Service standards

As part of its service promise, the Economic and Social Data Service (ESDS) aims to meet the standards set out below. For information on how to provide positive feedback or to submit a complaint about the service provided please see the full Service promise.

The ESDS aims to ensure:

• a service available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year with the exception of scheduled downtime (there is an 'at risk' period on Tuesdays between 07.00 and 09.00)
• a service available for 99 per cent of scheduled uptime
• a network connection to ESDS servers available for 99 per cent of scheduled uptime
• 10 working days' notice of scheduled downtime via the web site
• a Help desk that is staffed Monday to Friday from 09.00 to 17.00 on normal weekdays i.e. excluding English Bank Holidays and the working days between Christmas and the New Year
• an initial acknowledgement of all queries within 1 working day
• resolution of 90 per cent of queries within 5 working days
• resolution of 98 per cent of queries within 20 working days
• an automated system to record messages when the help desk is not staffed (periods of limited help desk cover are notified in advance)
• 10 working days' notice of periods of help desk closure

The ESDS is also involved in outreach work. The value of events and materials is assessed by way of user feedback. Anyone who has participated in an event is asked to complete an evaluation form, but feedback can also be provided through the help desk.

The ESDS Service Level Definitions and the ESDS Performance data are available from the Joint Information Systems Committee Monitoring Unit.

The ESDS keeps personal information about registered users. In relation to this the ESDS complies with the Data Protection Act 1998 and the Freedom of Information Act 2000.