GAD client feedback - April 2022 to March 2023
Published 4 May 2023
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Government Actuary’s foreword
In the Government Actuary’s Department (GAD) we work with clients across government and the public sector applying actuarial expertise across a range of specialisms. We provide financial risk analysis, modelling, quality assurance and advice.
We continue to bring high standards of professionalism and industry sector knowledge. In our work we focus on what’s at the heart of our mission — to improve the stewardship of public sector finances.
Over the past year, we have worked with clients in:
- established areas – public service pensions and contingent liabilities
- developing areas – data analytics and investment insights
- emerging areas – climate risk management and pensions administration support
We share our expertise via reports, articles and blogs across a range of channels. We have also continued to engage with our clients via webinars, roundtable discussions and conferences. This shows both the detail and breadth of the engagement we continue to have with our clients.
Our client survey provides us with crucial feedback and lets us assess how clients view the work we deliver on their behalf. GAD analyses these responses to identify where we are being effective and where we should develop our skills. We use the results to inform how we will work as a business and where we should concentrate our efforts.
The client feedback survey ran throughout the financial year to March 2023. During this time, we sent 201 survey questionnaires to our clients. We received 91 responses, a response rate of 45%.
Recipients were asked how they view our work overall, whether we meet our objectives, and if we provide value for money. You can read more about the survey’s results in this report.
This client feedback survey is central to assessing how we are doing, and the significance of the feedback cannot be overstated. I’d like to thank everyone who responded to the survey.
Alongside that we ran a complementary research project, providing qualitative feedback from 20 in-depth client interviews. Overall, this showed that the quality of GAD’s work remains extremely high, and feedback was overwhelmingly positive.
Once again, I am delighted by the results which reflect the professionalism of our people and the value of our work. To provide feedback or to find out more about the services we offer, please get in touch at enquiries@gad.gov.uk.
Martin Clarke, Government Actuary
Overall
GAD is a client-focused organisation working with government departments and others across the public sector to provide high-quality cost-effective advice.
We are not only able to position ourselves as actuarial consultants but also as partners. Our work with clients offers flexible approaches. We work with them to understand how our actuarial and specialist skills can add value, and to assess the best delivery model for their projects.
Teams continue to work closely with clients in different ways. These integrated approaches include secondments, onsite working, and an in-house team of specialists developing new and bespoke products.
Our absolute priority is providing a high level of service to our clients. We therefore asked how they rate GAD for being highly valued.
The average rating awarded was 4.7 stars, with 86 respondents (95%) awarding 4 or more stars.
Feedback
In this year’s survey, 68 respondents (75%) provided comments. Along with the findings from the in-depth interviews, this gives context to the survey responses.
This feedback is vital as it not only highlights our strengths but shows areas where we should focus our efforts. We take these insights seriously and act on them going forward by using the information to inform our client plans.
We’ve included some sample quotes in this report to illustrate the feedback received.
“GAD service is always excellent and the team we work with are valued colleagues and members of our team. In particular, GAD colleagues’ flexibility with changing commissions is impressive.”
“GAD staff are very professional, helpful and approachable.”
“I’ve been working with GAD for about 5 years, and I have seen a continuous improvement in the service they provide, both one to one as a client, but also the additional information in terms of sharing knowledge.”
GAD’s professionalism was a key theme in the survey comments and was also highlighted through the in-depth interviews. In those interviews, clients were asked which 3 words they’d use to describe GAD. The findings, illustrated below, show that as well as professional, we are most frequently seen as expert, partner and trusted.
We also welcomed the constructive suggestions for improvement. This included requests to provide more training for policy teams and to strengthen our contingency planning. There were also calls for opportunities to further boost engagement and collaboration.
Our service
In GAD we consistently strive to improve both the quality and value of our professional services, and to enhance those services through new ideas and innovation. We’re also committed to providing a high-quality service that is:
- on time
- to budget
- within scope
- clearly communicated
- overall value for money
Our survey asked clients to rate our ability to meet these requirements, using a scale from ‘never’ to ‘always’.
Percentage of clients who rate our service as
| Service | Percentage agreeing % |
|---|---|
| On time | 100 |
| To budget | 96 |
| Within scope | 100 |
| Clearly communicated | 93 |
| Overall value for money | 94 |
The percentage agreeing refers to those who answered ‘always’ or ‘mostly’. Some 94% considered that overall, GAD’s service offers value for money.
In response to previous feedback, we sought to strengthen the governance of project management. We are pleased this has been reflected in the ratings and comments. This will remain a focus for us in the year ahead, as we recognise delivering value for money is crucial.
Several clients provided additional comments on our service.
“Able to break down advice into simple terms with practical examples which is helpful for anyone without an insurance background. A willingness to support and help has been very helpful to us.”
“Very responsive, helpful, clear (ie, explain technical detail in non-technical terms), and timely.”
“Great communication and ability to adapt to the reactive workspace and ever-changing deadlines.”
Our strategic objectives
The GAD 2025 Strategy details our mission, vision and values. For our clients, these objectives include being:
- collaborative – partnering effectively with our clients to understand and address their needs
- innovative – continually finding new ways to improve the service we provide
- thought leaders – introducing ideas, hosting events and publishing relevant articles
We therefore asked our clients to rate how we demonstrate these values, using a scale from ‘never’ to ‘always’.
Percentage of clients who believe we demonstrate
| Demonstrate | Percentage agreeing |
|---|---|
| Collaboration | 100 |
| Innovation | 80 |
| Thought Leadership | 83 |
Respondents rated us most highly for collaboration, with 81% saying we always demonstrate this value. This is supported by the more detailed feedback, with GAD increasingly described as a strategic partner.
In contrast, our lowest score was for innovation, with 39% agreeing we always demonstrate this. The in-depth interviews have helped us to understand that some clients are wary of innovation and prefer a more risk averse approach. Examples of innovation mentioned include the pensions models we developed and improvements in the way we communicate our insights.
On thought leadership, there was limited awareness of our events and an appetite for us to do more. So, we’ll endeavour to work harder to raise our profile with all our clients.
“GAD have really thought about: how can we engage that audience. I’ve seen over time how that process has evolved.”
“GAD is always ahead of the game when it comes to providing information and briefings on the various pension issues as they occur.”
“They go beyond just doing the numbers and become strategic in the way they can within that relationship… and it does feel like a partnership, that’s what matters the most to us.”