📋 Tender Overview
Call handlers and agents are there to support and guide users who may have questions or need information about their court or tribunal case, delivering improved access to justice. Service Centres are one of the three pillars of our National Services, the other two being the National Business Centres (NBCs) and Enforcement, both of which existed pre-reform.
Before 2019, it was the responsibility of individual courts and tribunals teams to handle case queries and administrative tasks, using mainly paper-based processes. This meant:
service delivery was inconsistent, as processes varied between courts and tribunals
processes were often inefficient and less flexible
there was an increased risk of error
users could not self-serve or have visibility of their case
users incurred costs related to postage and travel
Benefits of a centralised service
Service Centres have brought significant change to the way we deliver justice and are a truly national resource. By having everyone involved in delivering a service centrally located, and using a single system, an issue can be identified, addressed and resolved far more quickly and efficiently, without the need to send information and instructions across multiple locations.
The benefits of this are:
faster processing times
consistent service delivery across all locations
users and legal professionals have a single point of contact
greater flexibility to meet peaks in demand
multi-skilled teams are able to handle various tasks across the services
court-based staff can focus on addressing local issues across our estate
Our digital transformation
The move from paper-based to digital processes in many of our services has fundamentally changed how justice is administered.
Benefits of the digital service include:
real-time case visibility for users through online self-service options
reduced paper usage, postage and storage costs
service agents work from a single platform, improving efficiency and accuracy
instant access to case histories
quicker feedback and case outcomes for users
legal professionals can manage their applications at any time and from any device
We are aware that some users need additional support when using digital our services. That is why we:
offer our Digital Support Service, delivered by the We Are Group.
still accept paper-based applications
offer a range of contact methods to suit user preferences, including a webchat in certain services and traditional telephone support.
During 2024, Service Centres and National Business Centres handled over 2.8 million telephone calls. Service Centres received over 519,000 emails and replied to over 25,000 webchat messages (divorce and probate only) from the people who use our courts and tribunals, providing direct support to members of the public, professional users, members of the media, and many others.
These calls were dealt with in an average handling time of just over 14 minutes.
Contact management systems (the way we receive and handle calls, emails and webchat from our users) have changed significantly, with new technology meaning we:
can respond more effectively to demand
have better tools when handling enquiries such as knowledge articles and standard operating procedures on hand
can better understand reasons for contact
have rich data on demand, including types of interaction with users, wait times and service performance
Over 73% of users who completed the post-call survey about their telephony contact in 2024 were satisfied with their call. While feedback on their contact has been positive:
Your staff were professional, polite, compassionate, empathetic and showed good listening abilities. They addressed my concerns and queries efficiently and effectively. Great service in emotionally trying times.
Very helpful, polite and answered my questions and gave all the information needed very clearly and concisely.
