Answering the Call for Service: Customer Service Evolution in Government

Improving citizen experience continues to be a huge priority of agencies as part of their digital modernization. In fact, one survey found that more than half of government employees said there was a gap between the customer service their agency provides and what they experience in the private sector. While creating self-service portals is a big part of modernization, contact centers will continue to play a huge role in how the government interacts with citizens.

Contact centers may be more traditionally or commonly known as call centers. But this change in vocabulary is more than just semantics. Today's centers extend well beyond contact over the phone. To provide modern customer service, contact centers need to encompass online queries via email, live chats, social media, and in-person visits, in addition to phone calls. The response people get over these multiple mediums needs to be consistent and requires an overarching strategy and message that is understood by all representatives regardless of how they interact with citizens.

This concept is known as omni-channel communication. When implemented, omni-channel means that no matter how a citizen contacts an agency, they get the same information, and their past contacts are tracked for service representatives to see when they've reached out before. All of this informs how best to serve that citizen.

For individuals looking to learn more about contact center modernization events, there are a wide variety of themes and topics you can search for on GovEvents to find shows that deliver the education and networking you need. Here are a couple of suggestions:

• Citizen Experience
• Digital Government
• Contact Center
• Modernization
• Innovation
• Data-Driven

Let us know where you are learning about best practices in transforming service to citizens. Share your favorite events and resources in the comments.