Page 22 - FCW, November/December 2019

Customer Experience
Addressing the needs
of CENSUS BUREAU customers
MICHELE BARTRAM

U.S. Census Bureau
A CX leader discusses how

and addresses the needs of a wide range of customers, including 2020 census respondents
What is the Census Bureau’s strategy for improving the customer experience?
As the nation’s premier data agency, the
U.S. Census Bureau likes to be data-driven in aspects of designing customer experience as well. We strive to hear the “voice of our customer” across both digital and “real world” touchpoints to develop insights about the customer experience we’re delivering, whether it is the survey or census respondent experience, the data user experience,
the partner experience, the stakeholder experience, the job applicant experience or the employee experience.
In the area of respondents, for example, we conduct extensive research on what questions to ask and how to work these questions, as well as how best to deliver the survey or census to the respondent (such as the envelope or postcard design). We also evaluate our offerings in the ways
the respondent can provide answers to
a particular survey or census, such as by mail, by phone, online or via an in-person interview.
For the decennial census in particular,
the Census Bureau has conducted decennial census content tests to research and improve the design and function of different questions, including questions on race and ethnicity, since the 1970s. The Census Bureau also
tests the wording of questions to ensure that census questionnaires are easily understood and reflect the population accurately.
Various tests are held throughout the decade to test different aspects of the overall decennial census operation and help identify respondent customer pain points that the Census Bureau should address.
And a 2020 Census Barriers, Attitudes and Motivators Study was conducted with a
nationwide survey and multiple demographic focus groups around the country to allow the Census Bureau to understand and compare the different and similar barriers, attitudes and motivators about responding to the 2020 census across different social, economic
and demographic characteristics and subsequently develop the appropriate creative and media strategy and demographic-specific messaging.
How does the bureau identify issues that need to be addressed, and how do you measure success?
In addition to the results of our extensive formal testing and research, we also evaluate other sources of customer interaction to glean insights. This can include direct customer feedback via our website feedback tool, our inbound email form, direct messages to social care, tracking surveys around the country and/or indirect feedback via issues heard and surfaced by our partners, field representatives, contact center agents
or other frontline personnel. Other insights surface via end-user usability testing and human-centered design workshops with partners, stakeholders and staff.
We also performed a respondent experience journey mapping exercise last year to identify and prioritize anticipated experience gaps by phase of the decennial census, based on both historical trends and current research and feedback. A key point that arose was the need to provide extra clarifications during the self-response phase when respondents have the most questions about whether and how to respond to the census by providing answers via Census- owned channels like our 2020Census.gov website and our social channels while also
“curating” and optimizing the experience
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