Finnish Tax Administration shifts to remote services in Kouvola, Kittilä, and Ivalo

As of September, there will be no on-site officials at the Kouvola Tax Office, as customers can only connect with them remotely. This situation also applies to the Tax Offices in Kittilä and Ivalo. According to Marja Koskimäki, the Director of Customer Experience at the Finnish Tax Administration, the decision is driven by the need to cut costs, along with a noticeable decline in in-person visits.

“We are adjusting our operations and reviewing our network. More remote service points will gradually be added,” Koskimäki stated.

The Tax Administration has been testing remote services for a few years in Iisalmi, Savonlinna, and Kuusamo, while both the police and Kela have also implemented similar remote services. Koskimäki noted that customers have mostly expressed satisfaction with remote services, and there have not been any insurmountable issues, although some practical arrangements have required fine-tuning. Some customers indicated that they could have discussed their matters over the phone instead.

Remote processing can save time for those living far from service points. The remote process begins with the customer first calling the Tax Administration’s phone service. If the issue cannot be resolved over the phone, appointments can be made at the office, where one person will guide clients to the remote service point and provide assistance in establishing video and audio connections.

Remote services are national, meaning customers can be connected to officials from anywhere in Finland. Although there will still be staff at the remote service points, customer service roles are expected to decrease. However, no layoffs are anticipated due to the introduction of remote services, and the organization will carefully consider which roles to fill after retirements.

Approximately 200,000 in-person visits occur at the Tax Administration each year, comprising about 1% of all transactions. The majority of people manage their tax matters online or via phone. Over time, it is possible that officials will only be available in larger cities, but Koskimäki emphasized that several remote service points will remain in various regions.