Service Charters

The department’s Client Service Charter outlines who its clients are and the service standards they can expect when dealing with the department. The charter provides an overview of the department’s responsibilities and lists avenues available to clients for feedback or complaints. In conjunction with the Australian Public Service Values and Code of Conduct and the department’s own complementary values, the charter commits the department to delivering a high level of service to its clients.

The department’s Client Service Charter. 

To serve client needs better, the department has developed guidelines to help staff engage with women, young people and Indigenous Australians. The guidelines reflect the department’s ongoing commitment to understanding and linking effectively with its clients to continually improve its services.

AQIS has its own complementary client service charter and ABARE has a research quality statement that provides information to clients on its service standards for research. These are also available on the department’s website. BRS uses the departmental client service charter as the basis of its interaction with clients and invites client feedback on service through its own biannual survey.

Monitoring performance
An important part of the department’s commitment to client service is to regularly monitor its performance. The department reviews the charter annually to ensure that it is current and continues to communicate its client service standards effectively. The client service charter and department website communicate telephone and mail contacts for complaints, feedback and further information. Because of its high level of client interaction and the often technical nature of its work, AQIS has specific toll-free national telephone numbers and a feedback register. It also uses industry consultative committees to liaise with industry clients. ABARE and BRS also encourage direct client feedback through their website email contacts lists and enquiries telephone lines. AQIS, ABARE and BRS also conduct regular client surveys.

Performance in 2002-03
As part of the 2002-03 departmental client service charter evaluation, the department surveyed a sample of clients and staff for their views. A phone and reply-paid mail survey of portfolio clients found the majority of respondents rated the department’s performance against its service standards as good or very good. The department was rated particularly strongly on its ability to:

• provide prompt, accurate and relevant information to clients (over 90 per cent said good or very good)
• inform clients about decisions that might affect them (78 per cent said good or very good)
• explain its decisions and provide clear, accurate and ongoing advice (around 80 per cent said good or very good)
• make its staff and information available and easily accessible to clients (over 85 per cent said good or very good).

During 2002-03, 43 per cent of respondents provided feedback and 4 per cent complaints. Most contacted staff directly (83 per cent) and found the department’s responsiveness good (64 per cent) or very good (27 per cent). All respondents that did not provide feedback or complaints said the reason for this was that they did not have any to provide. A small number of respondents (8 per cent) said they were unaware of the feedback/complaints process.

A similar phone and face-to-face survey of staff found a high level of awareness of the charter (97 per cent). All respondents rated the service standards contained in the charter as either critical (76 per cent) or important (24 per cent) to their dealings with clients. Nearly all respondents (94 per cent) said they practiced the service standards always or frequently in their daily work. As with external clients, staff generally rated the department’s performance against service standards as good or very good.

Survey participants were also asked to provide feedback on the 2002-03 client service charter and suggestions for the new charter. Feedback indicated that both clients and staff thought the charter a relevant, appropriate and achievable guide for client service. As a result, only minor changes were made to the 2003-04 client service charter. The survey findings were also used as input to the department’s communication strategy for its 2003-04 corporate documents, which includes the charter.

For the past seven years, AQIS has conducted a major annual client survey across key industry groups. The survey measures client satisfaction benchmarked against previous years’ performance and is framed around the department’s values. The survey also gives AQIS clients a forum to comment on how the delivery of services by AQIS impacts on their business, and how service delivery can be improved. The 2002-03 survey results were not final when this annual report was compiled. Survey results are presented at AQIS Industry Consultative Committees and made available electronically.

In March 2003, ABARE conducted a telephone survey of clients who had contracted the Bureau’s services since 1 July 2002. The aim was to collect information on the strengths and weaknesses of ABARE’s service, to gain general feedback on areas of interest to clients and provide performance information. Clients (including the department) cited high quality of work and ‘only known source’ as the most popular reasons for contracting ABARE to do work. The third most popular reason is that ABARE is seen as an unbiased source of information.

ABARE also conducted surveys of delegates after its six regional Outlook conferences. Results indicated that 94 per cent of the respondents found that the information presented at the conferences was useful or very useful. The feedback is being used in planning future regional conferences.

BRS client surveys provided an opportunity for feedback on projects and the organisation. An independent consultant interviewed participants in January 2003 and June 2003. Over 90 per cent of respondents were largely or completely satisfied with BRS performance. Program areas have followed up on the feedback and used it as a basis for interacting with their clients to improve services.

Complaints and feedback
The department’s client service telephone toll free line received a total of 56 calls during the year. There were no calls of a feedback nature and only two of a complaint nature. The first complaint related to unprofessional conduct over a quarantine inspection. A formal investigation by the department’s Business Ethics and Security Investigations Unit found correct procedure had been followed and that there was no evidence to pursue the misconduct allegation. The second complaint concerned the imposition of a quarantine inspection fee for a mail item. This was referred to the New South Wales regional office for consideration and resulted in the inspection fee being refunded.

A decision was taken during the year to disconnect the toll free line from September 2003 when the 2003-04 client service charter will be released. In line with good practice, the department reviewed the efficiency of the toll free line as a feedback mechanism for clients. Historically, the line only receives a small number of calls of a complaints nature and of relevance to the charter and, based on a cost-benefit analysis, a decision was taken to discontinue its use. Clients are able to contact the department directly on its switchboard number and the new arrangements will be communicated in the 2003-04 client service charter.