Maria James, (left), project manager for the Registrar General's Department, explains a feature of the Customer Online Query System to project analyst, Gene Thomas, during Tuesday's launch of the system. The query system will allow customers to check the progress of their applications online. The launch took place at the RGD's head office in Kingston. (Photo: Garfield Robinson)

THE Registrar General's Department (RGD) on Tuesday launched its Customer Online Query System, which will enable its customers to check the status of their applications online.

"It means that a customer will be able to visit our website, enter a receipt number, their surname and the type of application and receive a response as quickly as possible," Dr Patricia Holness, chief executive officer at RGD, said. "We are happy that we are able to say to our customers, if you have a receipt we can help you."

The tracking system that was up and running at approximately 9:00 am Tuesday is part of the RGD's customer application tracking system project. The tracking system falls under their customer service improvement project, which covers a number of improvement initiatives.

The RGD is the only organisation in Jamaica that is responsible for registering births, still births, marriages and deaths, in addition to its genealogical research unit where persons can trace family history.

Approximately 300 of its staff were trained to access and operate the system last Tuesday in order to facilitate speedy customer service.

"(The query system) empowers our staff to respond to our customers as to the details of the progress of their applications," said Maria James, project manager at RGD.

"The application system has no doubt been a great success in RGD, we no longer have to worry about duplicated efforts," she said, adding that all the information is hosted on a common system which allows the RGD to respond to their customers more effectively.

At the same time, Dr Holness said when the query system was tested on December 13 of this year, of the 206,000 applications that were received, over 205,000 applications were satisfied.
"We would prefer to know that the process through which they went was smooth," she added.

The applications, which have been loaded into the system, are from April 1 of this year. However, Dr Holness said the applications prior to that date are few and the applicants can still call in to find out the status of their documents.

To check the progress of the applications, RGD customers can access the website at www.rgd.gov.jm. After entering the appropriate information, the applicant is then presented with details, such as the type of application, whether the application was received and whether or not the certificate has been dispatched. In addition, customers who experience difficulties are also able to post their queries.

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