GAD client feedback - April 2023 to March 2024
Published 25 April 2024
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Government Actuary’s introduction
I am pleased to introduce the results of our latest client survey. Overall, 98% of respondents rate the Government Actuary’s Department (GAD) 4 or more stars for being highly valued.
At GAD we partner with government and public sector clients by applying specialised actuarial knowledge in diverse areas. Our services include, but are not limited to, financial risk analysis, modelling, quality assurance and advisory support.
We uphold rigorous standards of professionalism and industry expertise, driven by our core mission to enhance the management of public sector finances. Over the past year, we’ve applied our expertise in:
- established domains such as public service pensions and quality assurance
- evolving sectors like data analytics and pensions administration support
- emerging fields including climate risk management and development of the use of artificial intelligence (AI)
We publish our insights through reports, articles and blogs. Additionally, we foster ongoing dialogue with clients through webinars, roundtable discussions and conferences, showcasing the depth and breadth of our collaboration.
Crucial feedback from our client survey informs our continuous improvement efforts. This report reviews the feedback received over the past financial year. Analysing responses allows us to:
- gauge our effectiveness
- identify areas for skill enhancement
- tailor our business strategies accordingly
The majority of survey responses for our service were highly positive. This is a testament to the dedication and expertise of people in GAD. I am particularly pleased to see the increase in the score for innovation, recognising the activity to enhance the way we work with clients and the application of modern tools and analysis techniques.
The survey evaluates overall satisfaction, goal attainment and value for money perception, with detailed results available in this report. This feedback mechanism is integral to our performance assessment, and we sincerely appreciate the participation of our clients.
Along with the survey, we commissioned qualitative research through in-depth client interviews with 19 clients and received positive feedback and further insights for consideration and action.
Looking ahead to this coming financial year, I want to see us continue to embed innovation and the appropriate use of AI will be key. As an organisation we will also look to invest in our abilities and our people by investing in leadership, technical and client engagement skills.
Overall, these outcomes underscore the professionalism of GAD and the value we deliver. For enquiries or further information about our services, please contact us at enquiries@gad.gov.uk.
Fiona Dunsire, Government Actuary
Overview
GAD is a client-focussed organisation working with government departments and others across the public sector by providing high-quality cost-effective advice.
This report reviews the feedback received over the past financial year. We invited 257 clients to complete our survey and received 99 responses, a response rate of 39%. The infographic below provides a visual summary of the feedback discussed throughout this report. The percentage ratings are for scores of ‘mostly’ or ‘always’ for the relevant area.
We work with clients to understand their issues and determine how our skills can best support them deliver a solution. We offer several ways of working together, including secondments, onsite working and our in-house team of specialists developing new and bespoke solutions.
We pride ourselves on providing a high level of service to our clients, so we asked how they rate GAD for being highly valued. The results indicate that overall, respondents rated us 4.7 stars out of a maximum of 5 for being highly valued, with some 98% awarding us 4 or more stars.
As well as awarding quantitative ratings, some 80 respondents (81%) provided comments. Along with the findings from the in-depth interviews, these opinions give us context to the views held by clients about GAD. The comments and feedback from clients are invaluable to illustrate where we should develop our efforts. We take these insights seriously and use the information to inform future plans.
Our service
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 committed to providing a high‑quality service that is:
- on time
- to budget
- within scope
- clearly communicated
- value for money
Our survey asked clients to rate our ability to meet these requirements, using a scale from ‘never’ to ‘always’ with the results as follows:
Percentage of clients who rate our service as
| Service | Percentage agreeing % |
|---|---|
| On time | 96% |
| To budget | 94% |
| Within scope | 100% |
| Clearly communicated | 96% |
| Value for money | 99% |
The percentage agreeing refers to those who replied with ‘always’ or ‘mostly’. Some 99% considered that overall, GAD’s service offers value for money.
We received comments from clients on our service:
“Our client team are always prompt, deliver data as and when required, attend meetings as and when we request, are clear in their explanations and provide a great service to our team.”
“GAD is our trusted adviser.”
“Always very helpful and prompt service and everything is explained so that the lay person can understand.”
“Advice is always timely, professional and unbiased.”
Strategic objectives
The GAD 2025 Strategy details our mission, vision and values. For our clients, these objectives include being:
- collaborative - partnering effectively with clients to understand and address their needs
- innovative - continually developing and improving the service we provide
- thought leaders - introducing ideas, hosting events and publishing relevant articles
We asked our clients to rate how we demonstrate these values, using a scale from ‘never’ to ‘always’ with the results as follows:
Percentage of clients who believe we demonstrate
| Service | Percentage agreeing % |
|---|---|
| Collaboration | 97% |
| Innovation | 88% |
| Thought leadership | 84% |
When it comes to collaboration, the in-depth interviews revealed that GAD is an integrated part of the client’s team; trusted and valued.
The most significant improvement this time has been for innovation, although we recognise there’s scope to do more. Clients said that GAD brings new thinking to the table, is open to testing things and to developing new models. Innovation can also include new ways to communicate our findings and process improvements in the way we work.
There was a general awareness of our thought leadership role, and clients found our bulletins especially helpful. However, this is our lowest score, so we will use the feedback to build on developing our approach in this area.
We received comments from clients around our strategic objectives. The majority of clients recognise and appreciate the significance of our work with them. We are grateful for their observations around challenge and strategic thinking as these are key parts of behaviours we are aiming for where appropriate.
“Actuaries are knowledgeable, have good availability and are proactive in raising awareness on cross-cutting issues, suggesting improvements and sharing experience across the public service.”
“I’d encourage more challenge (from GAD) in a critical friend or adviser role.”
“GAD should continue to build good relationships through quarterly strategy meetings and responsive work to tight deadlines.”
“The knowledge and experience of the GAD advisers and the advice that they provide is excellent.”
“I like the collaborative way of working demonstrated when designing and developing the Remedy Benefits Illustrator.”
“GAD is authoritative, independent and professional – adds credibility.”
“Engagement is nailed, perfect in every way.”
“GAD could help us take a ‘step back’ more often I think, to assess both the materiality and cumulative impact of decisions we are making, as we make them.”
Listening to clients
Following in-depth interviews, clients spoke about GAD’s ways of working. Comments included feedback saying GAD is always accessible and that clients value both face-to-face contact and virtual meetings. Clients were pleased with the partnership approach.
In the in-depth interviews, clients were asked which key words they would use to describe GAD. The findings, illustrated below, show that as well as professional, the other stand-out qualities include quality, partnership, technical, trusted and reliable.
We also welcome the constructive suggestions for improvement. This included requests to:
- provide more costed examples of work
- share materials and examples about our services
Although we can point to improvements across a wide range of objectives and attributes, the scores and comments also indicate where we should concentrate our efforts. Overall, the feedback exercises offer detailed sources of information, reaction and assessment. They illustrate where we are doing well, both for and with our clients.