Understanding the GG 901 Customer Service Standard in the UK: Ensuring Quality and Timely Responses to Customer Contact

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In the UK, public service organisations—especially those managing national infrastructure—are under increasing pressure to deliver not just results, but exceptional customer service. To ensure this, Highways England (now National Highways) developed GG 901, a standard that formalises how customer enquiries and complaints should be managed in terms of quality and timeliness.

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In this blog, we’ll take a comprehensive look at what GG 901 entails, why it matters, and how it sets a benchmark for public sector communication in the UK.

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What is GG 901?

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GG 901 is a customer service standard issued as part of the Design Manual for Roads and Bridges (DMRB). It outlines the minimum expectations for responding to customer contact—including complaints, enquiries, and correspondence across all channels such as email, phone, and social media.

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Its primary focus is to ensure that responses are:

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• Clear and polite
• Accurate and relevant
• Delivered in a timely manner

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Who Must Follow GG 901?

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This standard applies specifically to schemes involving motorway and trunk road networks in England. It is mandatory for Highways England and its service providers. Other UK regions—Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland—have their own application annexes, where GG 901 does not apply.

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Objectives of GG 901

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The purpose of this standard is to:

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• Improve customer satisfaction
• Promote consistency in communications
• Encourage timely and proportionate responses
• Align responses with corporate values and legal requirements

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The standard also reinforces that listening to customers and acting on their feedback is essential to improving overall service quality.

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Key Areas Covered Under GG 901

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1. Quality of Responses

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All customer interactions must:

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• Be written in plain English

• Be clear about who is responding, and on whose behalf

• Address all points raised by the customer

• Reflect a professional and courteous tone

• Include the name, job title, and contact information of the responder

• Provide apologies where appropriate

• Mention any lessons learned or changes made as a result of the contact

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Responses from Highways England representatives must also align with the organisation’s values and behaviours.

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2. Timeliness of Responses

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Timeframes are crucial. According to GG 901, the following types of customer contact should receive a full response within 10 working days:

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• General enquiries
• Stage 1 and Stage 2 complaints
• CEO correspondence and MP letters
• “Treat as official” letters (excluding parliamentary questions)

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If it’s not possible to provide a full response within this time, a holding reply must be issued, explaining the delay and outlining when a full response can be expected.

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Other enquiries, such as Freedom of Information (FOI) requests, GDPR data access requests, or Environmental Information Regulation (EIR) submissions, must be handled in accordance with statutory timeframes.

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Complaint Management Framework

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GG 901 works alongside the Highways England Corporate Complaints Process, which consists of three stages:

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• Stage 1: Local resolution of the issue
• Stage 2: Escalation to senior management
• Stage 3: Review by the Independent Complaints Assessor (ICA)

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Unreasonable or abusive contact is also managed under a defined Unreasonable Customer Policy, ensuring a respectful process for all parties involved.

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Legal and Ethical Compliance

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Responses must always adhere to key legislation and policies, including:

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• The Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOI)
• General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) 2016
• The Environmental Information Regulations 2004 (EIR)

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This ensures that customer data is handled lawfully, securely, and transparently.

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Review and Continuous Improvement

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GG 901 requires that all customer response procedures be reviewed at least every two years. Additionally, feedback obtained through customer interactions must be used to inform future improvements in service delivery.

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Why GG 901 Matters for the UK Public Sector

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Implementing GG 901 ensures that:

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• Customers feel heard and respected
• Communications are structured, fair, and fast
• Trust in public institutions is strengthened
• The organisation complies with data and information laws

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In short, GG 901 turns customer service from an afterthought into a strategic priority.

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Final Thoughts

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GG 901 is more than just a checklist—it’s a strategic framework for delivering reliable, human-centred customer service in the UK’s public infrastructure sector. Whether you’re part of a road authority, a contractor, or an external stakeholder, understanding and applying GG 901 can help ensure every customer interaction is professional, timely, and effective.

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