Rural Payments and Inspections Division (RPID): customer satisfaction survey 2021
The RPID customer satisfaction survey was held throughout August and the first week of September and all RPID Single Application Form customers were included. The survey was entirely online and 2147 (14%) of customers completed the survey.
What RPID does well and what it could improve on
What RPID does well
Over two in five (43%) customers reported something that RPID does well in terms of its services.
The most common of these overarching themes, reflecting findings presented earlier in the report, related to staff (51% of those who commented). Customers variously reported their experiences with helpful staff (35%), friendly staff (12%), knowledgeable staff (8%) and professional staff (5%).
The second-most common theme related to communications and information (31%). These customers felt RPID did one or more of the following well:
- The quality of information and advice provided (19%);
- The speed at which RPID responded to queries and communicated with customers (10%); and
- The phone line (e.g., availability) (6%).
Please note this chart only shows a summary of the key themes emerging from this open-ended question. The full analysis is provided on the next slide.
Q24. Overall, what, if anything, does RPID do well in terms of its services? Base (all who provided a response): 930
| What RPID does well | % |
|---|---|
| Net: Staff | 51% |
| Helpful staff | 35% |
| Praise for local office | 19% |
| Friendly staff | 12% |
| Knowledgeable staff | 8% |
| Professional staff | 5% |
| Net: Communications/info | 31% |
| Good info/advice | 11% |
| Quick replies/efficient comms | 10% |
| Phone calls | 6% |
| Website – general | 4% |
| Face-to face meetings | 3% |
| Easy to contact | 2% |
| Help for non-tech savvy | 1% |
| Email correspondence | 1% |
| Email alerts | 1% |
| Net: Applications | 10% |
| Help with forms/applications | 6% |
| Website - applications process | 3% |
| Applications process - other/general | 2% |
| Net: Payments | 8% |
| Payments - on time | 5% |
| Payments - general positive comment | 3% |
| NET: Other positive comments | 11% |
| Other general positive comment | 10% |
| Inspections – positive | 1% |
| Some offices better than others | 1% |
| Base (all who commented) | 930 |
Q24. Overall, what, if anything, does RPID do well in terms of its services? Base (all who provided a response): 930
What RPID does well (example quotes)
"Have local officers who understand local needs and market conditions and give up to date local info."
"I have always found staff to be very helpful whether on the phone or, before Covid, face to face."
"Without the assistance of the local RPID representatives I doubt very much if my SAF and any other applications would be completed successfully online. I would also point out that the local team are very supportive and understanding of how difficult these computer-generated forms can be for the older generation."
"Telephone contact usually good but setting up a password to access my account virtually impossible for someone my age."
"Good info on web site. If I need to speak to someone directly, I can usually get all the info I need with just one phone call."
"RPID is an extremely efficient and helpful online site to find your way around. We are a family of 4 individual crofters, who check out this site regularly and find it extremely helpful with form filling and the information it contains regarding grants available and environmental issues."
"RPID have now provided an excellent portal for farmers to complete applications online and receive communication back regarding queries or progress of their application. The online mapping tool has been an absolute godsend for any farmers changing boundaries and measuring field sizes. Thank you for providing us with this facility. The system for uploading maps of greening areas onto my SAF application works very well and is easy to use."
Raw data including verbatim quotes provided under separate cover
What RPID could improve on
Half (49%) of customers reported something that RPID could improve on.
The most common of these overarching themes, reflecting findings presented earlier in the report, related to advice (24% of those who commented) or forms and paperwork (23%).
Under the theme of advice, customers chiefly wanted:
- Clearer advice and information relating to the SAF and rural grants/issues more broadly (11%); and
- Advice on their eligibility for funding (10%).
Under the theme of forms and paperwork, customers referred to two things:
- Making applications easier to fill in (16%); and
- Reducing the amount of paperwork they needed to complete (9%).
Other commonly mentioned themes related to support from RPID and funding issues.
Please note this chart only shows a summary of the key themes emerging from this open-ended question. The full analysis is provided on the next slide.
Q25. And how, if at all, do you think RPID could improve its services? Base (all who provided a response): 1,049
| What RPID could improve on | % |
|---|---|
| Net: Advice | 24% |
| Clearer advice/info | 11% |
| Advice – eligibility/available funds | 10% |
| Advice – forms/deadlines | 3% |
| Advice – climate/environment | 2% |
| Advice – other topics | 2% |
| Net: Forms/paperwork | 23% |
| Applications – easier/simpler | 16% |
| Reduce paperwork/bureaucracy | 9% |
| Net: Support | 17% |
| Faster replies/efficient communication | 7% |
| Local offices/face-to-face contact | 6% |
| Offline communication options | 4% |
| Support for non-tech savvy | 2% |
| Net: Funding | 17% |
| Funding – notifications/explanations | 9% |
| Funding faster/on time | 4% |
| Issues re: What is funded | 2% |
| Funding – fairness | 2% |
| Net: Technical | 16% |
| Website functionality/compatibility | 12% |
| Better emails (more informative) | 3% |
| IT issues – other | 2% |
| Net: Staff | 14% |
| Staff – knowledge/training/competence | 6% |
| Staff – availability/numbers | 5% |
| Staff – attitude | 2% |
| Staff – better leadership/more accountability | 2% |
| Net: Rules | 10% |
| Forgiveness/less punitive/more trusting | 6% |
| Flexibility around rules | 3% |
| Rules – consistency/stability | 2% |
| Stricter enforcement of rules | 1% |
| Net: Attitude | 10% |
| Consider smaller farmers/crofts | 5% |
| Respect for farmers | 3% |
| Listening/dialogue | 3% |
| Net: Inspections | 6% |
| Mapping/boundary issues | 4% |
| Inspections – onsite issues | 1% |
| Inspections – timings/convenience | 1% |
| Inspections – fewer | <1% |
| Base (all who commented) | 1,049 |
Q25. And how, if at all, do you think RPID could improve its services? Base (all who provided a response): 1,049
What RPID could improve on (example quotes)
"Assuming Covid and the associated restrictions continue, another telephone line with somebody to operate it who is as knowledgeable as the current staff are would be a help at peak times."
"Listen more to feedback; improve RP&S interface; provide a portal for all correspondence, including remittance advices and calculations for all payments made."
"Website and all forms etc. need to be re-written and simplified. They need to be clear and concise and user friendly. Use words not acronyms. Use far fewer words."
"Less jargon user friendly process most of the farmers in my neighbourhood are over 60. There's no way the can do SAF themselves - just issue us an award based on your own surveys - most payment schemes will rarely change but every year you go through hoops for jargon not easy to understood especially as anything with computers for many is scary."
"Clear, legible easy to understand instructions. Please."
"More time to assist with new entrants this is why only farmers' sons are in this industry… people from no farming parents don't know how to fill these forms in and get denied all grants."
"Making a more user friendly form Have webinars where you can book in for a real person to show you how to complete a form Have a webinar for different types of computer illiterate people . Agents who simply fill in forms for lots of people will be well used to the terms etc but a farmer who only sees a form once a year has to remind themselves how to do it first."
"Be proactive with all grant applications and try and move away from being seen as trying to hinder crofting development through excessive paperwork."
Raw data including verbatim quotes provided under separate cover
Contact
Email: marcus.mackenzie@gov.scot
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