The South African Civil Aviation Authority launched a series of Client Care solutions with a Client Contact Centre as well as a revamped website with an e-Services portal, with the announcement taking place at SACAA’s Ikhaya Lokundiza headquarters in Midrand last Tuesday.
As the Regulator officially marks the Year of the Client with customer-focused service excellence, the new website (www.caa.co.za) that contains the new web-based, e-Services solution for the renewal of applications for operators is now live!
This is another step in the automation journey of the SACAA, making access to information easier and seamless whenever clients interact or transact with them. New website features include the verification of accredited aviation personnel, such as the ability to verify if an Aviation Training Organisation (ATO) and/or a Designated Flight Examiner (DFE) is licensed by the SACAA. Sadly when Flightline Weekly tested this function it was unavailable.
In addressing Captains of the Industry, members of the Industry Liaison Forum and staff, the SACAA Director of Civil Aviation, Ms Poppy Khoza, said: “We started the journey towards efficient client services more than four years ago when we purchased the Enterprise Business System that saw most of the regulatory services being digitised.
“The first three years concentrated on the internal interface, to ensure that we have fit-for-purpose platforms to migrate to a fully automated service. We have just concluded the first year of the external interface modules that have led to our launch today. This is not yet the end, the last leg of this project will be rolled out in the next two years, culminating in a complete and fully automated and paperless system. “The Contact Centre can handle transactions for personnel licensing, examinations, and aircraft registry. The Centre will solve client queries related to operator applications and approvals in all of the SACAA’s core business areas.” The SACAA Board of Directors Chairperson, Mr Ernest Khosa, said that the aviation sector can only benefit from these technological advancements.
“Today is a peek into the future of Civil Aviation. State-owned Enterprises (SOEs) in South Africa are crucial to industrial development, as they are part of the bedrock of the economy while remaining efficient and internationally competitive,” said Mr Khosa. “One of our commitments to the Minister of Transport, the Honourable Fikile Mbalula, is for South Africa to continue to have a world-class Regulator that is efficient, in step with the latest developments, operating with impeccable governance and driven towards improving public services.”
The world-class Client Contact Centre will be a single primary point of contact for the SACAA’s clients who require information or services. The Client Contact Centre will focus on inbound calls and written enquiries received through a multi-channel platform.
Most telephonic enquiries will be resolved with a single call, whilst all written enquiries will be managed through one platform, regardless of whether the communication is done via email, the website, text or through the SACAA’s social media channels. All enquiries as well as complaints will be tracked, to ensure a quick resolution and speedy turnaround times.
The Contact Centre will provide support for the following services:
• Flight crew licences,
• Examinations,
• Maintenance personnel enquiries,
• Aircraft registration,
• Reporting,
• Web-interface services and e-Services portal,
• Password reset and basic online queries,
• Other General Service Support.
The new Client Contact Centre shared call number is 0860 267435 and will be
available from 07:00 to 17:00 on weekdays, or by email at clientcare@caa.co.za.
The new e-Service portal, which can be accessed through the website, will save clients time and money, while the ease of navigation will make the process a pleasure instead of a stressful experience. Increased operational efficiency will result in a faster turnaround time for all approvals, as memos and forms will be accessible 24/7 from anywhere. There will be a faster retrieval time for records and an improved response time to customer queries.
E-Services will be introduced in phases, with the first phase dedicated to the renewal applications for organisations and payment through credit cards and/or debit cards. In the next few months, the Regulator will also finalise the capability for operators to make use of the credit facility and make direct deposits, and the capability for flight crew students to make bookings and payment for examinations. The second phase will include the capability for licence holders to submit applications for the renewal of personnel licences, and eventually the issuance of online operator certificates. The dates of implementation will be communicated in due course.
