MSE News: HMRC's waiting times 'unacceptable'

chrismac1

In my opinion, with proper management it is perfectly possible - in fact, EASY with the right management - to do two things as once here:

1. Reduce the backlog by 25% in 12 months.
2. Reduce staff numbers by 25% in 12 months.

At the moment there is an endemic culture of jobsworthiness from top to bottom in HMRC. I will quote one example but I could give you thousands:

Me: What is the postcode on the database for this taxpayer address please?
HMRC: It is blank.
Me: The correct postcode is **** as you can find from Google, please key this in.
HMRC: You'll have to write in with that.
Me: Surely you can just key in the post code?
HMRC : That's not in our procedures.

So simple things take weeks and months, and this happens every single day to tens of thousands of taxpayers and businesses.

But the root problem is that guy felt empowered to give the jobsworth response, or - more charitably - management systems prevented him from just keying in the post code or getting this done.

Instead of being empowered to be a jobsworth, that guy should feel that he could easily be part of the 25% for the chop if he jobsworths enough callers every day.

Instead of monitoring the time taken to get rid of callers, the target should be what actions were taken by HMRC or that the taxpayer agreed the matter had been resolved. With letters, the target again is to close down the case, not simply knock out the standard drivel which is all too often the first reply you get from HMRC - and which therefore leads to another letter........

There have been times in my career when I've been part of management teams which have reduced staffing levels and at the same time improved production or service levels. Compared to some of those tasks, HMRC would be easy peasy as they are roughly 30 years behind the curve.

togo

I am not in the least surprised to hear HMRC get 60,000 call to answer! If one call would fix the problem they wouldn't have so many! I have phoned four times, last time I hung up at 19 minutes. I have got nowhere! The reply is the same when I do get through - "It will be sorted out - now we have the information" To which I reply, "But the payment was made in February and I have repeated the information so many times it is NOT MY FAULT any longer. Will you please STOP sending me these vicious demands for even more money!!!"

speeddial

I phoned them up a few days ago - 45 minutes it took to eventually speak to someone!

Plus they only had one song playing repeatedly!!

They have a voice that comes on every so often that tells you that you are in a queue, but I think it would be helpful if it gave a rough time estimate as to when you would be eventually answered.

The article claims people are answered within 4 minutes, it's not even close......I would be happy with 4 minutes lol

chrismac1

Thank you, you have made my point togo. Multiply your experience by a factor of 20,000 or so and you can easily see why there is a backlog. If appointed to the top job, I would immediately carry out 2 projects:

1. Project Brewery - an intensive 2 week course for all senior management, after which time at least some of them would know how to run a pizs-up in a brewery. P45s for the other 50%.

2. Project Finger - an intensive one week course for all staff, after which most of them would know how to remove their fingers from where the sun don't shine.

johnbenllech

It took me 23 minutes to speak to someone - but he was very good and sorted the problem in 5 or 6 minutes. Even called me back 15 minutes later to make something clear. Last year had a clueless fool who didn't deal with the problem now sorted.

dazzalondon

I've tried generatlly around 3-5pm on workdays on 3 occasions; each time I gave up waiting 30mins in.

Today, when Martin/the Press Association has reported this waiting time I am again waiting to speak to an operator at HMRC; its 26 minutes in.

The reason I'm calling them is that they've failed to send me my owed tax refund, on a second occasion. Each occasion taking 6 weeks, that's 12 weeks I'm waiting for money which is owed me.

I once worked in the civil service in the 90s and there were many people not doing much work. I'm both sad and happy that now about 1/3 have been cut and it should operate more efficitiently (so you would have thought).

I work hard; HMRC should work hard too and I would be advise HMRC to do their jobs more effectively - I can see your jobs being outsourced overseas.

fatoldman

bigbloke45 wrote: »

4 minutes? They are spinning! It takes about 25 minutes AND you have to ring a premium number.

Pants! :mad:

Exactly my experience, and the instructions in the letter from them told me to immediately ask to be transferred to a specialist in the subject I called about. Why not provide a direct number for that specialist department, so at least I would be waiting for someone who could help?

atarisrocks

last year when i tried to call them i didnt even get put on hold all i got was "there is no one to answer your call right now goodbye"

shjo558

I have been trying to speak to someone at the Tax Credit hotline for a week now.

After going through the endless menus and blurb (it takes 3 minutes) I keep being told "there is no one to take my call please call back another time".

After trying several times I have had to ask my local MP to contact them on my behalf as politicians have secret numbers to call HMRC on.

jet9cat

I can highly recommend using your local enquiry centre - assuming you can find out where it moved to when the HMRC building closed and what days it's open. Over the last few years 200 offices closed and any that had an enquiry centre attached had it re-located, often with the local council, or DWP offices but sometimes with community centres or even libraries and also all offices had their hours reduced so most only open 2 or 3 days a week. But if you can get past that hurdle they usually have priority free phone lines or you can book an appointment with a face to face advisor who has access to your records to discuss things. This won't work for special departments or technical assistance but will help with codes, refunds or general form filling.

Hope this helps some of you at least - and don't get me wrong - I completely agree that the waiting times are unacceptable and deeply frustrating.