At PUB, we prioritise customer service and recognise that, above all, we are a customer-service organisation.
We also recognise that in recent years, our standards have declined, and during a period of resource shortages, PUB has fallen short in customer communications, responding effectively to customer needs, engaging with customers, and providing access to key services.
We’re working on improving, but it will take some time.
There are several initiatives, including the development of our new Call Centre, which is operated through online form submissions. This can be accessed via the new PUB website’s “contact us” section, where customers can request services, report a service issue, or provide feedback.
Alternatively, customers can contact PUB’s customer centres at Betio, Bairiki and Bikenibeu and complete the forms online or with help from dedicated staff.
This system is directly connected to PUB’s operations team, and faults, connections, and general works can be automatically assigned to qualified workers to attend to requirements once relevant fees have been paid.
The system will respond to customers and give updates on the service requirements.
We ask all customers to use this system, even for new projects requiring connections, so we can gather all feedback and requirements in one place.
Ad hoc messages to management, ministry officers, and others will, effective from 1 October, be entered into the Call Centre system. This will allow PUB to monitor the full extent of customer requests and feedback and, over time, to improve response times and overall service delivery.
There are many requests for PUB’s involvement in new projects and utility service connectivity issues. We continue to face capacity constraints due to a limited supply of connection materials and qualified staff. We ask for customer patience and understanding as we work on improving operations and increasing capacity. Some of the necessary expertise will be developed over the coming months and years, including the major electricity (STREP), water (STWSP), and sanitation (STSP) projects.
We understand that at any given time, a customer’s needs take priority, and currently, PUB’s response times are slower than ideal. As mentioned, we are working towards improvement, but it is a medium-term, rather than a short-term, solution. Thank you for your understanding.
We will continue to provide updates on overall customer service matters and new initiatives and will provide response times and service standards in the near future.