Tax Administration: IRS Faces Challenges in Reorganizing for Customer Service
GGD-96-3
Published: Oct 10, 1995. Publicly Released: Oct 10, 1995.
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Highlights
GAO reviewed the Internal Revenue Service's (IRS) progress in realizing its plan for improving its customer service, focusing on: (1) IRS customer service goals and its plans to meet these goals; (2) the difficulty IRS has in meeting these goals; (3) current management concerns; and (4) important challenges IRS faces.
Recommendations
Recommendations for Executive Action
| Agency Affected | Recommendation | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Internal Revenue Service | The Commissioner of Internal Revenue should clarify the criteria for assigning process owners responsibility for tax systems modernization (TSM) projects when they involve more than one core business system. |
IRS has moved away from the Core Business Systems concept. Accordingly, this recommendation, which focuses directly on the Core Business Systems process, is obsolete. However, the Chief, Taxpayer Service has fully addressed the concern regarding a lack of clarity in implementing and managing the customer service vision by establishing an Executive Officer for Customer Service Operations (EOCSO). The EOCSO provides clarification and oversight by ensuring all Customer Service personnel (National Office/field) perform their duties.
|
| Internal Revenue Service | The Commissioner of Internal Revenue should define process owners' roles and responsibilities for TSM projects involving more than one core business system. |
IRS has moved away from the Core Business Systems concept. Accordingly, this recommendation, which focuses directly on the Core Business Systems process, is obsolete. However, the Chief Taxpayer Service has fully addressed the concern regarding a lack of clarity in implementing and managing the customer service vision by establishing an Executive Officer for Customer Service Operations (EOCSO). The EOCSO provides clarification and oversight by ensuring all Customer Service personnel (National Office/field) perform their duties.
|
| Internal Revenue Service | The Commissioner of Internal Revenue should emphasize to those designated as process owners the need for them to provide the business requirements necessary to develop, test, and implement new customer service products and services. |
IRS has moved away from the Core Business Systems concept. Accordingly, this recommendation, which focuses directly on the Core Business Systems process, is obsolete. However, the Chief Taxpayer Service has fully addressed the concern regarding a lack of clarity in implementing and managing the customer service vision by establishing an Executive Officer for Customer Service Operations (EOCSO). Within the EOCSO's organization there is a Business Requirement operation.
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