Revenue Customer Surveys

Revenue, the Irish Tax and Customs administration, has conducted annual customer surveys over the past decade to better understand taxpayer behaviour, customers’ expectations of Revenue and their satisfaction with the service provided. The surveys are designed to focus responses on day to day interactions and dealings with Revenue, rather than perceptions or issues around tax policy matters.

The surveys focus on a different customer group each year given the diversity of the customer base. These include Small/Medium sized Enterprises (SMEs) 2006, 2008, 2013, 2017, 2020 (postponed to early 2021); PAYE taxpayers 2007, 2009-10, 2015; Tax agents 2016; Chargeable persons with low incomes 2018 and Employers 2019. The survey responses are used for research purposes only and are treated confidentially, and the methodology and results are open and transparent. Detailed reports on design, questions and responses for each survey are published on the Revenue website. Results are compared to independent surveys in Ireland or internationally to benchmark and validate the results.

The survey responses show plenty of suggestions for improvements but results overall are very positive in their views of Revenue’s customer service satisfaction.

Some key results from the most recent surveys show that:
• 95% of SMEs, 95% of tax agents and 91% of PAYE taxpayers are satisfied with the overall service they receive from Revenue;
• 85% of PAYE taxpayers strongly agree, agree or somewhat agree that Revenue carries out the administration of the tax system fairly;
• 96% of agents strongly agree, agree or somewhat agree that Revenue deals with their clients fairly

The feedback received from the customer groups is considered when initiating any service changes/improvements. Revenue has also on occasion assembled focus groups from the survey responders to probe particular issues or themes in greater detail.

The Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (DPER) hired independent market research companies to conduct a series of surveys of Civil Service customers, in which Revenue features highly as they are one of the most contacted Government Departments or Offices. While the surveys are not directly comparable to Revenue surveys, they show broadly the same results as outlined above and offer confirmation of the accuracy of the Revenue survey findings from an independent source.