Client service excellence

Embedding a culture of client service excellence

In the last 12 months the department has continued progress in developing and embedding a culture of client service excellence across the organisation—a process which started in 2005–06 as part of a response to the Palmer and Comrie reports.

Client Service Improvement Program

The launch of the Client Service Improvement Program and Client Service Charter in June 2006 marked the start of a series of ongoing initiatives to develop and implement service improvements across the department.

The momentum continued in 2007–08. Clients were surveyed and consulted in order to better understand their service needs and expectations. Examples of this consultation include the following:

• A client service intercept poll survey was conducted by the University of Queensland Social Research Centre in November 2007, with 82 per cent of clients satisfied with the service provided by the department. Clients also provided suggestions on where services could improve. A program of regular client surveys has been developed to take this work forward in 2008–09.
• Consultation was undertaken with external and internal clients as well as stakeholders in regular Value Creation Workshops and Client Reference Groups.
• A centralised Global Feedback Unit was introduced for better complaints resolution, analysis and reporting.
• A comprehensive compliments and complaints policy was developed.
• Draft External Client Service Standards were developed which articulate what clients and stakeholders can expect from the department.

Increased understanding of clients has informed and driven a number of positive changes across the service network, including:

• an inaugural annual Secretary‘s Client Service Challenge to recognise examples of excellent client service delivered by teams
• periodic Awards for Client Service Excellence where the secretary recognises a person or team whose conduct embodies the department‘s strategic value statement, ‘people our business’
• improvements in overseas contact centres which have enhanced the timeliness and quality of responses to clients
• the establishment of a letter improvement program to ensure consistency and quality in departmental letters to clients
• the refit of immigration offices to make them more welcoming and client friendly—the Brisbane and Hobart offices have been refitted and others will be rolled out as refurbishments are due or new leases are entered into, while the Australian High Commission in New Delhi and embassies in Port Vila and Vientiane relocated to new premises during the year
• Client Service Action Plans in every state, territory and overseas office that incorporate department-wide initiatives and commitments, as well as local actions to improve client service
• a Contact Centre summit, in response to low levels of satisfaction with phone services in the first Client Satisfaction Survey—resourcing and management issues have been actively addressed in order to improve performance in this important service channel
• a detailed analysis of service channels to develop a comprehensive channel management strategy to ensure that services match client needs and expectations.

Client Service Charter

The Client Service Charter describes the department‘s commitment to delivering high quality client service and listening and responding to client feedback. It outlines the standard of service our clients can expect and remains a core driver in improving services.

Performance against the client service standards

In 2007–08, the department‘s focus has been on embedding the charter and service standards and ensuring organisational performance against them by developing a series of significantly expanded and ambitious internal and external service standards with associated performance indicators and methodology.

These internal and draft external service standards focus on developing the type of internal service environment necessary to deliver excellent client service. The standards give a clear description of the level of service that clients can expect when dealing with the department, and provide a robust framework for measuring, reporting and improving the performance of the department‘s service delivery network.

A Client Service Intercept Poll was conducted by University of Queensland Social Research Centre, a member of the department‘s Client Service Research Panel, from 5 to 16 November 2007.

The purpose of the research was to determine client satisfaction directly after interaction with the department, either in person, by telephone or through the department‘s website. Clients were randomly intercepted by interviewers when leaving in-person client service areas in Melbourne, Sydney CBD, Parramatta, Adelaide, Perth and Brisbane. Key results were as follows:

• 97.5 per cent of clients reported being treated courteously by staff
• 88 per cent advised that they were satisfied with the department‘s telephone service
• overall satisfaction with the department‘s client service was 82 per cent.

There was variation in the level of satisfaction between the service channels, with a higher satisfaction rating for in-person and telephone than online services.

The 2008 Client Satisfaction Survey involved attitudinal research across a range of client groups in order to collect information on the department‘s services and client service delivery. This survey was the second in a series of annual client satisfaction surveys. The University of Queensland Social Research Centre was engaged to conduct the survey and its focus was on the end-to-end experience of clients. Almost 3400 applicants and sponsors from a range of visa subclasses were surveyed to determine the level of satisfaction they experienced when interacting through a range of channels with the department. Key results indicated:

• overall satisfaction with the department‘s client service was 82 per cent (the level of dissatisfaction at 8 per cent was less than half that in the 2007 survey)
• departmental staff identifying themselves by name had increased substantially from 67 per cent in 2007 to 83 per cent in 2008
• overall levels of clarity, accuracy and timeliness of information provided to clients had improved from 73.5 per cent in 2007 to 83 per cent in 2008
• in-person and phone service satisfaction (including speed with which phones were answered) increased modestly from 2007 levels, with satisfaction highest for in-person service at 89 per cent
• online services overall achieved an unexpectedly high satisfaction level of 80 per cent compared to the 2007 result of 64.5 per cent
• staff wearing name badges had achieved the same levels in 2008 as those achieved in 2007 at 67 per cent
• nearly half of the department‘s clients at 43 per cent were aware that they could provide feedback.

The department has responded to the findings of the surveys in a number of ways, including:

• increasing the prominence of feedback mechanisms
• undertaking detailed analysis of survey results to give front-line staff greater awareness of particular issues raised by clients, with a view to enhancing service delivery
• refreshing client service training tools for departmental staff.

Client satisfaction with overseas operations is also being surveyed systematically and results used to improve service delivery.

Client feedback

This year the department has continued to focus on the value of client feedback. A comprehensive communication strategy has been developed to ensure the feedback system is visible and accessible to clients and to accomplish departmental goals of ‘fair and reasonable dealings with clients’ and ‘being an open and accountable organisation’. The strategy aims to ensure clients are aware of their right to complain and informs clients about the feedback system and access points, including a ‘Compliments and complaints’ link on the website. A web-based feedback handling toolkit for staff has also been developed.

The communication strategy also includes leaflets and posters, comment cards, information booklets for client service areas and airports, and information on feedback systems being provided to clients with correspondence such as decision letters.

A critical area for the department in 2008–09 is the need to address the issue of fear of retribution for clients—particularly in relation to immigration detention services. This can be a powerful disincentive for clients thinking of providing feedback and is particularly relevant for clients from certain cultural backgrounds.

Global Feedback Unit

The Global Feedback Unit continues to provide valuable support to clients through the Client Feedback Line (133 177), web feedback form and a feedback mailing address. The implementation of a centralised feedback computer system has enabled better tracking and management of client feedback. Feedback received includes complaints, compliments and suggestions. Following implementation of the new system, work was undertaken on the reporting and analysis function required to help identify trends and systemic issues. The first reports were released in June 2007 and were provided to all business areas to ensure that client feedback is used by the department to improve its services.

The level of client feedback received by the department has increased substantially over the past twelve months with 12 760 cases recorded, compared to 9085 in 2006–07. Included in the 12 760 cases were 1742 compliments, 7620 complaints and 599 suggestions. The remainder included enquiries, provision of information or calls related to other agencies.

Such an increase in all types of feedback is expected as the department continues to seek out client feedback and promote a commitment to listening to clients by providing various avenues for clients to send in their feedback.

By actively seeking, measuring and analysing client feedback, the department can continue to pursue opportunities to enhance its services and increase community confidence in its operations.