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HMRC call centres provide satisfactory service to the majority of users, according to research by the tax department, with 80% of respondents rating their experience as either “very good” or “fairly good”.
The study also found that the Revenue’s helpline was a better-than-expected service for around two-fifths of taxpayers, and in line with expectations for almost half.
HMRC call centres provide satisfactory service to the majority of users, according to research by the tax department, with 80% of respondents rating their experience as either “very good” or “fairly good”.
The study also found that the Revenue’s helpline was a better-than-expected service for around two-fifths of taxpayers, and in line with expectations for almost half.
Sixty-nine percent of 41,670 randomly selected respondents got through to an adviser the first time of trying, and the average call-waiting time was four minutes: 35% of taxpayers reported less than three minutes and an equal proportion said they were on hold for more than ten minutes. Nearly two-thirds said that it was “very easy” or “fairly easy” to get through to the helpline.
The HMRC research looked how quickly callers were able to resolve an issue, and found 69% of taxpayers talked to an adviser just once, while 23% spoke two or three times. Just over four-fifths (83%) of all respondents said their number of conversations was acceptable, although 71% of those who spoke to a Revenue employee four or more times were unhappy.
The department’s staff members were highly rated: 94% of callers felt well treated, and 91% agreed the adviser had understood the issue. A third of callers (36%) felt no improvements were necessary to the contact centre service. Of those who sought enhancements, the most common suggestions were:
- shorter time to get through to an adviser (32%);
- better trained and more knowledgeable staff (14%);and
- no automated messages at the start of calls (10%).
The findings of the HMRC Contact Centres Survey Report 2013-2014 were little different from the previous year’s figures overall, said the tax authority.
ALL REVENUE HELPLINES now begin with 03. The old 0845 prefixes have been retained but will be discontinued from December. Taxpayers using the old numbers will hear a message letting them know the lines are set to close.
Update, 9 Sep 2014: number of survey respondents added.
