLIC SERVICE EXPERIENCE AND WHILE 80% SUGGEST A SERIOUS ISSUE AND RESULTED IN THOMAS LETANG PUBLIC DEFENSE OF PUBLIC SERVANRTS I MUST SUPPORT PARRY BELLOT NOT ON THE 80% THAT HE CLAIMS BECAUSE WITHOUT A SCIENTIFIC SURVEY ONE SHOULD NOT GIVE PERCENTAGES BECAUSE ONE WOULD NEED TO CONDUCT A SURVEY, COLLECT THE DATA AND INTEPRET IT TO ARRIVE AT A PERCENTAGE WITHOUT THAT A PERCENTAGE IS A GRAB IN THE DARK. HOWVER WE ALL KNOW THAT THE PUBLIC SERVICE NEEDS TO BE REVAMPED AND TRAINING IS NEEDED TO SHAPE THE FUTURE EMPLOYERS WHO HOLD OUR NATIONS PROGRESS IN THEIR HANDS. WALKING TO WORK AFTER 8 LEAVING FOR LUNCH EARLY RETURNING LARTE SPENIG TIME DURING WORKING HOURS ON FACE BOOK AND NOT DOING ENOUGH DURING THE 8 TO 4 HOURS AND THEN RAMINING TO WORK OVERTIME ON THE PEOPLE’S BACK THEN WHEN YOU COME TO THEIR DEPARTMENTS ITS LIKE YOU HARASSING THEM, THEY FORGOT THAT THEY CAME TO ASK FOR THE JOB TO BE HARASSED BY CUSTOMERS AND THATS WHAT THEY GET PAID TO DO TO DEAL WITH OUR ISSUES BUT TOO MANY OF THEM HAVE TO BRING THEIR HOME ISSUES TO WORK AND PASS THEM ON THE PAYING PUBLIC. I SUPPORT PARRY BUT NOT 100% JUST ABOPUT 80% AND THATS BECAUSE HE DID NOT DO A SCIENTIFIC SURVEY TO ARRIVE AT A PERCENTAGE THAT HE COULD DEFEND. SO PARRY I SUPPORT YOU 80% OK..
Sad, sad, productivity is not a fact; it is a way of thinking and manners to be acquired. I was stunned when I learned, in a touristic country I just visited, that waiter/bartending required a minimum of 3 years studies after COLLEGE; Nursing 5 years… we are fighting for the same tourists… So we need to find deeper… Most of the 18 years old just don’t have the patience and the sense of responsibility of productivity and customer service…! In the 80’s the mining of high school graduate can not remain the same, time has changed; it is just not enough to do some kind of jobs; it prepares u for the next level: college.
I am a Public Sector Snr Customer Service Officer in London who visits DA regularly and has always thought Customer service in DA needs some serious assistance. We can’t put all the blame on the employees though employers need to take some responsiblity where required employees need training prior and on going when dealing with the public. New York you mentioned Dominicans are like Jamaicans but you are so wrong I’ve been to JA several times and their Customer Service is on the ball no matter where you go from the market to the banks they make you want to buy from them they are helpful and show their appriciation for your custom. Sadly this does not happen in DA. Its almost like your bothering them by being there like they’re doing you a favor. Having said that I still love my Dominicans nothing a little training can’t fix nuff said….
Customer Service in the Caribbean is almost an epidemic. We Caribbean people simply do NOT understand the concept. We do NOT believe in smiling, greeting customers as if they are valued (which they are).Our clerks at the bank, and government offices make their living sitting on a chair, and in most cases do not see the need to stand up on their feet to even acknowledge a customer behind the counter.
I hate to agree with this lady but it is so true. I reside in the states and if some of the thing i hear and see happen in Dominica happens in the states you would be so out of a job and your company would be fined. You wait for your flight in San Juan and the negative talk about custumer service in Dominica is ashame. I will not call the name of the restuarant but this lady told my girlfriend tell me what you want and i will tell if we have it. All my girlfriend ask was, what’s on the menu today? The lady said send they send you nuh. I am still speechless.
I concur with Mrs Pestaina. I have been on the receiving end of service from some of our public officers and it is leaves much to be desired.
While I appreciate that some are working under difficult situations and still perform professionally, there are some who are just slackers.
It is time that we as a people pull our socks up, get with the program and check out of this Mental Slavery Hotel!!
If I buy a bag of oranges and the majority of the ones I cut open to eat are rotten, a farmer, agriculturist or other expert may be able to tell me WHY it is rotten, e.g. stored at the wrong temperature, picked too early, picked too late, too much insecticide, too much watering etc., etc., However, I don’t need anyone to tell me that the oranges are rotten, it is still a fact that the oranges are rotten.
When we go into shops/businesses/Government Depts. in Dominica, we know when we are being spoken to in a rude manner and when we are experiencing poor levels of service from too many staff who should know better when it comes to delivering good customer service.
We all know the occasions we go into a business, ask for a particular Dept. or member of staff and you are directed to them by their own colleagues and told they are the ones to help you, only to be treated and spoken to as if you disturbing them from their sleep, when you find them! We don’t need to produce fact sheets, figures and analyses – customer service in Dominica is terrible, FACT.
It serves no purpose to continue using the political gun to shoot the messengers. This is our problem that has to be solved. We need proper systems and procedures to sort out and weed out the potential bad oranges BEFORE they get in the BAG so they don’t have time to infect and SPOIL the good ones, if not all we will ever have is bags of rotten fruit we can’t eat!!
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Customers service at some institutions. i must confess and single out “The Dominica Marine Center” customer service is at its best. I feel welcome going to this company especially the Portsmouth branch. even if you doh want to buy nothing sometimes you hve to change your mind. CONGRATULATIONS” and keep this going. A smile tells alot.
Personal productivity is the difference between success and failure.
Look up the “Pyramid of Success” written by the famous basketball coach, John Wooden. On one page, it tells you everything you need to live a successful life. And it’s not that hard — the difference between success and mediocrity or failure is about 10% more effort.
Customer service is essential, if you are in the Service revolution. A few things have to happen before accomplishing great customer service. 1) Courtesy: this tenet goes a long way, and it goes without saying that Dominicans are VERY rude and disrespectful to anyone. I.E. people cutting lines, instead of “how may I help you,” “What you want, nuh?” 2) Etiquette: whether on the phone or in person, there is this pre conceived notion of ‘I work here, not you, so I get to treat you any way I feel like.’ 3) Education: learning proper lingua, but not limited to pronunciation, proper reading, writing, spelling, grammar, punctuation etc… If you want Dominica to be a great tourist destination, you have to prepare people for that transition. However, I have a few precautionary words – Don’t, under any circumstance, deviate from Agriculture. Agriculture is our life line. WHEN tourists decide they are no longer coming back to spend their $ on our Island (and it always happens) we won’t be in for a shameful moment!
Rasta, I agree with you, but also bear in mind that no country or Island can survive on one industry alone, and Discipline should exist in every aspect of ones life. The latter being said, it translates to the society on a national basis and then to the international scene. I have to say to Ms Pestina, and Mr. Parry Bellot that truer words have never been spoken. Its been a long time in coming, and thank God They both hit the nail on the head, no matter how un popular it is with some people.
There is no “but” in this conversation sir. Look over St. Thomas, St.Johs, St. Croix, and the BVI, They prefer hire a crackhead caucassion who knows how to greet their customers (and pay more) than to have a local who treat their customers as if they are not present.
Our “Pull-string” society is one of the key reason for this mentality.
Every Dominican knows that Ms Pestina is totally correct!
I love Dominica so much but the comments made are true, even so much as a Dominican living in UK I have felt embarrassment for my people when I see the level of service they provide.
My example is of myself a Media Professional who tried to work with the cultural events authorities to help document and produce media for the cultural events, which would give global exposure and more revenue for events and artists. I was met with such a unprofessional welcome, I pulled out. This is why DA is progressing so slow.
Now something I suggested over five years ago is just starting to happen but on such a poorly dilvered scale.
What! I don’t belive this person lives in dominica.Customer service in Dominica is so bad, it’s sad to say but it is true.
I agree – although there are places you can get good service, there are so many where we are treated with indifference or even rudeness. But on a small Island like Dominica, EVERYONE should be involved with customer service, no matter what their job.
For example, this week I was in the post office while 3 US tourists came in asking for pictorial stamps. All were told that department was closed. There was NO apology, NO “Welcome to the Nature Island”, NO explanation that the price of the regular stamps is in EC, so all the tourists thought they were paying 1US for a stamp, thus putting in their mind this is an expensive island. NO asking them if they had seen any of the beautiful spots on the island, (reminding them that this IS a beautiful island, and if they are choosing to stay in Roseau, then it is their loss!) NO “Have a Nice Day”, “Goodbye” or similar.
I am not picking on the staff in the post office, just citing one of the many daily examples of lost opportunity.
Customer Service costs nothing, but the potential benefits are high.
in the Private Sector complaints by patrons to management go unheeded
Forget about Mr. Bellot. Facts to prove it or not, Dominica simply have a culture of inefficiency, and it stems from the top down. AND IT’S BEEN LIKE THAT FOR YEARS. To me these people should be terminated, and those who keep these individuals on staff should be held accountable. It is time that this country understand the importance of customer service. Why is it that everyone is always complaining about Dominica’s service? Truth be told is that Dominicans are simply very disrespectful, and they believe that they do not need anyone except it be for personal gain. Dominica has a lot of problems but what I don’t understand is why is nothing being done about them. When people know that they risk losing their job based on their performance, they will do better. THEREFORE, I SAY THOSE WHO FAIL TO GIVE THE APPROPRIATE SERVICE SHOULD BE TERMINATED.
newyorker if you visit jamaica you would not make that statement .they are very customer oriented and yes i am dominican,get your facts right.we need to improve on customer service in our country.
YES I AGREE.WE DO HAVE A PROBLEM IN DOMINICA AND ITS CALLED BLABERMOUTH AND DO NOTHING PEOPLE LIKE BELLOT AND PESTINA .THEY BOTH HAVE BRAGGING RIGHTS TO HIGHER EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE ,BUT IT SEEMS TO BE IN POINTING FINGERS ,CRITICISING AND ALLOTING BLAME TO EMBARRAS PEOPLE PARTICULAR IN THE MEDIA.THIS RUNNING TO THE MEDIA SHOULD STOP .MAKING THE PROBLEM A MEDIA ISSUE DOES NOT SOLVE THE PROBLEM IF IT DOES NOT SUGGEST SOLUTIONS .DO SOMETHING !NO EXCUSES!YOU ARE EITHER THE PROBLEM OR THE SOLUTION.
WHY DONT PESTINA ORGANISE CUSTOMER SERVICE SEMINARS AT HER HOTEL AND INVITE SERVICE PERSONNEL .WHY CANT SHE AND PARRY BELLOT5 TAKE THE BULL BY THE HORN AND DO SOMETHINGS,THEN HIT THE MEDIA WITH “SEE ,I DID THAT” KIND OF INFORMATION
TALKING ABOUT THE PROBLEM DOES NOT SOLVE IT!
Acknowledge the truth and let us move on. Pestina have made factual statement which we should act on instead of shooting the messenger. How can we ever improve when we do not want to accept the facts. There are times when the media has and can report the facts and argue the point much better than the opposition or the current government.
NOW LETS US USE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO PUT FORWARD SUGGESTIONS TO IMPROVE THE SITUATION.
Again I DO NOT COMPREHEND the Dominican publics gullibity and WHY WE REMAIN subject to all those characters who claims authority on issues of which clearly there is no history of serious capacity.
At least Mrs Pestina has a genuine claim to Authority if one researches her C.V
My disappointment is that she responds and therby give a semblance of connection to a personality who calls a press conference on an issue which is common knowledge TO ALL but wittily adding 80%without a basis . This was an orchestration of a very accepted notion FOR GENERATIONS that there is apathy and lack of energy in the public sector —what is the news there?
This clever press conference of BELLOT is to justify the highjacking of the freedomites who now seat in the front pew of the LABOUR government receiving the lusty of the tax payers of Dominca and paid WITH HOCUS POCUS grandstanding and presumed authority .
This through all sorts of machinations by donning red tshirts thus becoming under Skerritt — AMBASSADORS MINISTERS AND NOW A PAID CONSULTANT..FOR PRODUCITVITY !!??
GIVE ME A BREAK .. how much is paid for this blatant abuse of privilege ??
I am part of the Dominica diaspora, i went home to build my house and it took me three months to get water hook up to start my house, the water line was already there, rigth there on the side of the lot in poree pointe michel all they had to do was to send some one to just activate the line, and bam i would have water to start mixing my concret concrete, but no i had to demand seeing a supervisor, after the fact.
she was not even a dominican,she blame it on the maintenance department, i told her to fire the maintenance supervisor, but no one give a dame.
They want us to come home to build an create jobs,that is bullshit they are not ready,three monts to hook up a waterline that is already there, come on man, and the guy who finally made it there told me that i was lucky, it usauly take longer.
“laissez-faire” attitude!!!
We have TOO much of that in DA!!!!!!
Mrs Pestina, Charles Maynard in his stint as Minister of tourism made mention of this Customer service issue in the process of developing the tourism sector, the hansard of parliament then will bear me out on this, what is so ashame is that when everyone else has perfected that service we in Dominica are still complaining, it has nothing to do with the politicians but to do with those persons in management positions in the private sectors not developing policies to better their customer service relations. And how do we expect our tourism sector to improve, Mr Nassief and Fort young cant do it alone.
Would love to know what the responsibilities of the “Government Productivity Consultant” are … and what tools he is using to measure productivity (and how he defines productivity?)… magway sa, even for Dominica 80% seems high …
This is truly disconcerting – anytime an entity starts assessing productivity it’s with an eye to cost reduction (i.e. some very tough decisions). I sincerely hope the government will not be using this consultant’s input in its decision-making … ’cause that 80% could never stand up.
the truth hurts..but ms pestina hits the nail on the head,I truly think that before any company,private or otherwise hire a new employee in d/ca,that employee should be properly trained in interacting with the public,espercially visitors.I’m from d/ca,but when I visit home its painful to see how people treat you even if you’re the one who is spending your hard earn money at their establishment..come on people we can do better than that!!
While I agree that Mr. Bellot as productivity consultant needs to have conducted some research to back his statement, I do however agree that this is an area that needs to be looked into.
Work ethics needs to be addressed!!
100 percent in support of Mrs Pestania . Dominican needs to very very professional and do a fair days work for a fair days pay.
i find somebody take time to speak up about that … but u are a hotel owner and that’s your job to teach your work about how to deal with people for real dominican cannot deal with people they belive that they doin like they don;t have to deal with u in there buniness they are just like jamanicans that’s how the caribbean people are
Pestina, You could not have said it better. I think that it’s the culture and in order for any change to come about there needs to a change in the culture. As a Dominican living in the States and being the service industry, I know what it means to give good customer service and to also receive it. The problem is Dominica is everything should be given and with that they do not make an effort work hard. I hate to say it but the work ethics in Dominica is below average and the crazy thing is it comes from the top. ex .. you go to the mininistry seeking help and for someone to help, you need to practically beg. The way that you are treated even when spending your money is like you begging….
How can a country move forward with this type of attitude? Someone needs to infuse change…..
(I truly love my country but I really wish things go be better)
If proper evidence cannot be provided backing up these claims by Mr. Bellot, then they must be rejected, and Mr. Bellot may be put to shame because of he simply embarrassed himself and those he works with.
As amember of the Dominica diaspora, I have to agree with Ms Pestina’s comment, and to some extent while the percentages from Mr. Parry Bellot are suspect, I agree that our country or better yet the people in country are lacking very much in the “Customer Service Industry.” I think that stems from a number os factors. (1) A lot of people don’t understand the relatonship between their business/field and “Customers. For example, here in New York or America for that there saying that go like this: Your customers are always right. Now if one looks at the survey and comments from Mr. Parry Bellot, and Ms pestina from a “Marketing Point of View”, and a Human Relations poin of view, it shoukd not be hard to understand what they are saying, (It is a no brainner).
Ileft Dominica 38years ago and we had that problem then, and thirty eight years later the problem still exists. This issue will not correct itself unless a series of Professional Development courses for the Private Sector, and Staff development courses and seminars are mandated and initiated for everyone who deals with the public.
Thank You