Transforming State and Local Government in Ohio Through Technology

Posted on by Robert Moore

Innovation and collaboration are imperative to drive growth and transformation in State and Local Governments, as well as the need to invest in education and training to prepare the workforce for the jobs of the future. At the Carahsoft Digital Transformation Roadshow in Columbus, Ohio, Government IT and industry leaders engaged in dynamic discussions around the role of technology in shaping the modernization of the state of Ohio and beyond.

Technology Innovation in State and Local Government

Ohio State and Local agencies have begun to integrate innovative technologies to drive better decision-making while lowering the cost of ownership for IT systems; however, this requires significant investment in infrastructure, training and talent acquisition. Agencies must also ensure cybersecurity and risk management, as the use of new technology can create new vulnerabilities. There is a critical need for education, collaboration and innovation as State and Local agencies reimagine the future workforce which is an ever evolving complex and diverse ecosystem.

When faced with implementing technologies like artificial intelligence (AI), internet of things (IoT) and other transformational technologies, comprehensive planning is the best way forward for State and Local agencies. By doing the planning upfront, agencies can ensure that they have the right tools to manage vulnerabilities, mitigate risks and drive innovation.

Utilizing a single platform that connects automation of other tools into that platform helps agencies get real-time data reporting and addresses risk within the organization. By using multiple endpoint management and security tools in a single platform, agencies can streamline their operations, reduce costs and improve their overall security posture.

A local agency in Westerville, Ohio has started using data for applied analytics and customizing citizen experiences using a feedback model. This approach involves analyzing and interpreting data to improve services and provide a more streamlined citizen experience for services like trash collection, public safety and traffic management. By using data to drive decision-making and improve services, agencies can become more efficient, effective and responsive to the needs of citizens.

Building a Resilient Government

Modernizing systems, which is the top priority for building a resilient Government, will improve citizen services, generate cost savings, increase security and provide a more holistic, human-centered Government experience. Many State and Local agencies have outdated systems and need to modernize their infrastructure and business processes to make commerce more accessible and efficient. This involves evaluating areas for improvement, such as replacing fax machines with modernized digital tools and platforms and consolidating multiple systems into a few with all the key functionality they need.

The Ohio Department of Aging (DoA) implemented a tenant of rapid response in which automated systems provide emergency staffing within 24 hours for long-term care facilities and nursing homes during the COVID-19 pandemic and continue to this day. The DoA has also worked on predictive modeling utilizing the Governance, Risk and Compliance (GRC) organizational strategy to identify potential issues and respond proactively. Additionally, it has focused on meeting citizens’ needs through an omnichannel approach, using interoperable data analytics and predictive modeling to provide a more personalized and efficient experience.

Combating Cyber Threats in Government

Public Sector organizations face a range of cybersecurity risks, including data exploitation, insider threats, third party vulnerabilities, ransomware, identity theft and fraudulent access to State Government services. To mitigate these risks, agencies can take steps such as implementing strong access controls, regularly updating software and systems, conducting employee training on cybersecurity best practices and partnering with other organizations to share threat intelligence and collaborate on incident response.

Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) offers several services to assist Government agencies with cybersecurity, including assessments and external dependency mapping. These services are provided at no cost to agencies, as they are already paid for by federal taxpayers. The services include:

Cybersecurity assessments: conduct cybersecurity assessments, which can help identify vulnerabilities and areas for improvement.
Ransomware readiness assessments: prepare for and respond to ransomware attacks, which are a growing threat to State and Local Governments.
External dependency mapping: identify and assess third-party vendors and other external dependencies, which can be a source of cybersecurity risk.
Threat intelligence sharing: provide agencies with information on emerging threats and best practices for defending against cyber-attacks.
Incident response planning: develop and test incident response plans, which can help ensure a coordinated and effective response in the event of a cyber-attack.

As cybersecurity threats become more sophisticated, it is increasingly critical for individual employees to be aware of the risks and take steps to protect their agency. Following best practices for password management, avoiding suspicious emails and links and reporting any potential security incidents to IT or security personnel is imperative. Agencies should provide regular training and offer resources such as phishing simulations to help employees become more vigilant.

Agencies must continue to leverage technology, utilize resources like CISA, stay up to date on the latest best practices and remain committed to meeting citizens’ needs. By embracing technology innovation, State and Local agencies can create a brighter future for all.

Explore more resources and learn more about Carahsoft’s State and Local Roadshow Series: Digital Transformation by visiting our Roadshow portfolio.

*The information contained in this blog has been written based off the thought-leadership discussions presented by speakers at Carahsoft’s Digital Transformation Roadshow.*

Empowering Citizens: The Next Frontier in Government Service Delivery

Posted on by Josh Green

In this era of rapid technological advancement, embracing digital transformation is not just a matter of convenience, but a necessity for ensuring government agencies can effectively serve their constituents. The convergence of policy directives, like the President Management Agenda and the 21st Century IDEA (Integrated Digital Experience Act), with the pioneering spirit of public servants, sets the stage for a new era of government-citizen interaction.

Personalized Government Experiences

As we reflect on the lessons learned over the last few years, it becomes clear that the digital shift was not just about replicating existing services in a virtual space, it was about reimagining the very essence of citizen engagement itself. Agencies pivoted swiftly, using technology to supply critical services while safeguarding public health. This showed the immense potential for innovation within the public sector. The digitization of vital services, from health updates to unemployment assistance, was a monumental first step. Now, agencies stand at the precipice of a new frontier: personalization. Imagine a government service experience that predicts and addresses the unique needs of each individual. It is not just a matter of efficiency; it is a statement of commitment to inclusivity.

Accessibility, often considered a compliance requirement, is at the core of this transformation. Yet, true accessibility encompasses more than technical compliance. It demands a cultural shift towards empathy and understanding. It calls for dedicated teams to champion accessibility at every stage of service delivery. It challenges agencies to view every interaction as an opportunity to forge a deeper connection with citizens.

Looking ahead, the potential for government-citizen interactions is boundless. The fusion of technological innovation and policy imperatives opens a realm of possibilities. From predictive analytics that anticipate citizen needs to virtual assistants that guide individuals through complex processes, the future is bright with potential. In this quest for personalized government experiences, creating tailored content emerges as a pivotal strategy. This involves understanding the diverse needs and preferences of citizens and crafting information that resonates with them on a personal level. By using data analytics and user insights, agencies can quickly and automatically curate content that addresses specific challenges, provides relevant information, and guides individuals seamlessly through their interactions with government services.

Digital Workforce

Furthermore, the power of personalization extends beyond citizens to the dedicated employees within government agencies. A digitally empowered workforce is fundamental to delivering exceptional public services. Agencies can invest in training and upskilling programs, equipping employees with the digital tools and knowledge necessary to navigate the evolving landscape. By fostering a culture of continuous learning and innovation, agencies empower their teams to adapt to changing citizen needs and drive meaningful impact. Empowering employees goes hand-in-hand with enhancing the experiences of constituents. By streamlining internal processes and using technology, agencies can reduce bureaucratic hurdles and deliver services more efficiently. This not only improves the speed of service delivery but also frees up resources to focus on initiatives that truly matter to citizens.

Seeking feedback from both employees and constituents is instrumental in fine-tuning government services. Establishing open channels of communication allows agencies to gain valuable insights into pain points, preferences, and areas for improvement. This iterative approach fosters a culture of responsiveness, ensuring that government services evolve in tandem with the evolving needs of the community.

A Citizen-Centric Government for All

The pursuit of personalized government experiences is a multifaceted endeavor. It requires a comprehensive approach that encompasses the creation of tailored content, the empowerment of employees, and a relentless commitment to continuous improvement of these experiences. As agencies embark on this transformative journey, they not only meet the immediate needs of citizens but also set the stage for a more agile, responsive, and citizen-centric government in the years to come.

Overall, the journey towards personalized government-citizen experiences is not just a matter of policy compliance, but a testament to the ideals of a government that serves all its citizens equitably. By championing accessibility, agencies pave the way for a more inclusive society. By embracing personalization, they empower individuals to engage with their government on their own terms. Together, we embark on a transformative journey towards a more responsive, inclusive, and citizen-centric government.

Check out this four-part Adobe webinar series to learn more about creating simplified government experiences customers can count on.

A Unified Identity: Login and Customer Experience

Posted on by Tiffany Goddard

While in-person services used to be the primary channel of access to Government services, this is no longer the case as more customers turn to digital services. To provide excellent Customer Experience (CX), the Government must prioritize creating digital channels for customers to sign up, apply for and purchase Government services. During Carahsoft’s 2023 Customer Experience and Engagement Summit, panelists discussed how agencies can create an easy-access experience for customers that is unified across all Government agencies.

Simple, United Services

Customers want easy access to services, and this requires a secure, trusted, personal Government-issued digital identity. Having an individualized login allows customers to establish their identity online before completing important tasks, such as making child support payments or searching for unemployment insurance. To be as secure and validated as possible, these logins should be operated by an organization that does not have a motive to leverage private information to sell customer data for profit.

To maintain the core principles of effective customer service, logins should have a common set of controls that validate digital identities. To create a reliable login account, there are three core principles to follow.

Logins must be usable by everyone including constituents without a bank account or a home. Employees cannot have implicit biases and must be ready and willing to serve everyone.
The data that people provide must always remain private. With a Government-issued digital identity, customers will be providing sensitive information to prove their identity. This must be protected to preserve trust in the Government.
Programs should be based on private sector technologies. Government agencies do not need to reinvent or reimagine technology. Rather, they should leverage products that are already built well and bring them together in a way that employs the best innovation in the private sector.

The Benefits of Accessibility

Having a digital identity could allow customers to have a single account that is accessible across Federal, State and Local Government. When customers need to transfer to a different department, an identity-tied login creates an easy way to share their history with new agencies. Centralized login accounts can connect the customer through various platforms, such as email, phone call, in-person and online. IT (information technology) is one of the few categories that has a spending increase into the double digits, which reinforces technology as the primary trend in Government innovation.

As with any digital ability, security concerns must be addressed. Since control of login credentials allows control of identity and data, agencies need to know that the person who is logging in is not an impersonator. By privatizing accounts and their login information, this avoids the information being manipulated or sold.

Government agencies are in the best position possible to combat this. The White House allocated agencies a budget to address CX initiatives. Panelists expressed that many excellent partners in the industry are ready to deliver on these cybersecurity initiatives. For the first time, CX is part of the President’s Management Agenda. The entire administration unified around the agreement that CX is vital to the Government, and the digital sphere must be the first step in reconstructing CX. With this support, agencies can spearhead the movement in providing simple, effective and secure service to elevate CX.

Check out the rest of the 2023 Government Customer Experience series to learn more about Carahsoft’s insights from CX industry thought-leaders at the summit.

To learn more about the latest in the CX landscape and how Carahsoft’s industry-leading partners can support your Customer Experience initiatives, please visit our resource hub to access all on demand recordings and information from the 2023 Government Customer Experience and Engagement Summit.

Utilizing Data to Improve in Customer Experience

Posted on by Tiffany Goddard

The main goal in customer service is to provide for customer needs and preferences. Through data and feedback, agencies can revitalize and refocus services to best support customers. At Carahsoft’s 2023 Government Customer Experience and Engagement Summit, panelists reviewed the usage of data in improving the customer experience (CX).

Maintaining Pace with Customer Needs

Expectations from customers have changed rapidly. The pandemic forced customers to increasingly operate via the internet, from important telehealth visits with doctors to completing the mundane task of buying groceries. To match audience needs, Government services must follow suite and digitize.

While digitization is vital, agencies must begin by investing energy and resources into the foundation of CX. To create successful digitization, agencies must focus on swiftly delivering value. Components such as success, personalization and digital equity will follow naturally. Implementing iterative feedback strategies and routines to talk one-on-one with the people directly involved refines usability in agency services.

Providing Equitable Service Through Data

Creating swift and efficient Government services can be difficult and gathering data on customer feedback is the key to improving them. By collecting data through live user testing, agencies can demonstrate how well services are working. This insight can be utilized to encourage the Federal Government to continue or increase funding for State and Local initiatives.

Agencies should encourage reviews as much as possible. By gathering feedback, agencies can use the information gained from data to implement measures alleviating processes that customers carry out. Feedback on digital services can be used by agencies to revitalize their websites around customer needs. Digital services should be simple, accurate, equitable and accessible. Sometimes, this means agencies will need to continue redesigning initiatives, even if they performed adequately in test cases. While this can be cumbersome, being equitable for all users is a vital part of customer service. Pilot programs and generative artificial intelligence can alleviate this process and aid in experimenting with new technologies or designs.

With the overwhelming switch to digitization and the automation process, agencies must not lose sight of maintaining security standards to protect the sensitive information they hold. Implementing data protection and resiliency ensures that in case of data loss, agencies can get services back up and running again.

Equitable service means considering the audience. Whether the audience even has access to technology or in-person services, is a large factor in how CX is provided. For services geared for older customers, such as Medicaid, physical copies may be necessary to reach a large part of the audience. Some customers may need help accessing information. Government agencies can make a difference in these communities by offering additional assistance, including teaching seniors how to use technology or signing them up for medication deliveries. Without considering the audience, and without providing an extra helping hand, Government agencies cannot ensure equitable and proper service to their customer base.

Ultimately, agencies need to stay relevant, accurate and up to date with customer needs while also recognizing that it takes time and effort to perfect services. However, by interpreting data to consider different perspectives and needs, and by applying that data to expand support services and platforms, agencies can provide excellent customer service and experiences.

Read the previous blog and check back soon to read the rest of Carahsoft’s insights from CX industry thought leaders at the summit.

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion as a Pillar of CX Service Delivery

Posted on by Tiffany Goddard

Integrating DEIA Into the Larger CX Picture

The Whitehouse Executive Order on Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility (DEIA) in the Federal Workforce promotes standards that can be applied to improving Government customer experience (CX). These include strengthening the ability to recruit, hire, develop, promote and retain the nation’s talent, removing barriers to equal opportunity and creating a space where all employees and customers are treated with dignity and respect. The standards offer Federal and State and Local Government agencies the opportunity to move toward equitable service delivery.

Developing a DEIA strategy involves a multitude of moving pieces like analyzing data, enforcing requirements, measuring effectiveness and ensuring progress. All of these areas culminate in sustainable cultural intelligence for organizations. Starting the conversation around DEIA in the context of CX begins with the on-going theme of communication rooted in trust—especially employee and customer trust in the Government. During Carahsoft’s 2023 Customer Experience and Engagement Summit, panelists examined how their organizations are creating more trusting, inclusive and resilient workplace environments which translates to improved services for customers.

A Focus on Human-Centered Design

In the realm of CX, trust is one of the most important aspects of customer, employee and leadership interactions. One panelist found that previously coming from a background in the user experience (UX) transformation space, all human-centered design exclusively existed within UX. In furthering their understanding of the broader CX spectrum, they discovered that UX is only a small part of the CX journey. While UX refers to the way users interact with an organization’s specific products, CX is how users view an organization’s brand and experiences with the business. The critical missing component to elevate CX is communication and transparency to build trust. Much of the progress made through DEIA initiatives aims to rebuild trust with undervalued communities so they feel secure receiving assistance both personally and virtually.

To truly develop more equitable service delivery models, organizations must be able to manage workplace tension by building both internal and external progress. For example, the National Science Foundation (NSF) has worked to provide tools for success in both areas through various touchpoints. Externally, NSF teams launched a redesign of the agency’s website that allowed them to collect information from several demographic communities. In doing so, the NSF was able to redesign language inputs and outputs to better serve their website visitors. Internally, the NSF has implemented a call-listening program that analyzes empathy, psychological safety and compassion to protect not only customers, but employees as well. The NSF has also designed a DEIA maturity model, which helps to measure the efficacy of DEIA capabilities, identify critical barriers and benefits to employee advancement and operationalize a sense of inclusion and belonging across the foundation.

Moderating Workforce Development for the Future

Recruiting, hiring and retaining employees is successful when an organization considers a wide range of talent representation. Also, being data-informed is critical for an agency’s mission. Collecting data via methods like staff surveys to identify members’ interests and strengths as well as understand where that talent can best serve the agency is imperative for progress. Baking this into daily processes by working with human resources counterparts ensures the DNA of the organization is varied. Ultimately, diversity within CX talent can positively set one organization and the way its employees interact with customers apart from another.

Read the previous blog and check back soon to read the rest of Carahsoft’s insights from CX industry thought leaders at the summit.

Following the Funding of Innovation in Customer Experience

Posted on by Tiffany Goddard

In the world of business, methodology is always changing along with users. While this innovation can be expensive, it is vital that agencies move alongside the private sector with technology implementation and customer service standards. At Carahsoft’s 2023 Government Customer Experience and Engagement Summit, panelists discussed ways to cut costs and foster innovation.

Innovating to Maintain Pace with Customer Needs

When a business works with clients, most of its focus will naturally be on the customer experience (CX). What was a revolutionary addition in the past, may be an expected feature in the present. As a result, agencies need to continually adapt and grow. Technology can be used to spearhead that innovation. Many people who interface with Government systems are also Government employees, so quality software is vital both internally and externally.

Agencies should design interfaces with CX at the forefront. Professionals, such as designers, whose job is to understand how users adapt to natural patterns in software, should have a seat at the table to help integrate new features. This way, new technology is as easy to understand as possible, by as many people as possible. Allowing users to get involved in iterative cycles as updates are added will allow agencies to evolve their solutions as they go. By following previous successes, the overall user experience will improve.

The speed and agility of technology and service systems is one vital component. Both customers and employees will grow frustrated with slow, out of date technology and appreciate Government initiative for agile development. By rolling out iterative cycles during changes, users have the opportunity to evolve with solutions.

Cost Effective Service

Public agencies have been advocating for more funding to keep pace with the financial challenge of customer service. The current presidential administration has issued several executive orders that promote enhancing customer service and experience in the public sphere including additional funding for agencies to implement those upgrades. However, acquiring these funds requires having modern and secure technology and technical strategy already executed in an agency. Although implementing modern technology and the securest cybersecurity strategies can be expensive, it will help agencies save costs down the road.

If agencies do not qualify for Government funding, there are additional initiatives they can implement in the meantime. Agencies can partner with technology vendors to develop solutions that will improve CX. By leveraging existing data, such as data from performance.gov or analytics.usa.gov, agencies can figure out ways to improve customer service. Paying attention to internal service metrics such as the number of closed cases, time to close cases, success rate and satisfaction level can illustrate how well a company is performing with CX before reviews come in. Agencies can decrease helpdesk wait times and lower costs by focusing on self-remediation. Through championing these efforts alongside quality partners and vendors, agencies can view CX problems through different lenses, leading to the best possible process. Agencies can also utilize pilot programs to test situations out before implementing them and affecting both employees and users. Technology should be used to positively influence user behavior. By guiding a wide variety of customers through services with simple, easy to understand instructions, agencies can help both customers and employees which will keep wait times down and save money.

Read the previous blog and check back soon to read the rest of Carahsoft’s insights from CX industry thought leaders at the summit.

Maximizing Service by Engaging Employees as Customers

Posted on by Tiffany Goddard

At the end of 2021, the Executive Order on Transforming Federal Customer Experience and Service Delivery to Rebuild Trust in Government stated, “Our Government must recommit to being ‘of the people, by the people, [and] for the people’ in order to solve the complex 21st century challenges our Nation faces. Government must be held accountable for designing and delivering services with a focus on the actual experience of the people whom it is meant to serve.” Panelists at Carahsoft’s 2023 Government Customer Experience and Engagement Summit agreed that this mission begins with an organization’s employee experience.

A New Approach in Customer Experience Over Time

With the recent introduction of mandates and the new executive order, Government agencies have increased momentum to move customer experience (CX) from being a standalone initiative to weaving it into every facet of daily operations. Jill Leighton, Vice President of Public Sector Strategy and Solutions at Qualtrics, said that today, agencies are not just singularly improving a particular service or touch point. Now, they are taking that insight and implementing it into policymaking, strategic planning, reporting success and designing programs, while also learning where to invest and prioritize.

Untapped Resources

Using the best resources and constantly staying on top of innovation is an undertaking for any agency. Employees can be the most underutilized asset for organizations, so it is important for agencies to understand what employees need for peak performance. An immense amount of change has happened throughout the pandemic in working environments, and organizations need to take full advantage of the newer talent capacity and building opportunities within teams and employee talent pools. Additionally, agencies can unlock insights from employee and CX satisfaction through data gathering tools like conversational analytics, natural language processing and machine learning.

Artificial Intelligence in CX

Ironically, the possibilities presented by AI technology are critical to a human-centered CX strategy, Leighton said. With the implementation of AI, agencies are able to automate data analysis in various formats, perform automatic cataloging categorization and background filtering. For example, employees on the front lines of call centers can benefit from weekly, even daily summary reports showing the customer’s most pressing problems, their satisfaction levels and other aspects of their experiences. Using AI for the purpose of collecting qualitative and experience data, call operators can gain valuable insight into how to improve their human-centered CX approach and learn how to personalize each interaction they have. Additionally, using that data to optimize efficiency will improve service delivery. These solutions help move employees away from manual processes so they may focus more on interactions with customers.

What Is Impacting the Work Force?

Many aspects of Government operations can be difficult to navigate. Panelists referenced a general talent shortage, lack of funding and outdated solutions as barriers for the CX workforce. One panelist said they encounter homegrown identity and access management solutions and piecemeal fixes throughout their organization’s CX efforts, which makes it challenging to provide a seamless experience for customers and employees. Another problem CX professionals face is increased expectations from those consuming Government services.

Ron Vickery, Area Vice President of Customer and Industry Workflows, Government Health and Higher Education at ServiceNow, expressed, “We are putting employees in a really tough situation if we are not empowering them to deliver against that expectation. So, I think that, across the board, is a big trend; rising expectations of the way service should be received and making sure that we have empowered these employees to deliver that level of service.”

Translating the Employee Experience to Customer Experience

Government agencies must prepare employees to provide excellence service with a mission-driven mindset as well as proper resources and technology to deliver it. Benefits such as flexibility in the workplace, operational efficiency, training and easy access to tools and resources can attract new talent as well as retain existing employees. If they feel supported by and invested in their agency, workers will be more inclined to provide the quality of service expected by their leadership.

Nicky French, Customer Service Branch Manager for the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), said that the TSA’s security mission presents a unique challenge as this agency must balance national cybersecurity with customer experience. She stated, “Our officers in the front lines have to enforce rules, and sometimes that can come across as a little more militant than we would like. So, we try to make sure that the officers are professional and polite. We spend a lot of time just level setting what customer service means.”

Employees need to know that their organization pays attention to their needs. When positive change is made, employees know their voice is valued and has an impact. Addressing challenges within operations enables employees to make a difference and move their agency’s CX mission forward.

Read the previous blog and check back soon to read the rest of Carahsoft’s insights from CX industry thought leaders at the summit.

Letting Data and Leadership Inspire Change

Posted on by Tiffany Goddard

Every agency strives to provide quality customer service, but learning and executing new ways to do so can be daunting. Attendees at Carahsoft’s annual Government Customer Experience and Engagement Summit learned that while the process may differ for each agency, there are a few main principles each group should follow in providing an excellent customer experience (CX).

Expounding On Census Data

Over the past few years, agencies have changed the way they collect data to find the best way to reach customers. For some audiences, this may include both electronic and paper forms. If both methods are deployed every so often, agencies can better understand which customers still need that physical conversation or mail-in form, and which prefer online methods. Agencies must embrace observability in both controlled and uncontrolled environments to collect the most effective data on customer experience. One such uncontrolled feedback forum is social media. Previously thought to be uncorrelated to constructive feedback, agencies are finding that customers use social media as a feedback mechanism. By monitoring responses on social media, government organizations can find action items for the way they serve the public.

After collecting data, agencies need to know how to sift through it to find relative action items. To provide better customer service, agencies need to find measurable results from these initiatives. Actionable plans should be formed around the data results. Ultimately, the customer’s experience must guide agency programs.

Leadership in Action

Data can be utilized in practice through strong and guided leadership. A government agency may be the sole provider for a particular service, such as taxes with the Federal government, or issuing drivers’ licenses through the local government. Therefore, it is increasingly important that the government provides excellent service. Government agencies must center their service around empathy. By connecting and understanding customer needs, employees can balance data insights and other priority goals such as cybersecurity and regulatory framework in light of its main goal of centering services around the customer. Agencies can utilize journey mapping and analytics to find predictive routing for continued customer service improvement.

Addressing CX can benefit other service priorities, too. By focusing on each individual customer interaction, handling time and average transaction time will decrease, while overall satisfaction between employer and customer will be higher. During Carahsoft’s 2023 Customer Experience and Engagement Summit, Abraham Marinas, the Product Design Director at Federal Student Aid, attested, “…as you focus on the customer experience, all those metrics eventually will fall in line.”

Technology can be utilized to fulfill innovation in customer service. Technology has improved vastly in the past several years. While agencies may have previously structured themselves around technology, now, technology should be formatted to fit the agency’s specific needs. By investing in strong partnerships with the IT industry, agencies can create better solutions and technology for their organization.

As the government strives to better serve its people, agencies must continue to update their processes and services for positive change by considering the following:

Have a clear, focused image of the change it wants to make.
Decide how to will demonstrate the benefits of that change.
Share that image with each individual team; even when an organization has a shared vision, it might need to change the implementation process depending on the structure of each team.
Upscale existing talent or hire new experts to specialize and understand new changes.

By engaging in genuine and emphatic conversations and utilizing data to influence leadership and progress, employees can form bonds with their customers to help foster trust and respect for the Government.

Read the previous blog and check back soon to read the rest of Carahsoft’s insights from CX industry thought leaders at the summit.

Returning to the Heart of Customer Experience: A Government for the People

Posted on by Tiffany Goddard

At Carahsoft’s annual Government Customer Experience and Engagement Summit hosted in June, experts from industry and Federal, State, and Local Government came together to discuss stewardship, innovation and paths forward in customer experience (CX). At the one-day event, the thought-provoking sessions examined trends regarding two main themes in the CX journey: culture and technology. The culture track explored ideas for effective leadership, understanding and supporting employees and the importance of diversity, equity and inclusion. The technology track considered goals within IT modernization, artificial intelligence and automation and the digitization of services. This blog series highlights lessons learned from the 2023 Summit and unpacks strategies for achieving excellence in Government CX and engagement.

The Big Picture of Customer Experience

During the opening keynote session, President of GovExec360, Troy Schneider, held a discussion with Barbara Morton, Deputy Chief Veterans Experience Officer, Veterans Experience Office (VEO) at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), emphasizing the importance of accessibility and accountability in service delivery. Morton said that purpose is at the heart of customer experiences. Whether they are in the government or supporting from the outside, public servants must consider the barriers along with the opportunities that foster trust, serve the greater common purpose and create excellence in CX. In the Public Sector, CX establishes how constituents engage with civic services. By transforming CX, the public sector can build and progress toward greater trust with those it serves.

Great CX starts with an organizational understanding that building and sustaining trust matters. With that agreement in mind, organizations can better support the mission of delivering efficient CX by learning and adapting to the needs of people they are serving. Agencies should provide visibility to customers on the timeliness and process of their requests, as well as deliver on their promises to foster trust and assurance of reliability. Using human-centered design throughout all stages of CX is also essential for understanding the human perspective and anticipating customer needs. As data is collected throughout the human-centric design approach, organizations gain actionable insights that help them create the best tangible solutions for customer challenges.

Use Case: The Department of Veterans Affairs

Government agencies and organizations must focus on traditional operational measures, and the VA ensures it takes another step forward to evaluate experience-based metrics and treat these insights as co-equal when it comes to agency performance. Morton said that action drivers like executive orders and Office of Management and Budget’s (OMB) efforts are significant authorities in the transformation of Government CX to continuously progress toward access equitability and efficiency. With their guidance, agencies must agree on the top priorities for service delivery and then incorporate the human-centered design aspect. For example, the VA examines women and tribal veteran’s experiences to ensure it can translate those insights into meaningful and applicable products so those groups feel better understood when interacting with the VA. Additionally, in a digitally driven world, organizations must provide experiences with easy-to-navigate accessibility. Each agency should have a clear homepage or “digital front door” that customers know how and when to access.

Lasting Progress for Lasting Change

In the government, CX can make a measurable difference in the lives of individuals or families going through significant life changes, such as a natural disaster or medical crises as an active or retired veteran. Open source technology that intersects with the government at Federal, State and Local levels can achieve economies of scope and scale, and the improvement of financial savings proportionate to goods produced. The addition of effective CX technology allows government agencies to provide more assistance to more people, having a profound impact in their lives.

Check back soon to read the rest of Carahsoft’s insights from CX industry thought leaders at the summit.

To learn more about the latest in the CX landscape and how Carahsoft’s industry-leading partners can support your Customer Experience initiatives, please visit our resource hub to access all on-demand recordings and information from the 2023 Government Customer Experience and Engagement Summit.

Reaching Customers with Client-Driven Solutions

Posted on by Erin Halligan-Avery, PhD

One of the biggest challenges of government service is how their personnel interact with customers. Adequately supporting customers can be tricky, especially when serving people with vastly different needs. So, it is vital that government providers know how to support individuals with accurate, time-effective aid for their specific issues – for example, a mental health or public safety crisis.

Equal and Equitable Access

What is the best way to provide care? Offering constituents and customers equal and equitable access and care means government employees need to be prepared to handle a variety of problems. First, the experience of each individual should be at the forefront of every interaction; customers should be treated with respect to their wishes and goals. Second, making the customer feel valued and heard is critical in every encounter. Customer service should not be transactional, but relational. By building trust with clients, agencies establish value now and for the agency’s future. Third, service should take into account who the individual receiving the assistance is as a person.

A Look at the Customer

Different customers prefer different styles of customer service. For governments, this means addressing the varied needs of a range of customers, including:

Students, parents, faculty and staff
Veterans
Employees
Survivors of crime and their families
At-risk youth
Patients
Disabled patients and their families
Caregivers
Younger generations
Older generations

Employees must be prepared to actively support the unique individuals that use their agency or organization. It is vital to identify who the customer is as a person, what resources are accessible to them and what their main concerns may be. This can affect all aspects of the interaction, as organizations need to consider what kind of people are reaching out, and how to best orient their services toward their target audience.

Online Support

With the growing presence of the internet in everyone’s lives, websites should be created in ways that best serve the end-user. There are a few main questions to consider when determining whether consumer-facing websites and services are meeting their intended goals:

Who is visiting the website? What is their age group and knowledge level?
What is the biggest concern to these customers? What questions are consistently being asked?
What results is the customer expecting on the other end of their experience?

All customers visiting a website will have a shared experience. To create a client-driven solution, first identify their ideal user experience. When customers know what questions to ask, when to ask them, and who to ask they can be confident they will receive the correct solutions they need.

Providing a Client-Driven Solution

Customer service should be client-driven, rather than business-driven. A client-driven solution is based around customer concerns. It is written simply, in words customers use every day rather than the organization’s technical jargon.

For government agencies, whose main goal is to be by and for the people, business models should be client-needs focused. In addition, organizations should provide multiple support options for the customer to choose from. This way, if a customer does not feel comfortable with one option, they have other methods of support to utilize. As soon as the customer no longer feels supported, they stop searching for help, which is exactly what we hope they will not do.

Providing client-driven solutions can look like:

Reducing confusion by compiling all resources into one accessible place
Investing in long-term staff that is experienced with the organization and its processes
Providing support options that are available after hours and on weekends
Using data analytics to gain insight into when and where support is being accessed
Customizing software to center around the customer base’s needs
Providing options for services in multiple languages
Offering password protection and an emergency click-away button for safety and confidentiality purposes
Clearly directing to answers, helpful resources and next steps

By providing client-driven solutions, agencies can build trust with customers that will allow them to more equitably serve the public.

ConcernCenter works with businesses, school districts, organizations, institutions, and non-profits to support users and solve common concerns. To learn more about effectively aiding customers, visit Carahsoft’s page to view ConcernCenter’s webinar on customer service.