Recent General Services Administration data found there were nearly 5 billion visits to government websites in a recent 90-day period. Yet, a new TransUnion report found only about one-third of consumers said they had an “easy” experience when using such websites.
The report delivers a number of key trends, and highlights opportunities for government to improve citizen service through digital modernization.
One key trend is the growing emphasis on enhancing customer experiences by improving the efficiency and effectiveness of service delivery through government websites. The report highlights how the government must ensure citizens receive qualified and entitled benefits, while increasing the ease of accessing services online.
Executive Order 14058 “states that the government must be held accountable for designing and delivering services with a focus on the actual experience of the people whom it’s meant to serve,” said Jonathan McDonald, executive vice president and head of TransUnion’s public sector business.
“Many of the trends highlighted in our report focus on this topic as it is paramount that government agencies do all they can to make their services easily accessible to constituents,” he said.
Agencies must also ensure equity for underserved populations. Going forward, they will “seek ways to better identify underserved populations and deliver services more effectively and efficiently,” the report finds.
The report cites a growing need to better identify these populations, and to deliver services more effectively and efficiently. Researchers found 41% of low-income households recently said they’ll be unable to pay a bill in full, making it ever more important to reach this segment.
There’s a trend toward increased citizen engagement.
“Agencies will seek ways to accelerate their ability to more directly engage and include citizens in defining, designing and delivering services,” the report finds. “They’ll look for ways to reach and involve underserved populations that may not traditionally participate.”
In addition, there’s a growing emphasis on the need to protect constituent identities.
“Agencies will need to invest further in technologies to improve constituent services while protecting them from identity theft and fraud,” the researchers found. “They’ll seek ways to deliver friction-right constituent authentication and digital account management.”
TransUnion estimates 98% of Americans can now be reached online. As many as 82% of Americans used digital payment technology during 2021, according to the report.
“Times have changed in America. With easier access to consumers, we believe more government agencies will seek ways to accelerate their ability to more directly engage and include citizens in identifying, designing and delivering customized services,” McDonald said. “They’ll also look for ways to reach and involve underserved populations that may not traditionally participate.”