Social Security Experience Panels - keeping staff and clients safe: report

Situations that cause frustration or anger when interacting with organisations

Respondents were asked what situations can result in feelings of frustration or anger when interacting with an organisation like Social Security Scotland. The following themes emerged in the responses.

Understanding of a client’s situation

One of the key themes in the responses was staff demonstrating a lack of understanding of the client’s situation.

“If I was talking with an agent and they only reinforced the opinion of the agency without taking into consideration that what they are talking about greatly affects my life, then I would get frustrated”.

“Staff not understanding an emotional/mental health crisis”.

Communication issues

Communication issues with staff was another key theme that emerged from the responses, and within this a range of points were made. The majority of respondents felt that staff not listening to the client properly was another issue that can cause feelings of frustrations or anger.

“The Advisor not listening properly to the client or saying “their hands are tied” or refusing to take a matter further with senior staff”.

“Feeling unheard by member of staff dealing with claim”.

Some of the respondents felt that not understanding what staff say or repeating themselves was frustrating.

“Someone with a strong accent that I’m unable to understand”.

“Poor or slow communication. Repetitions of processes”.

Finally, a few of the respondents mentioned that being told wrong information or use of hard to understand language caused anger/frustration.

“The use of complicated language and misinformation”.

Timing issues

Some respondents felt that timing and delays could cause feelings of frustration. Some of the respondents talked about delays in public transport, being kept waiting on arrival, and time taken overall, as well as challenges of fitting in appointments with care responsibilities.

“Being held up by public transport delays or similar”.

“Being kept waiting by staff for a long time without acknowledgement or explanation”.

“Long distances to travel to appointments”.

“Claimant needing to be home for childcare issues/end of school day (or having to take children with them to social security meeting”.

Venue accessibility

Finally, a couple of respondents had felt that inaccessibility of the venue was another cause of concern. Offices that are hard to reach were mentioned by a couple of respondents as a source of frustration or anger.

“Offices in hard to reach places, not enough parking and not on public transport routes”.