by Kevon Browne
St. Kitts and Nevis (WINN): The Inland Revenue Department launched its new free quick pay option for residents.
The platform allows Kittians to renew drivers’ and vehicular licenses and pay property tax, without any need to stand in line or register for their E-Services portal.
How is it different from the E-Services portal?
The Quick pay option requires residents to provide a national ID such as a driver’s license and basic information including address, and personal telephone numbers.
The quick pay platform does not allow for administrative changes to information presently on identification cards, like addresses or photos.
Alternatively, if residents require changes, the recommendation is to visit the Inland Revenue office or register for the E-Services Portal.
It is important to note that accessing the Quick Pay and E-Services requires different steps and information.
To sign up for E-Service credentials, the application form to be completed is comparably longer than the quick pay option because of the additional information needed for E-Services.
The application and necessary supporting documents require validation before the department issues a confirmation email with login credentials.
This email provides the necessary information on how to operate the portal and complete transactions online.
According to Oleah Prentice, Supervisor in Taxpayer Services within the Inland Revenue Department quick pay, e-commerce solutions is a step in the right direction.
Following other companies, especially utility companies, which provide access to bill payment services online, this step is the way forward, as technology provides greater access to services.
Ms. Prentice also indicated that the turnaround time between the department receiving the application form, processing time and final availability of ID’s or documents is estimated to be 60 minutes or less. Keeping in mind that employees are still required to service customers in person.
As more and more businesses move toward contactless transactions, we should revisit some of the benefits conducting business in the digital space provide:
For the Service/Product Provider:
Cost reduction
Affordable advertising and marketing
No limitations in reaching Customers
For the Purchaser/Client:
Flexibility for customers
Easier Product and price comparison
Multiple options for payment modes
And the most significant benefit for all parties involved stems from the socio-economic climate we currently live in, easy adherence to COVID-19 protocols.
There are, of course, sections of the community that either have no access to online functionality or would much rather the analogue method to doing things. Prentice said a customer called their offices seeking reassurance that the offices will still remain open to the public as he was not tech-savvy. Thus standing in line will not disappear anytime soon.
There may even be a new line introduced for picking up IDs and documents if more people adopt the new quick pay option with the Inland Revenue.
E-commerce is the blending of two major sectors in society, the Internet of things and the finance and business sector, both of which one would need to be literate in to traverse both as we move forward.
