On 13th December, 2012, the Reform & Delivery Office, Department of Public Expenditure & Reform, held a Seminar on Quality Customer Service in the Atrium, Department of Justice and Equality, 51 St. Stephen’s Green. This Seminar was attended by more than 100 public servants from Government Departments, Offices and Agencies. The conference programme and presentations can be seen here.
Background to Quality Customer Service
At the launch of the Strategic Management Initiative in February 1994, the provision of high quality service to the public was identified as one of its primary objectives. Delivering Better Government, published in May 1996, recommended the introduction of a Quality Service Initiative for the customers and clients of the Civil Service and in 1997 the Quality Customer Service (QCS) Initiative was launched.
The QCS Officers’ Network includes representatives from Government Departments and Offices. The Network is chaired by Declan Rigney from the Office of the Revenue Commissioners. It meets regularly to oversee implementation of various aspects of the QCS Initiative in the Civil Service and to share best practice on all aspects of customer service. Its primary role in recent years has been the implementation of the Customer Charter Initiative.
The Customer Charter initiative was launched in December, 2002. Under the initiative, all Departments and Offices are required to publish Charters based around a four-step cycle of Consultation, Commitment, Evaluation and Reporting. Guidelines for the preparation of Customer Charters & Customer Action Plans were revised in February 2012 and circulated to Government Departments, offices and Bodies.
