Government Services

I'm going to go with 'the general hollowing out of public services due to austerity and other ideologically driven cuts over the last 12 years'.

I read The Secret Barrister recently which while obviously not directly related, was pretty eye opening on the above.

I was on hold with DWP for 50 minutes not so long ago. However, the guy I spoke to in the end was excellent and really helpful in sorting out my issue.

I guess they're just woefully understaffed.

I'm going with government run services have always had a poor approach to customer service and whilst current funding, world politics and policy buffoonery play their part so does the ingrained culture of many of our public servants.

You certainly do get great service from individuals but it's very hit and miss.

Also got to consider the pressures put on these services by some members of the public who overuse and abuse these services.

You certainly do get great service from individuals but it’s very hit and miss.

I think this is true. My other half recently needed to speak to HMRC and after something like 2 hours of waiting on hold, being transferred, cut off etc., when she actually got to speak to someone who knew what was up they were instantly very helpful and resolved the problem right then and there.

A ****less incompetent government. One worth its salt would be capable of working around a combination of Brexit, COVID and Putin’s war, as others have.

Had to call the Passport Office an hour ago, with a non-standard query.

Very clear telephone menu and a very helpful man picked up after two rings.

So yeah, it's variable.

It's not limited to public services; it's the same with pretty much every organisation of a reasonable size I've called over past two years - probably longer.
Reductions in staffing levels and a view that...if the caller thinks their requirement is important enough, they'll put up with the delays.

It's all services! Have you ever tried to have a reasoned conversation with Talk Talk!

You descend into full Karen mode within 5 minutes! 🙂

IME very few companies do phone-calls very well now, they all try and force you down another way of communicating.

got to speak to someone who knew what was up they were instantly very helpful and resolved the problem right then and there.

My experience of HMRC as well. Their service is not outsourced to some call centre.

The nearer you can get to opening time the better IME. 3/4 hour HMRC mid-morning, 5 mins at 8am. Equally helpful at 8am or 11am
A lot of companies seem to be WFH, which you can do with VPNs and stuff, but seems to slow response and audio quality is worse, dunno if HMG do this

It’s all services! Have you ever tried to have a reasoned conversation with Talk Talk!

The very reason why I scrapped Talk Talk & vow to never use them again. The only redeeming feature was that I found out that it was hot in Delhi that day, again.
Now I speak to Sandra or Bert from Yorkshire.
Anyway, I called someone in DWP a few weeks ago to discuss my state pension & not only was the lady I spoke to immensely helpful but I only waited on the phone for about 2 minutes.

I’m going to go with ‘the general hollowing out of public services due to austerity and other ideologically driven cuts over the last 12 years’.

This
Plus serious inefficiencies in some government and council services.

Not sure cuts are the cause when the percentage of national income taken as tax is the highest it has ever been.

https://www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/taxes-record-levels-rishi-sunak-budget-2021-b962986.html

Badly run and inefficient in places yes. Though when I have contacted HMRC the last couple of times I got through quickly and got my issue sorted first time.

Our council has also been pretty efficient any time I have contacted them.

Worst customer service? Virgin broadband and phone. But at least I could leave them for someone else.