Gov't call center quality falls, public service scores climb, digital access rises, audit finds

Public service in Israel has seen some improvement, but significant shortcomings persist, particularly in telephone call centers, according to a follow-up report by the State Comptroller's Office. The report examined seven public bodies, including the National Insurance Institute, the Israel Tax Authority, and the Transportation Ministry, comparing current service levels to a previous assessment in November 2024.

While the average weighted score across all bodies increased from 70.8 to 73.9, indicating progress, State Comptroller Matanyahu Englman highlighted that several key agencies still provide service below the average. He emphasized the need for public servants to offer efficient, accessible, and respectful service, noting that about a third of complaints handled by his office annually concern public service.

The Israel Electric Corporation emerged as the top performer, achieving the highest weighted score of 87.7. It excelled in website service (96), call center service (96.7), and in-person service (79.1). Conversely, the Population and Immigration Authority received the lowest overall score for the second consecutive survey, despite a slight improvement from 59.2 to 63.3. Its telephone service scored a mere 38.6, the lowest among all examined bodies, although it did improve from its previous score of 31.4.

The report's weighted score considers service at physical reception centers (50%), website information and services (25%), and telephone call center service (25%). At physical service centers, the average score rose slightly from 70.2 to 70.9. The Israel Electric Corporation and the Transportation Ministry received the best scores for in-person service, while Amidar and the Israel Land Authority had the lowest. The Transportation Ministry, however, experienced a decline in its overall score from 75.6 to 69.5, prompting Englman to call for an internal review due to the drop in its phone service quality.

“

Public servants must provide efficient, accessible, and respectful service to every person, but that the level of service in some bodies was “still far from sufficient,” mainly in call centers.