On water bills

I am writing in response to PT Kekar Thames Airindo's (KATI) letter of April 8 regarding the reason for the late delivery of a customer's monthly water bill. It said that the delivery could not be made in time because there was nobody at home to receive the bill.

Why should the serving of a bill be so complicated? Just drop it in the mail box or push it under the door or throw it on the verandah. It is highly inefficient to have a messenger make repeated visits to a customer just because there is nobody at home. We cannot expect people to be at home on the stand-by for the arrival of bills. Moreover, I have noticed that the date of delivery of the monthly water bills is very erratic, with a range of two weeks at least.

If it is the company's express policy to hand over bills personally, why not leave a note at the absentee's home telling him to collect his bill at KATI's office? At least he knows the bill is ready.

Again, the irregularity in delivery times makes it difficult for customers to anticipate the coming of water bills. KATI's statement that no fine would be imposed if a customer contacted the company immediately gives rise to the question: "How immediate?" The company should fix specific dates because "by the 20th" until the 21st does not leave much time to arrange things. We should not forget that unless a miracle happens, the Rp 5,000 fine applies inexorably starting the 21st.

It is so much simpler to have customers pay their bills at designated places between certain dates. The power company PLN is a good example of efficiency in receiving monthly payments. It operates like clockwork, from the 1st until the 20th.

The system practiced by PAM (the city water company) was quite workable too. Customers were ensured that the water bills were waiting for them without fail at the Kelurahan office. Why discard the good old system like a pair of old shoes? So-called modernization should not generate additional administrative fuss.

S. HARMONO

Jakarta