Customer service standards

Standard of service

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

Telephone

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
• use a text phone relay service for those who are hearing impaired

If you begin the conversation in Irish, Ulster Scots or another language, and the person you are speaking to is not able to respond in that language, they will offer the following options:

• to continue the call in English;
• to write to us in the other language; or
• in the case of Irish or Ulster Scots, to transfer you to our voicemail where you can leave a message.

Letter or email

When you contact the Department of Education 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 (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)
• when requested, and in line with departmental policies, supply information, materials and publications in alternative formats and languages, where reasonably practicable to do so

In person

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

Contacts

For a list of contacts relevant to the Department of Education, visit the contacts section of the Department of Education site.