The idea that the £34M (if that is what will really be spent) is new "investment" is utter nonsense. The money, as I have clearly explained on my HMRC site (and as indeed Lin Homer says), is merely a budget reallocation from other parts of the overall HMRC budget.
This is nothing more than window dressing!
As one commentator wrote on my HMRC site:
"Don't be fooled by the retoric, there's no new money, they are only robbing Peter to pay Paul, there will be some new jobs but the vast majority will be back room staff taken off working on post to answer phones.
They have spent God knows how much revamping the telephones so we're now connected to the CC system.
So telecalls will be answered more quickly but as we all know not everything can be done over the phone and written confirmation or paperwork is required. so the post receipts will go sky high, then the calls will triple cos everyone will want to progress chase and it's back to Square One, thank God I retire shortly."
How gullible can the ICAEW be?
So you don't want more resources directed to answering the phones? You obviously don't waste ages every week waiting for someone to answer. Prejucide overriding common sense?
ReplyDeleteAs per the above article:
Delete"post receipts will go sky high, then the calls will triple cos everyone will want to progres chase and it's back to Square One."
or here:
Delete"
A couple of interesting quotes came through in a statement from UK200 including:
Jonathan Russell, partner, ReesRussell: “I hope that the recruitment goes well for them but wonder whether they have the resources to train the new staff to such a level that they can really help callers if they do bring new staff on so quickly.”
David Ingall, consultant, JWPCreers: “What is needed is common sense at the other end of the phone and is that going to be achieved? Having recently received a Notice of Coding for myself that was complete nonsense, I was pleasantly surprised to find that the phone call to get it corrected took only six minutes.
“However, there should never have been the need for such a call in the first place. Extra staff is positive but they are only replacing staff that have been shed in the past that should have been retained. This shows a distinct lack of planning.”
http://www.accountingweb.co.uk/article/hmrc-commits-call-centre-investment/530413#comment-572118