ETCB changes the network of service bureaus

"Last year's visitation numbers of the ETCB’s service bureaus showed that there were numerous days during the time after the submission period of the natural persons’ income tax return, from May to January, when no customers attended some of the ETCB’s service bureaus," said Raigo Uukkivi, Director General of the Estonian Tax and Customs Board. "People are increasingly using ETCB’s e-channels and satisfaction with ETCB’s e-services is very high. Today, we have reached a situation where, due to lack of demand, we can make the decision to abandon the service that people no longer need in the current volume and the maintenance of which is an unreasonable monthly cost to the taxpayer.”

The analysis carried out in spring by the ETCB’s Service Department stated that the service bureaus with the lowest number of visits are in Kärdla, Haapsalu, Põlva, Rapla, Paide and Jõgeva. On average, 2.76 customers per day visit these bureaus for nine months of the year, which is 0.86 customers per consultant. During the three months of the year, when natural persons’ income tax returns are submitted from February to the end of April, an average of 12.28 clients per day, i.e., about 3.82 per consultant, attend these bureaus. The volume of customer service has also decreased in the Kuressaare, Valga, Rakvere, Viljandi and Võru bureaus.

"Depending on the number of visits of a service bureau, customer segment, location and the possibility of moving to the local State House, we have tried to find a suitable solution for each bureau and its visitors," said Uukkivi.

After the next period of submission of the income tax returns ends in May 2024, customer service will be stopped for nine months in the Kärdla, Jõgeva and Rapla bureaus. The ETCB will again provide face-to-face customer service for the income tax return submission period when people need more counselling. Although the number of income tax returns submitted on paper has decreased to 3% of the whole number of tax returns, the ETCB ensures face-to-face service in the State Houses during the income tax return submission period as long as there is demand for it.

People who have visited the Põlva bureau will be directed to the Võru or Tartu bureau for counselling. The opening hours of the service bureaus in Paide, Haapsalu, Kuressaare, Valga, Rakvere, Viljandi and Võru will be reduced, and these bureaus will be open three days a week from May 2024.

The average attendance of ETCB’s service bureaus over the past three years has dropped by 34% compared to the previous four-year period, and attendance has not recovered even after the closure due to COVID-19. People mainly use the services of ETCB’s e-channels or information phones or send e-mails and no longer go to the service bureaus for counselling.

In order to ensure simple and convenient services, ETCB has contributed to the development of alternative service channels. Customers can get advice and help from the ETCB’s website and e-services environment e-MTA, as well as from e-mail and telephone counselling. The ETCB’s website is the most visited website of Estonian state agencies, in 2022 it had nearly 11 million contacts and the number of logins has increased by 17.8%. The e-services environment e-MTA was visited nearly 9 million times last year. In addition to service bureaus, the feedback for alternative service channels is also positive. According to this year's data, the customer satisfaction index for the ETCB’s e-services is 78.7%, for telephone service 86.8% and for e-mail counselling 72.5%.