Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 16
16
Accepted
HMRC said that it limits the number of callers that can join the call queue,...
Conclusion
HMRC said that it limits the number of callers that can join the call queue, which can have an impact on its call waiting time measure. Anyone not able to join the call queue is played a “busy message” and is forced to end the call. HMRC told us that in previous years it would play this message about 11% or 12% of the time. It has now reduced this to 5.5%, as its customers have told HMRC that they would prefer to wait in a queue for longer than keep calling back. HMRC said that these changes mean that it is not fair to compare average call waiting times year on year. Instead it is focusing on the proportion of customers who need to speak to an agent that get through to an agent the first time they call. HMRC has set itself a service standard of 85%, although is currently achieving 77%.24
Government response summary AI-generated
The government agrees and accepts the conclusion, committing to write to the Committee in April 2023 regarding customer service performance. HMRC will also publish the metrics used to monitor customer service in its 2023-24 Outcome Delivery Plan and continue to update quarterly and monthly performance figures.
Summary of the government's response below — read the verbatim text to verify.
Government Response
Accepted
HM Government · verbatim extract
Accepted
5.1 The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation. Target implementation date: April 2023 5.2 HMRC accepts this recommendation and will write to the Committee in April 2023. 5.3 The metrics that will be used to monitor customer service performance will be published externally in HMRC’s 2023-24 Outcome Delivery Plan in line with guidance from Cabinet Office and HM Treasury 5.4 HMRC publish quarterly and monthly performance updates against key customer service metrics which will continue to be updated.
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