SIA online licensing system survey

The SIA commissioned IFF Research to measure customer satisfaction of the online licensing service, which was introduced in July 2016. The survey, which took place from May to July of 2018, covered both employers and individual licence applicants. The aim of the survey was to evaluate the customer experience with a view to improving the service.

Interim CEO of the SIA Dave Humphries said, “We are committed to listening to our customers and acting on their concerns. We are delighted that a majority of our customers view the SIA positively, and that they are happy with our online licensing process. However, we acknowledge that not all customers are satisfied, and are working hard to ensure that applicants who fit the criteria receive an SIA licence in a timely fashion.”

The survey also found that there has been a significant rise in satisfaction from employers since the previous survey, which took place in 2017. Businesses were on average 57 percent more satisfied with the application process than in the previous year, and 23 percent more favourable towards the SIA as an organisation.

Head of customer support Jackie Munn said, "These improved levels of customer satisfaction from businesses are very welcome. They are the result of a lot of hard work within the SIA, not least from our Customer Support team. We have looked carefully at the way that we engage with all our customers, and have tailored our processes to serve them better. We would urge all our customers, whether employers or individuals, to register for an SIA online account. This is the quickest and easiest channel through which to obtain effective support from us. We know that those who are already registered are finding the service invaluable.”

The survey began with a quantitative phase, during which IFF interviewed 1,000 individuals and businesses who had applied for an SIA licence during the two months to 04 April 2018. A qualitative phase then conducted in-depth follow-up interviews with a representative sample of the original cohort.