Call centres run by the private sector are cheaper to run than government call centres, according to the National Audit Office.
The government watchdog study paints a picture of inefficiency, with public sector call centres lacking management controls and financial discipline.
The study found that last year, government departments spent £350m on call centres. However, over half of the government's call centres were not able to measure their own efficiency.
The study also found that inflexible staff practices mean that callers frequently fail to get through.
Mike Havard, managing director of call centre consultancy CM Insight said: "I was surprised by the lack of financial awareness and discipline. It was pretty startling. There are examples of operations that are running at ten times the cost in the private sector."
Sir John Bourne, of the National Audit Office said: There is room for improvement. The call centres need to collect full and reliable information about their services, and departments need to be sure that efficiency and quality are really being delivered."
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