Usually, when we hear the word ‘customer’, we think of patrons of for-profit businesses that provide services, ranging from Walmart, to small local coffee shops, all the way to Bain & Co. However, the U.S. government has customers as well – they’re just not often referred to as customers, because they compromise the whole population.Read… Read more »
I spent the majority of my federal career sitting in a cubicle, and these last few years I have ventured out on local travel as well as trips across the county. I have an accounting background, and most of my reviews pertain to financial issues. Since I work for the US Department of Housing andRead… Read more »
I was invited to a meeting where the guy at the front of the room was trying to improve group performance by talking himself into a froth. He had invented a ratio and convinced himself that a three percent improvement would mean something, otherwise they were going our of business. When somebody loses it emotionally,Read… Read more »
The biggest brands in the world have one thing in common – they understand the value of customer service and have found unique ways to make it a core part of their business. How can we do the same in local government? Let’s learn from the top brands we’ve picked out. “Everyone should work inRead… Read more »
Mickey and Minnie Mouse, twirling teacups, fireworks, Space Mountain and Cinderella. These are just a few of the memorable attractions you’ll find at the happiest place on earth – Walt Disney World. The dream of visiting this magical theme park is a wish that thousands children, and adults (guilty as charged!), around the globe hopeRead… Read more »
Exciting new advancements are taking place in the world of open311, which is a data standard that various applications can be built on. A number of open311-compliant open source and commercial applications allow data to be easily shared and used by each other, such as CRMs, mobile reporting apps, and other web interfaces displaying reportRead… Read more »
Last week, the Federal Consulting Group (FCG) hosted the 2014 Government Customer Satisfaction Forum. The program was jam-packed with public sector and private sector experts, including: Ross Smith from the Office of Technology for the Veterans Administration spoke on his efforts to increase satisfaction of different tech-related interactions Dr. Forrest Morgeson with the American CustomerRead… Read more »
At this year’s UK digital communications event, “Reaching More People: Transforming Public Service Delivery with Collaborative Communications”, staff from HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC), the UK’s tax authority (think IRS for the UK), spoke about their agency’s efforts to reach more people in a more effective way in their presentation, “Central Government Success Story: HMRC”.Read… Read more »
Business leaders have to create an environment that motivates employees to want to take care of customers. A strong company culture is now one of the key criteria for employees when choosing where they want to work. Once employees join your organization, your company culture will have a direct impact on how they work forRead… Read more »
The Clinton Administration promoted customer service. The Bush Administration expressed sympathy for taxpayers. The Obama Administration has advocated citizen engagement. So, who are we? Customers? Taxpayers? Citizens? Or something else? And how should government managers respond, given the differences implied by these various roles? A recent academic article by Georgia State University professor John ClaytonRead… Read more »