IMPROVE CONSISTENCY OF CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE

Customer satisfaction with service delivery channels

For Customer Service Centres, customer ratings of the overall quality of the service received on the last visit dropped by 3.1 per cent to 82.4 per cent.

For Call Centres, customer ratings of the overall quality of the service received on the last call rose by 2 per cent to 90.7 per cent.

FIGURE 10: CUSTOMER SATISFACTION BY CHANNEL^(A)

Customers acknowledged the high quality of Centrelink’s staff, with 87 per cent saying the staff they dealt with in Offices and over the phone were ‘good’ or ‘very good’. Staffs were seen as skilled and knowledgeable (74 per cent), and their ability to listen to their customers was another strength (85 per cent).

Customers also saw providing a fair and personal service as a strong area for Centrelink. Staffs are seen as behaving with honesty and integrity (88 per cent), treating customers with respect and dignity (88 per cent), and doing what they say they will do (84 per cent).

Almost all customers interviewed about the quality of Customer Service Centre service on their last visit rated the way Centrelink Office staff treated them as either ‘good’ or ‘very good’ in terms of being courteous, friendly, helpful and respectful (90.6 per cent). They were highly satisfied with the ability of Centrelink to explain things (83 per cent).

Explaining skills were also highlighted for those customers who had received referrals, with almost all (92.3 per cent) understanding why these referrals were made and most (85.1 per cent) feeling that these were appropriate to their needs at the time.

Accuracy of advice is an important driver of customer satisfaction with the quality of service provided by both Call Centres and Customer Service Centres. In June 2004, customers’ satisfaction with the accuracy of the advice and information provided to them by Centrelink on their last contact at a Customer Service Centre was 78 per cent and 89.7 per cent with a Call Centre.

Satisfaction with the speed and efficiency of service rated well. In June 2004, customers rated their overall satisfaction with the speed and efficiency of Customer Service Centre staff at 78.4 per cent and Call Centre staff at 94.5 per cent. Around 72 per cent of customers were satisfied with how quickly Centrelink made a decision once it had all the required information.

Areas for particular focus

Customers’ views on Centrelink’s service quality had an increased emphasis this year within Centrelink’s performance monitoring and management framework and processes. From 1 July 2003, ‘Customer’ became a corporate goal in its own right. As one of the five corporate goals, ‘Customer’ forms one section of the Balanced Scorecard.

The quality of customer service is part of the regular performance review of the service delivery network, and one of the dimensions in the new quarterly Performance Management reports, which began in the first half of 2003. The measures for the service quality component of these reports are taken from the customers’ point of view, and the data are supplied from the ongoing program of customer surveys.

Centrelink’s analysis of the results from its customer surveys, in-depth workshops with customers (that is, our Value Creation Workshops), and other customer feedback helped identify a number of specific ways to improve service delivery in 2003–04. Stemming from this, a set of key strategies was included in the Balanced Scorecard under the Customer goal, and data from the customer surveys provided the results each month for most of the related measures.

Customer Charter

For more information on how customers rated Centrelink’s performance against the commitments in the Customer Charter, see Appendix 7, page 285.

Favourability and awareness

The overall impression (‘favourability’) of Centrelink held by the general community has remained stable. Survey results indicate that there is still some further work to do in raising awareness of Centrelink’s role in the general community.

Two-thirds (67 per cent) of those surveyed thought Centrelink was somewhere they would go for help if something in their life changed and a similar number (71 per cent) felt Centrelink provided a wide range of government services in one place. Less than one-fifth (15 per cent) of survey participants believed that Centrelink only provides payments for sole parents and unemployed people.

Value Creation Workshops

Centrelink’s national programs of Value Creation Workshops (VCWs) help staff to understand and empathise with the experiences of individuals and communities. The program also aims to promote Centrelink as the ‘human face’ of government.

Value Creation contributes to Centrelink’s customer strategies by driving change at local Customer Service Centres. During 2003–04, 57 VCWs were conducted by local Value Creation teams in a range of locations around Australia. Approximately 800 customers from a variety of backgrounds attended these VCWs. Six of the workshops focused on the experiences of Indigenous customers.

As well as its program of VCWs designed to improve service at the local level, Centrelink uses the workshops to evaluate how many of its service initiatives impact on customers.

In 2003–04, the national Value Creation team also conducted 78 VCWs to understand the customer experience in projects by, for example, testing customer reactions to new authentication technology; exploring social and economic participation from the perspective of Indigenous customers and customers from diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds; and gauging customer reactions to the Centrelink service centre environment.

A program of community VCWs contributes to Centrelink’s business and community goal by building and strengthening partnerships between community agencies and service centres. In 2003–04, Centrelink conducted nine VCWs with community groups, including a workshop involving community agencies in the design of an inner city servicing strategy for Melbourne.

Centrelink also uses Value Creation to develop and support its people. Internal VCWs help Centrelink to improve business practices and staff support. In 2003–04, Centrelink conducted 34 VCWs with Customer Service Officers and internal service providers.

Customer Experience Strategy

Throughout 2003–04 work continued on developing Centrelink’s Customer Experience Strategy. With substantial consultation across Centrelink and with input from staff at all levels, the results included:

• 
  identification of new and emerging ‘best practice’ in customer experience management in both private and public sectors, here and overseas
  
• 
  development of a Customer Experience Management Model created specifically for the Centrelink context of delivering services and social policy outcomes for the Australian Government
  
• 
  review and consolidation of Centrelink’s customer research to identify service issues for customers and the community.
  

The Customer Experience Strategy focuses on priorities for improvement to Centrelink’s customer experience in relation to:

• 
  current customer service issues—‘fixing’ key current service delivery issues using existing resources
  
• 
  service recovery
  
• 
  future servicing arrangements.
  

Development of the Customer Experience Strategy positioned Centrelink well to inject ‘the voice of the customer’ into its strategic level planning processes by informing the preparation of Future Directions 2004–2009. As a result, a detailed Customer Experience Road Map was developed, which identifies the range of activities needed to support the strategies outlined in Future Directions.

In 2004–05, the Customer Service Domain will focus on coordinating and monitoring the implementation of the work outlined in the Customer Experience Road Map and continuing to work with our customers to ensure Centrelink stays in touch with changing preferences and expectations of the service experience.

Service Response Framework

The Service Response Framework is a ‘customer needs’ based model that will assist Centrelink to make informed and consistent decisions about how and through which channels services should be delivered to customers.

The framework was developed throughout 2003–04 and included direct input from customers through a number of Value Creation Workshops, as well as input from the Centrelink network.

The framework is designed to help Centrelink make appropriate service offers to customers by stepping staff through the range of business imperatives that have to be considered in each case, and identifying the appropriate business information required before channel choices can be determined.

The framework is now being tested by applying it to actual business cases.

Customer experience intelligence

The key element of a customer experience approach is to know your customers. Centrelink’s Customer Experience Strategy and planned service improvement initiatives are based on a wide range of research and discussion with customers.

During 2003–04, Centrelink undertook substantial work and analyses to consolidate existing research and to identify the key issues for customers and the drivers of customer behaviour. The work included:

• 
  Consolidating the key findings and undertaking further work relating to customer behaviour in using the On Site, On Call, On Paper and Online channels. The information from these reports was used to feed into Centrelink decision making forums and other projects
  
• 
  exploring the customer, corporate and legal issues surrounding the use of email services
  
• 
  Conducting the Customer Interaction Study July 2003, which provided additional strategic intelligence and direction on the most effective methods of delivering services to customers now and into the future. The study focused on customer preferences when interacting with Centrelink, and their predisposition to adopt alternative service channels. Arising from the study’s findings, further work was undertaken on how Centrelink could best provide support to customers using the Internet and the Natural Language Speech Recognition services.
  

Participation in industry customer service forums

During 2003–04, Centrelink participated in a wide range of industry forums to identify and better understand best practice customer service and customer experience management across a range of public and private sector businesses.

Contact with the Society of Consumer Professionals Australia helped introduce Centrelink to the emerging focus in Australia and overseas on consumer emotions as a critical element of customer experience management. Centrelink was represented at the launch of the society’s innovative research report into the role of emotions in customer service.

A greater understanding of the importance of both the traditional elements of the customer experience (for example, timeliness, access and service environment) and emotional considerations (for example, trust, confidence, helpfulness and caring) has helped shape some of the key initiatives planned for customer experience management in Centrelink for 2004–05.

Indigenous Servicing Strategy 2001–2004

The Indigenous Servicing Strategy 2001–2004 underpins Centrelink’s Statement of Commitment to Reconciliation and guides Centrelink operations. The strategy has six goals to ensure outcomes for Indigenous customers and communities are achieved.

These are to:

• 
  improve services, access and information for Indigenous customers and communities
  
• 
  create opportunities for Indigenous customers and communities to increase social and economic wellbeing
  
• 
  work with Indigenous communities to build stronger families and communities
  
• 
  value cultural awareness and shared purpose
  
• 
  commit to partnerships and holistic solutions for Indigenous customers and communities
  
• 
  Influence policy processes and link service delivery innovation across government for Indigenous customers and communities.
  

The existing Indigenous Servicing Strategy is now due for review, which will start at the beginning of 2004–05.

Maintaining privacy and security of customer records

Privacy in Centrelink

For Centrelink to carry out its business, a large amount of sensitive personal information is collected about its customers. Centrelink works continuously to ensure the privacy and security of customers’ personal information. The privacy culture’s foundation is Centrelink’s legal obligation to comply with the Privacy Act 1988 and the confidentiality provisions contained in the various legislation it administers, for example, the Social Security (Administration) Act 1999 and privacy guidelines approved by Centrelink’s Board of Management.

Privacy investigations

Centrelink logs and records all Centrelink staff accesses to its computer databases. This means Centrelink can determine whether a customer’s privacy has been breached through unauthorised or improper access to customer records.

Centrelink Privacy Officers examine all matters that may result in a privacy breach and investigate all privacy incidents, which include mailout errors and alleged privacy breaches reported by the public and staff. As well, Privacy Officers audit computer access to detect unauthorised access and use.

In 2003–04, Privacy Officers finalised 1449 investigations of 1494 reported incidents. The investigations were either initiated by Centrelink management and staff, or the incidents were reported by customers, the Ombudsman, members of Parliament, or the Office of the Federal Privacy Commissioner.

Of the inquiries finalised in 2003–04, 30 per cent of incidents were substantiated as breaches of privacy or confidentiality. Criminal charges were laid by the Director of Public Prosecutions in one of the more serious substantiated privacy breaches detected during 2003–04. Disciplinary action was also undertaken against 282 staff, which resulted in these Officers being either dismissed, fined, formally counselled or warned in writing (see Tables 24 and 25).

Of the substantiated breaches most were minor and resulted in local managerial action and feedback to staff designed to prevent reoccurrence.

TABLE 24: REPORTED INCIDENTS

Year	Incidents reported	Investigations finalised	Number proven	% proven
2003–04	1494	1449	436	30%
2002–03	1386	1281	355	27.7%

TABLE 25: PRIVACY BREACHES

Privacy incidents proven by breach type	2003–04	2002–03
Misdirected mail	119	110
Mail house	7	27
Browsing: • access • disclosure • use	173 22 5	110 12 4
Information Privacy Principle (IPP) 4 Storage and security	24	24
Untrue representations	0	1
Other	32	14
IPPs 9–11 Disclosure (due to breakdown in procedures)	34	38
IPPs 5–8 Access and accuracy	14	9
Soliciting	3	3
IPP 13 Collection	3	3
Total	436	355

There were 119 substantiated mail errors attributed to administrative error. This represents a slight increase from 2002–03. There were also seven substantiated mail house errors involving a technical error in production. In 2003–04 Centrelink generated more than 90 million mailout items.

During the year, Centrelink focused attention on improving mailout procedures and processes. Improvements in both our network and contracted mail houses led to fewer mailout errors.

Privacy strategy

Centrelink’s Privacy Compliance Strategy, which commenced in July 2003, supports a commitment to ensure that employees comply with privacy and confidentiality legislation. Employees are selected at random and their computer access to customer information is checked to ensure that it is consistent with their obligations as specified in the Privacy Act 1988 and the confidentiality legislation applicable to Centrelink. These processes assist in reinforcing Centrelink’s privacy culture and framework.

Office of the Federal Privacy Commissioner

Centrelink works closely with the Office of the Federal Privacy Commissioner (OFPC) to enable privacy complaint cases to be handled more effectively. Complaints are resolved faster under this arrangement because information is exchanged after preliminary inquiries, which usually results in better service for the complainant.

In 2003–04, there were five open cases carried over from the previous financial year. Another five new cases were opened with the OFPC, bringing the total to 10 cases for the year. Centrelink finalised seven cases with the OFPC and as at 30 June 2004, there were three cases still open.

The OFPC may issue a report or declaration under sections 30 and 52 of the Privacy Act 1988 regarding Centrelink. These statutory reports and determinations enable the Privacy Commissioner to report directly to a Minister and to make a decision either to dismiss or to substantiate a complaint. During 2003–04, the Privacy Commissioner did not issue any reports or determinations under these sections.

Under section 73 of the Privacy Act 1988, an agency may apply for a public interest determination by the Privacy Commissioner about an act or practice that breaches an IPP. During 2003–04, Centrelink did not apply to the Privacy Commissioner for any section 73 determination.

Improving freedom of information access

Statement under Freedom of Information Act 1982

Section 8 of the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (FOI Act) requires each Australian Government agency to publish information about the way it is organised; its functions, decision making and other powers which affect the public; arrangements for public participation in the agency’s work; and the document categories that are held by the agency and how the public can access documents.

Improving access to personal documents

Centrelink continues to build on practices and procedures that improve customers’ access to information held about them in Centrelink records. A wide range of personal information documents are made available to customers on request outside the formal FOI processes.

All Customer Service Centres can release documents outside the formal FOI process and can give advice on how to lodge a formal FOI request. As well, Customer Service Officers receive training on consulting with customers about requests and providing access to documents. This practice has substantially reduced the number of formal FOI requests and resulted in more efficient services for customers seeking information.

Requests from customers for more detailed documents or that involving third party information are still handled through the formal FOI processes. In 2003–04 the number of formal FOI requests increased by 25 per cent, compared with 2002–03.

Requests for access to documents under the FOI Act must be made in writing. To ensure that requests for access to documents are handled promptly, FOI forms are available in all Customer Service Centres. It is Centrelink policy not to apply the FOI fee or charge when a customer requests information about their record.

Request statistics

At the beginning of 2003–04, Centrelink had 1706 requests on hand under the FOI Act. During the year, an additional 12 202 requests were received. A total of 11 944 cases were finalised. Applicants withdrew another 394 requests before decisions on access were made. Full access was allowed in 7229 cases, while part-access was allowed in 2930 cases. Access was refused in 1390 cases. In most of the cases where full access was refused, this was done to protect the confidentiality of third parties and/or other customers.

TABLE 26: FREEDOM OF INFORMATION REQUESTS

Freedom of information requests	2003–04	2002–03
Pending from previous year	1 706	664
Requests received in year	12 202	9 753
Total for year	13 908	10 417
Requests finalised in year	11 944	9 570
Carried to next year	1 964	1 706

Reviews and appeals

Centrelink provides information about seeking a review or an appeal of decisions made under the FOI Act at all CSCs and on the website at www.centrelink.gov.au

Applicants can use the ‘I want to ask for a Review’ form to request an internal review of a decision or to appeal against a Centrelink decision concerning access to documents. The form includes a leaflet that explains the FOI process and customer rights.

During 2003–04, 137 requests were received for an internal review. Of the reviews completed at the end of the year, 28 requests resulted in grant of access or part access, and 94 resulted in affirmation of the original decision to deny access. Two cases were withdrawn and no cases are pending.

The AAT received 40 new applications for review and had 18 pending cases from the previous year. Case status for 2003–04 is:

• 
  six cases were affirmed
  
• 
  three cases were set aside
  
• 
  one case was varied
  
• 
  nine cases were dismissed
  
• 
  zero cases had no jurisdiction
  
• 
  14 cases were withdrawn
  
• 
  25 cases pending.
  

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