Jamaicans in the United States who have been sent funds via the Western Union platform are now forced to download and use the company’s new online application in order to collect funds, a process which can involve hours of navigating technology for older clients.
Intended to reduce processing time at locations where disbursement is made, in reality the app is now a pain point for recipients who now spend lengthy periods trying to collect their money.
The Jamaica Observer spoke to one 74-year-old who receives her pension by this method and she shared the pain of leaving stores empty-handed and being asked to return home repeatedly to use the app and then return.
She said on her return, she spent hours on the telephone with customer service as the funds remained unavailable. On her third transfer, she said she insisted on speaking with a supervisor and succeeded in securing her funds after two hours of waiting and cross checks.
On successfully navigating the technology, she said she noted that pick ups must be done within 12 hours, which might be inconvenient for older clients who have already spent half a day back and forth on the road trying to get the funds.
The Observer reached out to Western Union, but no comment could be elicited on the teething pains associated with the new app.
Source-Jamaican Observer
