This article is part of a comprehensive report published by the International Foundation for Customer Experience in Government, which aims to enhance the global dialogue on Customer Experience (CX) in the public sector. Drawing on innovative practices from around the world, the report establishes benchmarks for governments to improve their CX initiatives.
TRENDS OF PRACTICE – ORGANIZATIONAL CRITICAL SUCCESS FACTORS
Through the identification of many critical success factors driving exceptional CX on an organizational level, three key themes have emerged as leading areas of focus. These themes take a holistic approach to organizational management, combining institutional considerations with both the human and technical components of an organization’s machinery. The three key themes have been termed (1) Institutional Drive, (2) New Competencies, and (3) Data as the Backbone.
1. INSTITUTIONAL DRIVE
Taking a systematic approach to CX requires focusing on strategic and institutional capabilities. A coherent institutional direction involves appointing appropriate leadership that is empowered and dedicated to CX transformation efforts. Additionally, it requires evaluating the status of current capabilities, identifying priorities and future goals, and developing clear action plans for their implementation. This is achieved effectively by following an integrated approach that enhances the culture of customer focus and continuous improvement through transparent communication efforts across the organization.
Examples of How to Apply
- Launch a CX improvement program across the government supported by a clear aim and mandate instantiated in official policy. Establish clearly defined ownership of the initiative in terms of leadership roles and responsibilities, including resourcing considerations
- Plan/implement initiatives in all 4D dimensions at the same time (Direction, Design, Development, Delivery) – as opposed to single initiatives.
- Nominate a clear political champion for CX improvement across the government and define milestones for them to meet.
- Raise awareness of political leadership on the importance and methods of CX improvement.
- Invest in transparent communication efforts across the organization to bring attention to CX improvements and their value.
In conclusion, taking a systematic approach to CX involves focusing on strategic and institutional capabilities. Organizations can effectively enhance their CX by embracing transparent communication and a customer-centric culture. The provided examples, such as government CX programs and multidimensional initiatives, showcase how this approach can drive significant improvements.
2. NEW COMPETENCIES
Employees are central to an organization’s success, with exceptional CX being significantly determined by employee experience. A primary underlying factor of employee experience is empathy, whereby organizations should remain mindful and proactive in enabling employee autonomy and personal development and ensuring individuals fit into their roles. Embracing a focus on workforce engagement further encourages employees to adopt CX practices with commitment and enthusiasm, further supporting excellence in service delivery.
Examples of How to Apply
Applications can be divided into two sub-categories, whereby one focuses on the employee in detail and the second describes how to manage employees to enhance personal well-being and organizational success in the context of CX improvement.
In conclusion, recognizing the pivotal role of employees in organizational success highlights the indispensable link between employee experience and exceptional customer experience (CX). Emphasizing empathy as a foundational element, organizations should actively empower employees on an individual and team level. This commitment to employee well-being and engagement not only fuels CX practices with dedication but also bolsters the delivery of excellent services.
3. DATA AS THE BACKBONE
Organizational decisions should be supported by evidence-based findings and assumptions with a strong data driven background. Various data analytics types offer insights from diverse data sources.
Descriptive Analytics examines historical data for past trends, while Diagnostic Analytics delves into the reasons behind these trends. Predictive Analytics forecasts future events, while Prescriptive Analytics recommends actions for desired outcomes. Text and Social Media Analytics extract insights from text and online interactions, Spatial Analytics analyze geographic data, and Streaming Analytics process real-time information. Big Data Analytics handles vast datasets, Customer Analytics focuses on behavior, and Web Analytics optimizes online experiences.
Citizens and organizations should provide data to the government only once, when they have first contact with a government agency. Additionally, when needed, public administration organizations can then process and share the data to use again in other processes or other services.
Examples of How to Apply
- Design and constantly iterate customer journeys, touchpoints, and experiences at- large based on data-driven insights on customer needs, preferences, actual usage of services, and feedback. This involves building the necessary data feed and feedback loops for continuous improvement.
- Strongly support all other CX approaches with data insights.
- Ensure that once the data is presented to the government, the customer does not need to present data (such as their name, ID code, address, email, etc.) multiple times, even across different agencies or levels of government.
- Build personalized journeys and touchpoints based on data insights about each customer.
- Allow customer data to be shared or reused automatically, with customer consent, between agencies or service providers. For example, at the customer’s request, banks can send customer data to the tax office for screening on their eligibility for tax deductions. In this way, the customer has an easier time making their tax declarations. This kind of back-end integration should be built into the customer journey.
In conclusion, the foundation of effective organizational decisions lies in evidence-based findings and a robust data-driven approach. By incorporating these insights, organizations can refine customer journeys, enhance touchpoints, and optimize online experiences, all driven by personalized and data-informed strategies. These applications exemplify the profound impact that data-driven decision-making has on shaping successful customer experiences and organizational outcomes.
In the next article, you’ll have the chance to explore emerging trends with the potential to significantly reshape CX design and delivery.