The end of long phone calls and endless paperwork for government services in the UK
Long phone queues, repeated form-filling, and endless paperwork will be eliminated as technology is leveraged to transform public services, modernise government, and accelerate national renewal across the UK.
CustomerFirst is a new unit within the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT), led by Tristan Thomas, formerly of Monzo, with Greg Jackson, CEO of Octopus Energy, as first co-chair.
Bringing together the best civil service operators alongside leading private sector disruptors and transformation specialists, it will test innovative ways to tackle delays and frustrations by partnering with departments to rewire the government services on which millions rely.
CustomerFirst will look to build services that make use of AI and modern solutions to mirror excellent customer services in the best of the private sector – from modern banking and online shopping to utilities. At energy firm Octopus, for example, generative AI tools assist in drafting 35% of all customer emails, slashing wait times and receiving customer satisfaction ratings of 70%.
CustomerFirst will help the hardworking employees delivering services, not just end customers – ensuring dedicated customer service staff have the right tools to do their job well.
It will also deliver savings for taxpayers through end‑to‑end reform and smarter use of technology by departments. There is a potential £4 billion saving from moving service processing online, rather than by phone, post or in person.
“Too often people are put off from interacting with the services they need by the frustration that comes with waiting on hold, filling in endless forms, and jumping through hoop after hoop,” said Minister for Digital Government Ian Murray.
“A culture of ‘computer says no’ is not good enough, and this Roadmap sets out the wide range of brilliant work happening across government to improve public services and citizens’ interaction with them.”
The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) will be the first to partner with CustomerFirst. The team will think radically about how DVLA handles the millions of customer interactions each year on driving licences, vehicle registration, and other motoring services.
This will make life easier for motorists by deploying technology on the front lines of customer service, much like how government AI tools like Caddy are already helping contact-centre teams give faster, more accurate support.
