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GAO-25-107409 [1] (2025-07-08)

handle is hein.gao/pssprtscs0001 and id is 1 raw text is: PASSPORT SERVICES The National Passport Information Center Has Taken Steps to Meet Customer Needs What GAO Found The Department of State's centralized customer service call center, the National Passport Information Center (NPIC), assists customers by answering general questions about passports, providing passport application assistance, and scheduling urgent passport appointments in circumstances such as life-and- death emergencies. NPIC maintains a toll-free telephone number and an email address for customers with passport-related questions. In addition, NPIC has a dedicated telephone line and email address to assist congressional staffers with similar requests on behalf of their constituents. Customers who were randomly selected by NPIC and responded to post-call surveys reported decreasing levels of satisfaction between fiscal year (FY) 2018 and FY 2023. National Passport Information Center (NPIC) Post-Call Survey Respondents' Overall Customer Satisfaction, Fiscal Year 2018 through Fiscal Year 2024 Percentage 100% 90% 87% 88% 80% 79% 70% 63% 60% 55% 40% 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 Fiscal year Survey 1 Survey 2 Source: GAO analysis of American Customer Satisfaction Index survey data from fiscal year 2018 through fiscal year 2023 and National Passport Information Center survey data from fiscal year 2024. 1 GAO-25-107409 Note: The figure includes a break in the data because it combines results from two separate NPIC post-call surveys. NPIC officials identified several factors that affected NPIC's ability to meet customer needs leading up to and during the FY 2023 call surge. These included low staffing capacity, inadequate infrastructure, and misuse of technology systems. Since the FY 2023 call surge, NPIC has taken steps to address the factors that affected call volume needs. Specifically, NPIC increased its customer service representative (call agent) staffing levels from approximately 500 in FY 2020 to about 1,600 in FY 2024, according to GAO's analysis of NPIC data. In addition, NPIC has increased its physical space by adding two new locations in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and Phoenix, Arizona. Further, NPIC has enhanced its technology by adding approximately 7,000 phone lines. Moreover, NPIC call agents are undergoing training to improve their skills in actively listening, displaying empathy, and clearly explaining relevant details and next steps. The data GAO reviewed reflect an improvement in customer response time. In June 2023, the average wait time for callers was approximately 45 minutes; by June 2024, the average wait time for callers had declined to less than a minute. United States Government Accountability Office

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