[{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BlogPosting","@id":"https:\/\/www.the-future-of-commerce.com\/2020\/09\/09\/government-customer-experience\/#BlogPosting","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/www.the-future-of-commerce.com\/2020\/09\/09\/government-customer-experience\/","headline":"3 ideas industry can take from the government customer experience","name":"3 ideas industry can take from the government customer experience","description":"Believe it or not, the government customer experience can provide private industries with inspiration in a few key areas. ","datePublished":"2020-09-09","dateModified":"2024-10-18","author":{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.the-future-of-commerce.com\/contributor\/stephanie-thum\/#Person","name":"Stephanie Thum","url":"https:\/\/www.the-future-of-commerce.com\/contributor\/stephanie-thum\/","identifier":334,"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/05bbc9017e3f89b9d6d4846c0cf0828093f534181adceca83e1773c2378f6385?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/05bbc9017e3f89b9d6d4846c0cf0828093f534181adceca83e1773c2378f6385?s=96&d=mm&r=g","height":96,"width":96}},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"The Future of Commerce","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/www.the-future-of-commerce.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/logo-foc-schema-app-1.png","url":"https:\/\/www.the-future-of-commerce.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/logo-foc-schema-app-1.png","width":172,"height":60}},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/www.the-future-of-commerce.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/FCEEH011.jpg","url":"https:\/\/www.the-future-of-commerce.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/FCEEH011.jpg","height":375,"width":1200},"url":"https:\/\/www.the-future-of-commerce.com\/2020\/09\/09\/government-customer-experience\/","about":[{"@type":"Thing","@id":"https:\/\/www.the-future-of-commerce.com\/customer-experience\/","name":"Customer Experience","sameAs":["https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Customer_experience","http:\/\/www.wikidata.org\/entity\/Q984142"]},{"@type":"Thing","@id":"https:\/\/www.the-future-of-commerce.com\/customer-experience\/customer-experience-general\/","name":"Customer Experience","sameAs":["https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Customer_experience","http:\/\/www.wikidata.org\/entity\/Q984142"]},"Government + Public Sector",{"@type":"Thing","@id":"https:\/\/www.the-future-of-commerce.com\/commerce\/industries\/","name":"Industries","sameAs":["https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Industry","http:\/\/www.wikidata.org\/entity\/Q2976602"]},{"@type":"Thing","@id":"https:\/\/www.the-future-of-commerce.com\/commerce\/trends-commerce\/","name":"Trends","sameAs":["https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Fad","http:\/\/www.wikidata.org\/entity\/Q787045"]}],"wordCount":913,"articleBody":"Customer experience (CX) isn\u2019t just a \u201cthing\u201d that happens. As companies in the private sector are realizing, it’s about what you do in your business every day.But how about in government?Guess what?The same is still true.One big lesson I learned during four years as the CX leader for a U.S. federal government agency (before anyone really heard of customer experience) is there’s a business side to running every government agency that mirrors the for-profit world.From a business perspective, it costs time and money to serve customers.So, efficiency and cost-savings were always on the COO\u2019s and CFO\u2019s minds. It’s a language you must be prepared to understand and speak when you\u2019re in a CX leadership position, no matter the industry.But you can\u2019t really hit grand-slam-caliber cost-savings without engaging your customers – you’ve got to bring the entire CX toolbox to the mission.It’s true: Industry leaders can be inspired by three areas of the government customer experienceDuring my time as a fed, and in the years since as a consultant to governments around the world, I\u2019ve seen some great work done with CX strategy, digital experience design, employee engagement, metrics, governance, and voice of the customer techniques.Don\u2019t get me wrong\u2014there is still a huge pile of work to be done.But\u2014and don\u2019t faint here\u2014government is doing some things with customer experience concepts right now that private industry can take inspiration from.Three conversations, in particular, rise to the surface for me.CX in the purchasing ecosystem. Most companies need great suppliers to effectively respond to customers. How complicated are your procurement rules? How easy is it for great suppliers to work with you? How does that compare to other organizations they might prefer to work with?Journey mapping and metrics can help you figure it out and then clear away some roadblocks.The U.S. General Services Administration (GSA), a government agency, is working in this newer territory of CX. Lora Allen noted in a recent virtual government CX conference that GSA is moving from measuring and mapping experiences throughout the purchasing ecosystem, to using \u201cfeedback and human-centered design thinking to really add value to that experience.\u201dThe entire U.S. government is now backing up that concept with an overarching government-wide goal to reduce friction in the buyer-seller ecosystem.If government agencies can push CX concepts and principles into the procurement ecosystem, then why not regular companies?CX in designing policies and rules.Customers navigate your policies and rules every day, but have you considered the customer\u2019s point of view in the creation of those policies?Think about the way rules and policies are sometimes created: at the senior-most levels of an organization, sometimes in small groups, or during governance proceedings. Let\u2019s be honest. Politics, self-protection, and risk\u2014not customers\u2014are usually the driving forces at that table. Decisions made in that narrow of a lane don\u2019t always make long-term business sense.A few years ago, my colleague,\u00a0Kevin Carter, made a good point with a simple comment on a blog I wrote: \u201cWe employ user experience testing when designing software and technology tools, why don\u2019t we do the same when designing programs or policies?\u201dThis is another area where U.S. government agencies are out there asking for feedback. The Federal Register is packed with notices from federal agencies calling for public input on everything from planning to customer surveys. It\u2019s up to citizens to respond, of course.It\u2019s true that private sector companies don\u2019t have the Federal Register as a resource, but they can use customer advisory boards, focus groups, and customer feedback as a way to include customer perspectives on policies, plans, and rules.CX and managing business and operational risk.Managing business and operational risk is not a simple thing to do. But sometimes customers and employees can spot reputational, financial, and operational risks before you can.In a 2019 CX conference, Shonte Eldridge, who was then the Deputy Chief of Operations for the City of Baltimore, pointed out: \u201cIn government, if we don\u2019t do a service well, people can die.\u201d That means it is really a requirement to listen to customers beyond the surface.The U.S. Department of Veterans Administration Inspectors General are even systematically using customer and employee experience data to assess business and operational risk. The Air Force is surveying service members\u2019 families to stay ahead of attrition risk.Every organization is different. Choose listening methods that make sense for you. Examples include well-designed customer and employee surveys, interviews, and community listening events. But you have to go deeper than asking for a satisfaction rating.CX is a mindset, not a thing that just happensCustomer experience (CX) is about your day-to-day mindset and the choices you make in your business.The good news is the work always has been, and always will be, worth doing. The best things happen for customers and your business when you\u2019re intentional in how and where you include customers.If you\u2019re ready for some new victories, take inspiration from a few areas where the government customer experience *is* trying to get it right. Grab your CX toolbox\u2014yes, the whole thing\u2014and get going!  Your customers are managing 85% of their relationships online. Omnichannel CX can provide everything they want \u2013 and more.Get started HERE. "},{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"2020","item":"https:\/\/www.the-future-of-commerce.com\/2020\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"09","item":"https:\/\/www.the-future-of-commerce.com\/2020\/\/09\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"09","item":"https:\/\/www.the-future-of-commerce.com\/2020\/\/09\/\/09\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":4,"name":"3 ideas industry can take from the government customer experience","item":"https:\/\/www.the-future-of-commerce.com\/2020\/09\/09\/government-customer-experience\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]