Report summary: Evaluation of the Consumer Services Centre
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Cat. No. FC5-91/1-2024E-PDF (Electronic PDF, English)
ISBN 978-0-660-72889-6
© His Majesty the King in Right of Canada, as represented by the Minister of Finance Canada, July 2024.
Aussi disponible en français sous le titre : Résumé du rapport : Évaluation du Centre des services aux consommateurs
About the CSC
- Established in 2011, the CSC helps carry out the Agency’s consumer protection mandate.
- The CSC receives complaints and enquiries about federally regulated financial entities and provides information to consumers about financial products.
- In 2022–2023, FCAC received 13,094 contacts directly from consumers, including 6,294 complaints of which 201 were related to consumer protection measures that FCAC oversees.
About the evaluation
The evaluation was conducted by Performance Solutions Inc. with the following guidelines:
- Assessment period: February to November 2023.
- Objective: to assess the CSC’s current role and function, and to identify opportunities to advance its optimal role to support consumers and contribute to FCAC’s strategic goals.
- Limitations: the evaluator was unable to directly compare the CSC’s performance against similar contact centres in other government departments.
Methodology
- A multiple lines of evidence approach (qualitative and quantitative) was taken to gather internal and external perspectives on the CSC.
- Information was collected via:
- document and data review
- literature review
- interviews with key informants
- consumer satisfaction survey
- case study of 4 similar contact centres
Recommendations and Financial Consumer Agency of Canada's response
Recommendation
Provide regular class-based training on call centre etiquette for current and new employees.
FCAC’s response
Partially agree – In 2024–2025, FCAC will begin to develop a comprehensive training plan and program, but the Agency may or may not leverage existing training used by similar call or contact centres, as this will depend on the content and relevance of their program.
Recommendation
Revisit training manuals in consultation with CSC employees and the four contact centres that participated in the evaluation case study.
FCAC’s response
Partially agree – In 2024–2025, FCAC will begin to update training manuals and templated responses to consumer queries, but the Agency may or may not engage similar contact centres.
Recommendation
Establish regular internal monthly briefings to review core legislation (e.g. Bank Act) and regulation, key priorities and current challenges and risks.
FCAC’s response
Partially agree – In 2024–2025, FCAC agrees to establish formal meetings between the CSC and operational branches, but the timing may not be monthly.
Recommendation
Establish a data analytics function in the CSC.
FCAC’s response
Partially agree – In 2024–2025, FCAC will revise its digital and data strategy to better leverage data to support decision making, including clarifying roles and responsibilities for analyzing CSC data to support Agency outcomes. However, the data analytics function may or may not be located within the CSC.
Recommendation
Establish a data management roundtable comprised of data trustees and other key internal stakeholders.
FCAC’s response
Disagree – A digital and data governance council and a data steward network made up of key internal stakeholders exists at FCAC. Moving forward, and along with the the Agency's revised digital and data strategy, these fora will help to clarify roles and responsibilities and take action on priority initiatives, including those related to leveraging data from the CSC to support Agency outcomes.
Recommendation
Develop an internal information and data sharing framework or plan based on the results of the data management roundtable.
FCAC’s response
Disagree – Information and data sharing processes are documented as part of the data asset inventory, including those that apply to data from the CSC.
Recommendation
Consider a facilitated workshop or retreat to articulate the CSC’s mandate and strategic outcomes.
FCAC’s response
Agree – In 2024–2025, FCAC will facilitate an internal retreat.
Recommendation
Develop a Performance Information Profile (PIP) as a tool to articulate the CSC performance story including strategic outcomes and key performance indicators.
FCAC’s response
Disagree – Performance Information Profiles (PIP) are developed as part of a Departmental Results Framework (DRF) program inventory. The CSC is not a program in FCAC's DRF. However, the CSC's performance story is currently articulated in the Agency's annual report (in the legislated reporting requirements section on complaints) and in GC Infobase (under Services – Complaints Handling and Enquiry).
Recommendation
Report on one or more of the PIP key performance indicators in Agency business planning.
FCAC’s response
Disagree – Performance Information Profiles (PIP) are developed as part of a Departmental Results Framework (DRF) program inventory. The CSC is not a program in FCAC's DRF. However, the CSC's performance story is currently articulated in the Agency's annual report (in the legislated reporting requirements section on complaints) and in GC Infobase (under Services – Complaints Handling and Enquiry).
Recommendation
Both CSC and FCAC external communications should clearly articulate the scope and mandate of the contact centre and its limitations.
FCAC’s response
Agree – In 2024–2025, FCAC will begin to review its external content to update and clarify the CSC’s scope and role and will leverage external communications to enhance understanding of the CSC's – and FCAC’s – mandate.
Recommendation
The client satisfaction survey should be repeated, and the current data should be used as a baseline to assess improvements.
FCAC’s response
Partially agree – In 2024–2025, FCAC will develop a plan to regularly measure client satisfaction and determine what tool and indicators are most appropriate. The Agency may or may not use the current survey data as a baseline. The Agency plans to launch the first survey in 2024–2025.
Recommendation
Develop and implement service efficiency performance indicators as part of the Performance Information Profile (PIP) including cost per full-time equivalent, cost per call and volume of calls per full-time equivalent.
FCAC’s response
Partially agree – FCAC disagrees with developing a Performance Information Profile (see response to recommendation 8). The Agency agrees with developing and implementing key performance indicators but may or may not implement those suggested in the recommendation. In 2024–2025, the Agency will develop and implement additional key performance indicators and digital initiatives to enable improved monitoring of the CSC's performance metrics.
Recommendation
As part of the implementation of the FCAC Data and Analytics Strategy, ensure that where appropriate there is a common vocabulary and data sets in the Case Management System that can be shared between FCAC’s internal branches.
FCAC’s response
Disagree – FCAC has developed a common business glossary to ensure consistent vocabulary for data, and CSC data sets are available to internal stakeholders through enterprise digital and data tools.
Recommendation
Undertake an efficiency review of the volume of Commissioner correspondence.
FCAC’s response
Agree – In 2024–2025, FCAC will conduct a review of the Commissioner's consumer correspondence.
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