North East Herts MP Oliver Heald has welcomed the roll-out across Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire of a new Enquiry Service for Jobseekers Allowance and Income Support customers.
The Enquiry Service brings together information to answer the most common customer enquiries and enables staff to answer multi-benefit enquiries at the point of contact, reducing the need for customers to contact multiple parts of the DWP. The service also enables agents to immediately update information provided during the call about a change of address or method of payment. This improves customer experience by reducing the need for a customer to contact multiple parts of the organization or fill in forms. The Enquiry Service also introduces an automated service, which allows customers to set and re-use memorable information, instead of undergoing security questions with an agent, every time they use the service. This is modelled on systems used by banks and mobile telephone companies. It will save the agent and customer time in verifying a customer’s identity.
Commenting, Oliver Heald said, “This is an excellent step forward in terms of customer care and I am sure that my constituents who need to contact DWP about JSA and IS enquiries, will welcome the improved service.”
Further information on the DWP Enquiry Service is available at digitalisation.programme@dwp.gsi.gov.uk