Our Public Service’s high-level goal of delivering better outcomes for the public relies on improved service delivery. In Pillar 1: Delivering for our Public, the actions support the framework in two key aspects of this: responding to customers; and, ensuring value for money in delivering services. Action 2: Improve services to customers is particularly focused on the Our Public Service 2020 high-level outcomes of increasing customer satisfaction, public trust, and improving government effectiveness. This Action supports the delivery of quality service to the public, as well as ensuring appropriate feedback tools are in place and utilised to improve service delivery – in consultation with the public, where possible.

The action concerns the provision of training to improve the quality and consistency of customer engagement across the Public Service, as well as the encouragement of Quality Assurance programmes in public service organisations. The Action also looks at the Quality Customer Service Network, and suggests a revision of its roles and responsibilities to improve consistency in customer engagement and satisfaction, and support representatives in their production of Customer Action Plans and Charters to ensure that they are ambitious, and reflect the commitment to improving service delivery. As part of the Customer Action Plan and Charter process, organisations are encouraged to have a structured approach to key stakeholder consultation, setting service standards, and evaluating performance based on metrics produced from utilising feedback tools, such as surveys, focus groups and analytics.

The emphasis on consultation and evaluation tools outlined in support documents, such as the recently revised Guidelines for Preparation of Customer Action Plans and Charters, underline the importance of assessing the results of feedback received in order to gain insights into the quality of customer service being provided, and as a basis for the exploration of satisfaction levels across the public service.