MP says call centres must improve
South Norfolk MP Richard Bacon has called on the government to improve its call centres as a new report says 21 million telephone calls go unanswered and that people have to cope with 55 different telephone numbers to contact jobcentres and the pension service.
Mr Bacon was speaking as the Commons public accounts committee published its report on the Department for Work and Pensions delivering effective service through contact centres.
People looking for work, claiming a pension or seeking benefit advice are increasingly required to use the Department for Work and Pensions’ call centres. However, to do so they must navigate 55 different telephone numbers and a system that cannot transfer them if they call the wrong service. In 2004-05, 21 million calls to DWP call centres went unanswered.
Mr Bacon said today: “If the government wants its customers to ring a call centre instead of visiting a benefits office then the phone systems must be up to the job. Unfortunately, over 20 million people couldn’t get through at all.
“What’s more, if someone rings the wrong service, which is not difficult given the 55 different telephone numbers on offer, they can’t be put through to the right person. Although there has been an improvement recently there is still some way to go. People have paid their taxes and pension contributions and they deserve a good service”.
2 November 2006
See also:
PAC REPORT: Delivering Services through Contact Centres
PARLIAMENT: MP calls for clearer benefit leaflets
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