Page 22 - FCW, May/June 2020

Digital Experience
Developing a
digital-first mindset
The coronavirus outbreak underscores the need for a modernized approach to CX mission resiliency
DURING THE CORONAVIRUS pandemic, the government had to quickly
shift to a remote working capacity so that employees could continue to provide vital services from home. That shift was not easy for many agencies, and the experience has amplified the need for the government to adopt a digital-first mindset.
Such an approach puts the needs of customers at the heart of everything an agency does, and that includes supporting the employees who serve citizens, partners and other government constituents. With a digital-first mindset, it’s much easier
for employees to move their daily work activities to another location because, with the right technology, employees should be
able to work from anywhere. Modernizing the government’s
mindset requires rethinking the need to provide services from an agency location. For example, when the Agriculture Department’s Farm Production and Conservation organization worked with producers (farmers, ranchers and land owners) to find new digital options for services, their employees discovered that people still want to conduct some business in person at local USDA county offices or service centers. For instance, they might
be comfortable starting an application for
a farm loan online, but they prefer not to submit it without first visiting their local office and working with people they trust to make sure they didn’t miss something.
Jonathan Benett
Technical Director,
Digital Government Solutions, Adobe
A seamless interaction regardless of location
But what happens when that government office isn’t open? In that situation, people should have a digital option that is seamless, secure and easy to use.
Today government forms are mostly paper-based or perhaps available as static, non-fillable PDFs that must be printed, filled out and mailed, faxed or submitted
in person. Instead, the goal should be mobile-friendly web-based forms that are filled through a series of interview-style questions, similar to the way TurboTax and other programs work. The web form guides the user through the appropriate data collection and prepopulates the information the agency already knows about that person so customers don’t have to submit the same information multiple times.
The customer can submit the final application or form securely via a trusted authentication solution such as Login.gov, which interfaces with Adobe’s Experience Management platform so anyone who has a secure credential through government programs such as Trusted Traveler can use that credential for transactions with other agencies.
Transforming the employee experience
Many government agencies are laser focused on improving the customer experience through innovative technology. However, great customer experiences
start with great employee experiences, and when government employees work more efficiently and can see greater service delivery, it improves morale and
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