The letter columns of the printed media regularly carry contributions from customers who, instead of care, have received bad service, if not total disregard. Generally the complaints refer to service – or lack of it – in the public sector. Understandably so – the private sector usually puts customer care at the top of its priorities. With good reason. A private supplier who does not give good service can lose custom to the competition.

The public sector is at the same advantaged and disadvantaged because it operates in monopoly circumstances. The advantage, to cynically call it that, is that the client cannot go elsewhere.

The disadvantage is that the government gets the blame without early direct effect being felt by those who give bad service or none at all.

In recent months the public furore has been against ARMS Ltd, the company formed by Enemalta and the Water Services Corporation to issue water and electricity bills. The early discontent was due to the inordinate time it took to be served at the ARMS offices. Underlying that were the exaggerated bills issued by ARMS Ltd, many of which, apart from being very late, were also incorrect.

I was among those at the receiving end of that. I received bills which were both late and also several times more than the last actual reading of the meters. That meant that the computer programme, which supposedly relates an estimated bill to the last actual reading, had gone haywire. ARMS Ltd personnel could not be blamed for that.

Nor for the fact the two corporations had fallen so much behind. The Prime Minister apologised. Delays were reduced but the system is still not operating properly. I should record that I was one of the lucky consumers. I phoned ARMS Ltd about a hugely inflated bill. I got through within minutes and a well-mannered receptionist advised me what to do – effectively, to ignore the obviously incorrect bill until I received one based on actual reading.

I cannot say the same for the way ARMS Ltd follow up written enquires. Former constituents of mine still occasionally come to me for assistance. One, a widow, asked me to query her bill for her, one based on an actual reading. I wrote to ARMS Ltd to ask for a fresh reading, knowing it would be against payment. Neither the widow nor I received an acknowledgement, never mind a reply. That was over three months ago.

By the way, at the same time I also wrote to the Inland Revenue Department about a bill for arrears sent to the widow’s long-departed husband. I queried carefully, asking for a reply to be sent to the lady. I never received an acknowledgement. She never received a reply. That’s not bad customer care. It is total disregard.

I experienced worse from the private sector, from Melita p.l.c. I am a long-standing client of theirs and have always been satisfied with the way their staff solved my difficulties. I migrated to GO’s cable service only because of screening of English football but retained my internet service with Melita. Probably not for much longer, given the following.

My mother died in a retirement home 21 months ago. I had given mine as her mailing and so I used to receive her Melita cable TV bill. I immediately advised Melita of her demise.

I still continued to receive all sorts of letters and bills addressed to her, though there was no payment outstanding at the time of my mum’s death, rather the opposite, since I paid in advance. On enquiring I was told I had to submit a death certificate.

Though I found the request silly and objectionable, I sent Melita a copy. That was months back. I received no acknowledgement or reply. Recently there came a letter addressed to my mother as if she was still full of life, claiming payment for an outstanding bill.

Obviously Melita p.l.c. has not got its act together. Proper records of clients and communications with and from them are not kept. Otherwise how does one explain such insensitive action.

Melita never reply to letters of complaint in the printed media regarding one or other aspect of their service. In addition to not always being very efficient, they show total disregard towards their complaining customers.

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