Customer Service Standards - Department of Education

What standard of service can you expect when you contact the Department of Education?

Department of Education (DE) staff will aim to:

Treat all customers with respect.
Be polite.
Listen.
Be helpful.
Ensure that people take responsibility for handling enquiries.
Be clear and avoid the use of jargon.
Be honest and fair in all our dealings.
Provide an efficient ‘value for money’ service.
Use new technology to improve standards of service.

You can help us to help you by:

Treating DE staff with the same courtesy and respect which you expect.
Providing us with all necessary information when required.

When you contact the Department of Education (DE) by telephone we will:

Respond to all telephone calls in a courteous and professional manner.
Identify ourselves by name on the telephone and answer all telephone calls promptly.
Endeavour to answer all telephone queries immediately; where this is not possible you will be advised as to why a delay is necessary and a reply will be made within one working day.
Provide a text phone facility for those who are hearing-impaired.

For all telephone enquiries:

If you wish to communicate in Irish or Ulster-Scots and the person answering does not speak the language in question, you will be offered the following options for dealing with your call:

continue with the call in English;
write to the Department of Education in the chosen language; or
transfer to voice-mail where you can leave a message in the chosen language.

There are defined voice-mail numbers as follows:-

Irish language voice-mail - Local: 028 9025 8971
Irish language voice-mail -International: +44 (0)28 9025 8971

Ulster-Scots language voice-mail - Local: 028 9025 8924
Ulster-Scots language voice-mail -International: +44 (0)28 9025 8924

If you wish to communicate in another language and the person answering does not speak the language in question, you will be offered the following options for dealing with your call:

continue with the call in English;
write to the Department of Education in the chosen language.

When you contact the Department of Education(DE) in writing - by letter or email- we will:

acknowledge all written communication (received by postal communication or e-mail) within two working days;
provide a written reply to an enquiry/communication within 15 working days. However, if DE cannot provide a definitive response within this timeframe, we will send you an interim reply explaining the reasons for this, and how the matter is to be progressed;
ensure that all correspondence from DE is on official headed paper and include the name, date of reply, and contact details of the person dealing with each particular enquiry;
where translation services are available, respond to correspondence received in Irish, Ulster-Scots or in any language other than English, in that language;
when requested, and in line with departmental policies, supply information, materials and publications in alternative formats and languages, if these are available;
if necessary, where your query cannot be dealt with by DE, transfer your enquiry to another branch or body where it could be handled more effectively, and advise you of the transfer.

When you visit the Department of Education we will ensure that you are:

made to feel welcome and are greeted appropriately by reception staff;
met promptly by a member of staff; and
advised of any safety or security procedures.

We will ensure that our reception area is:

clean and comfortable; and
easily accessible to visitors with disabilities.