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1 800 O-Canada
Service Standards
We use the following performance indicators  to measure our progress against our service level goals.
Efficiency
We ensure efficiency in our service by monitoring the following performance indicators:
- Average call length for individual information officers
- Average call length for all information officers
- Queue activities
We measure these indicators regularly and report on them annually.
The information officers are trained to be efficient, yet thorough. We encourage them to take the time they need to respond accurately and completely to an enquiry.
Although we do monitor the average call length of the information officers, we only use these calculations as a means of gauging their performance, efficiency and effectiveness.
Accessibility
The information officers are available to answer enquiries about Government of Canada programs, services, events and new initiatives from Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., Eastern time. We are closed on statutory holidays.
We ensure the accessibility of our service by monitoring the following performance indicators:
- 95% of all attempts to reach the service will be successful
- 85% of our callers will speak with an information officer within three rings
We measure these indicators regularly and report on them annually.
Courtesy
We ensure the courtesy of our service by coaching the information officers and by having them participate in customer service workshops.
The supervisors regularly listen to information officers as they provide information over the telephone. In so doing, the supervisors can give them immediate feedback on their performance. Their areas of strength can be discussed and any potential problems can be dealt with on the spot. We do not record calls.
Through our bilingual greeting, the information officers actively offer callers the chance to choose either French or English as their language of service.
Responsiveness
We ensure the responsiveness of our service by monitoring our various response times:
- We respond to callbacks within one Canadian business day. In some circumstances – such as complex enquiries – we may have to tell a caller that we need more time to perform the necessary research.
We consult with our callers every year through a client satisfaction survey to ensure the service responds to their needs and meets their expectations. We then use the results of our survey to enhance and improve 1 800 O-Canada service.
Accuracy
We give the information officers the training, coaching and tools they need to perform their work. We then use our practice of regularly listening to information officers as they provide the information to ensure the accuracy of our service.
We encourage the information officers to probe callers by asking pertinent and specific questions about their enquiry. In so doing, the information officers are able to provide a more accurate response.
Information in the extensive database used by the information officers is updated daily to ensure its accuracy. Our researchers, writers, and editors in the Information Management Centre regularly update and expand this information by working with a network of government contacts across the country and by monitoring current events and changes in program delivery.
Privacy
The following policies protect the privacy of our callers:
- 1 800 O-Canada information officers do not collect specific personal information from callers, such as their name, address or telephone number. Information officers only obtain personal information from a caller if he or she requests a callback or orders a publication.
- We do not use the call display function.
- We do not record calls.
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