CH600440 - The One to Many Approach: implementing a one to many approach: handling responses

You will need to put in place and agree processes with your stakeholders to make sure HMRC can handle those customers who contact us in response to your OTM approach.

This will include stakeholders wider than CCG such as Customer Services Group and Debt Management.

Your message may or may not be designed to provoke an immediate response from the customer. Even if it isn’t intended to encourage the customer to contact us, it’s likely that some customers will do so. This may be to ask questions to help them act, to make changes to their return, or to ask questions about why the message was sent to them.

If your message is by letter, the letter issuer may be able to deal with customer calls. In some circumstances your activity will prompt customers to contact HMRC helplines, increasing the number of calls they will receive.

If you are expecting responses you should advise those potentially impacted in advance of how many calls they might expect, and how to respond to them. You need to make sure call handlers are equipped with a document setting out ‘lines to take’, giving the answers to possible questions. If you are seeking a particular response, you may need to provide a script.

If you are expecting your message to leave your customers with an extra tax liability you should work with Debt Management to ensure they are aware of any potential impact or any special treatments that may need to be applied such as time to pay arrangements.

You may also need to keep HMRC’s Press Office informed of any planned OTM approach and the date it will be launched. They may ask you to produce lines to take in response to media questions. HMRC Communications may be able to help you with this.

The above areas will have representatives within the OTM Design Community and you should approach them if you identify you need help.

As a result of your OTM approach, the customer may voluntarily provide additional information. You must ensure there is a clear process in place for HMRC to deal with this information if it is submitted. This process will depend on how you are running your approach.