Annual report - 2004 - Part 3

Making it easy to comply from the 2004 Annual Report - 2

Timeliness of our service

Most of our customers contact us through our call centres. Last year we received 4.88811 million person-to-person telephone contacts and, on average (including our busy periods), answered calls within 2 minutes 44 seconds. Most callers were answered significantly faster than average:

• 52.6% of tax agents calls, 76.7% of employer calls, 59.6% of return and debt collection calls were answered within 20 seconds
• 43.4% of other calls were answered within 60 seconds on non-peak days
• 74.2% of child support calls were answered within 30 seconds on non-peak days.

Our speed to answer child support calls ¹³ was similar to last year, but with other calls our performance was below 2002-03 and below this year's target. This was primarily caused by call volumes being 21% above forecast on our tax agents', and general lines. A contributing factor was also that, in some cases, information was not sent to customers on the days expected.

^{13 Our child support calls are answered outside of our five main call centres by dedicated Child Support staff.}

During the year we increased our capacity to handle calls by expanding our call centres and by people from our Field Delivery work area assisting during the peak calling period.

The February 2004 floods impacted on our call centres in two ways. We supplied a number of staff to assist the Ministry of Social Development in their contact centres and provided relief in an unprecedented community emergency situation. At the same time, staff numbers were down approximately 30%, as individual circumstances prevented some staff from being at work. Our remaining call centre staff pulled together to ensure the number of calls answered was greater than predicted.

Although our general correspondence volumes also increased by 9%, we maintained similar levels of performance to last year with:

• 83.0% of child support correspondence answered within two weeks
• 88.8% of general correspondence answered within three weeks
• 97.4% of general and 98.2% of child support correspondence answered within six weeks.

Strengthening identity requirements for IRD numbers

Although we need to make it easy to comply, we also need to ensure we minimise risk to the revenue base. In July 2004 we strengthened our standards for issuing an IRD number, by setting higher requirements for the proof of identity documents people need to show us to receive an IRD number. This change was made to reduce the risk of IRD numbers being misused.

We are considering further strengthening our ability to test the identity of people. This work is being carried out in line with the "good practice" in the Evidence of Identity Framework proposals drafted by the Department of Internal Affairs.

Inland Revenue at the Wellington Relay for Life event, March 2004 Inland Revenue staff at the Wellington Relay for Life event, March 2004 "Relay for Life" is a 24-hour event, where people walk or run to raise funds for the Cancer Society, honour cancer survivors and remember those who have lost their battle with the disease. Our people were out supporting the 2004 event. Karyn McLean, Senior Communications Advisor, who organised and ran in the Wellington event, said: "It was great to be involved in such a worthwhile event. By participating we show the "human face' of the department and support for our community."

Other pages in: Annual report - 2004 - Part 3

• Our compliance model from the 2004 Annual Report
• Making it easy to comply from the 2004 Annual Report - 1
• Tailored services meeting needs from the 2004 Annual Report - 1
• Tailored services meeting needs from the 2004 Annual Report - 2
• Focusing audits on long-term compliance from the 2004 Annual Report
• Managing debt and outstanding returns from the 2004 Annual Report - 1
• Managing debt and outstanding returns from the 2004 Annual Report - 2
• Managing debt and outstanding returns from the 2004 Annual Report - 3
• Adjudicating and ruling on the law from the 2004 Annual Report
• Using the full force of the law from the 2004 Annual Report

Date published: 15 Nov 2004

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