DVLNI answering service not answering customer’s needs says Wilson
“My office staff rang the DVLNI County Hall Ballymena on behalf of a constituent who had difficulty getting through to the department to enquire about the whereabouts of his driving licence,” says South Antrim Ulster Unionist MLA, Jim Wilson.
“Over a period of 3 days my staff tried to get through to someone to make enquiries on the constituent’s behalf but were unable to speak to anyone other than the switchboard as the telephone number of the Vehicle Licencing Department was constantly engaged. Upon making enquiries from the switchboard re the difficulty getting through to the department my staff were told that “no-one answers the phones in the Vehicle Licencing Department at the end of the month, they are too busy at the counters”. Upon questioning this my staff were told that this was common practice at the end of the month in all DVLNI offices.
“My constituent applied six weeks ago to have his licence renewed. He sent along his passport and old licence, which were returned to him, but he is still waiting to receive the new licence. Three weeks ago he was told by the department that they had posted out the new licence but it turned out they had sent it to the wrong address. The occupiers of the “wrong address” returned the licence to the DVLNI who in turn, they say, sent the licence out to the correct address. To date it has not turned up.
“The answering service attempts to address frequently asked questions, however this is a case that requires a rather more personal touch. As an elected representative I in turn am referred to the same answering machine. If DVLNI know - and they have admitted it - that they are busier at the end of the month why have they not put the necessary measure in place to cope with this and maintain an acceptable level of customer service?