Insolvency Service delivers 'outstanding customer service', finds new report

The Insolvency Service has published its Customer Satisfaction Survey 2022 with the agency receiving an overall satisfaction score of 84%, an increase of one percentage point compared to 2020/21.

"Providing excellent service to our customers, who are often in financial difficulties, is at the heart of everything we do," explained John Wheatle, Director of Business Services Division for the Insolvency Service. "We are extremely proud of the high satisfaction scores we received this year, and it is testament to the exemplary levels of service provided by our colleagues."

Wheatle said that the Insolvency Service's future priorities will be to improve communications and deliver new customer-centric initiatives, and gave the example of a new online holiday claim accrued amendment form.

The Insolvency Service is one year into a five-year IT modernisation plan, which aims to strengthen the UK’s insolvency regime and contribute to the UK being the best place in the world to start and grow a business.

The Insolvency Service received a 93% approval rating from people who had applied for a debt relief order, and satisfaction levels among non-institutional creditors increased from 71% to 82%, which have historically been the least satisfied group.

The 2022 survey was conducted by IFF Research, an independent market research company, and the results have helped the Insolvency Service understand how its customers view the agency’s performance and services and identify where improvements are needed.

IFF Research carried out 684 interviews between January and February 2022 with key customer groups, including people in debt, redundancy payment claimants, and non-institutional creditors.

Positive feedback was also received from people claiming redundancy payments, who said that decisions had been clearly explained to them. While people in debt were positive about the professionalism of customer service representatives and the accuracy of the information provided.

Customer satisfaction in 2022 was reported using a single score and a derived measure aligned to the three core areas that affect every Insolvency Service customer: contact, process, and quality. This provided a more rounded understanding of the expectations and perceptions of key customer groups.