In private-sector customer service interactions, unhappy customers with unresolved issues can take their business elsewhere. That’s not an option when citizens are unsatisfied with the outcomes of their interactions with their local governments.

Unfortunately, according to a recent survey, many citizens are unsatisfied with their government customer service interactions. In the latest Government Contact Center Satisfaction Index report, an annual undertaking of the CFI Group, citizens rated their satisfaction with government contact centers at a 64 on a 100-point scale. One of the main reasons for the low score is poor performance of most interactive voice response (IVR) systems, CFI found.

Low Citizen Satisfaction with Local Government Customer Service

Poor first-contact resolution (FCR) rates are another contributor to low citizen satisfaction scores. The CFI index noted that just 50% of all issues presented to government contact centers were resolved on the first attempt.

Additionally, 18% of all issues required two calls, and 24% required three or more attempts. The remaining 7% of people never got their issues resolved at all.

The satisfaction score among those who resolved their issues with just a single call was a very healthy 79, but it fell into the 60s when multiple contacts were required; and it plummeted to 29 for those who never attained resolution.

This data indicates that resolving citizen issues upon first contact is a must for municipalities seeking high satisfaction in their communities. The good news is, there is a growing market of trainers, consultants, and technology tools available in the market designed to improve effectiveness of the teams responsible for first-contact. 

Shifting to a Customer-Centric Focus

In a healthy democracy, citizens expect a high degree of connection between the government and the people, but at a local level that is not always the case. Some local governments struggle with  customer-centricity. Municipal staff are dedicated, but overworked and in many agencies they are not given the same level of resources their private-sector counterparts receive. Software is often lacking, and case volume is constantly increasing, leaving agencies without the means to perform effectively.

Part of the reason is that agencies don’t have the same focus areas as their private-sector counterparts. The implementation and operation of Citizen Relationship Management software in the business world often focuses on increasing sales, customer retention, and profits. Government agencies don’t measure success in the same way, so the cost of implementing software and training employees can appear burdensome, and it’s hard to measure the ROI the agency will get from doing so. 

But this doesn’t give municipalities a free pass to stay in antiquated systems or delay the adaptation of customer-service best practices (at least not according to citizens). When a citizen calls their local government, they expect to be treated as if  if they are calling Target or Nordstrom – and that is a real force local government leaders must acknowledge now and in the future

Changes Are Coming 

Local government Citizen Relation Management software purchases currently account for about 6% of the total CRM market. Software like Comcate is bridging the gap to meet citizens' wants no matter when, where, or what they are interacting with their local government for. Citizens don't want to wait to get a call back; they want automatic communication and notifications through email and text. Citizens want quick satisfaction by submitting a case online and getting a response back immediately. 

Analytics and social media management are increasingly being used by public agencies also. Social media is helping agencies gauge public sentiment so they can better anticipate and manage call volumes.

Multichannel Customer Service Adoption

Some agencies are exploring more multichannel customer service options that offer universal reach and affordability. The biggest channels that they are considering are email, web-based communication, text messaging, and social media. 

Phones are still the channel of choice to contact government agencies. CFI Group’s research found that 60% of people make phone calls, while 22% use the web and 12% use email. Regular mail, and in-person visits finish up the list. Mobile app usage is also on the rise.

As channel choices expand, local governments will also need to expand their available agents who can handle multiple channels and multiple interaction types. That is already starting to happen, as many local government agencies are now turning to CRM/311 call centers and software as the starting points for interactions of all types. 

Schedule a Meeting with Comcate Today!

Learn how Comcate can help make government delivery simple, and offer a modern digital experience to help you increase transparency, efficiency, and performance across your departments. If you have any questions about implementing our software, please fill out the form below or call us directly at (415) 632-1248.

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