Hotline honour: Efficiency Unit Head Kitty Choi receives the ISO 10002 certificate from Quality Assurance Agency Executive Director Michael Lam.

The Integrated Call Centre 1823 Citizen's Easy Link enquiry service has become the first Government department awarded the International Organisation for Standardisation 10002 certification.

The Efficiency Unit has sought to align the centre's operational practices with international benchmarks to provide a high-quality service to Hong Kong people and improve its operating model since its launch in July 2001.

The enquiry service has clear and measurable performance standards - less than 10% of calls abandoned, more than 90% of enquiries resolved at first time of call, more than 80% of calls answered within 12 seconds, and tracking case progress and reminding departments to take action.

Last year the hotline handled 2.7 million calls, with 2.35 million enquiries and 216,000 complaints.