Driving citizen engagement with content services: The engine for a modern government portal
A powerful content services platform supports self-service government, where citizens access what they need, when they need it — from their device of choice.
The way citizens perceive public services, as well as the way they expect state and local governments to deliver them, continues to rapidly evolve. Driven by the real-time, personalized and multi-channel customer service of the private sector, citizens have similar expectations for speed, responsiveness and mobility from public services.
Some of the key initiatives include replacing obsolete legacy systems with cloud-enabled and mobile solutions. These innovative solutions allow your government agency to enhance transparency and accountability with interactive dashboards, improving service and decision-making with real-time data and ultimately, applying an enterprise approach to achieve operational efficiency.
It’s important to keep up with expectations.
For example, two-thirds of citizens identified ease of interaction as being most important when accessing government services online, according to an Accenture 2019 survey. In the same survey, 51 percent of citizens said they would increase their use of digital government services if they could access multiple government services from a single online portal. And more than half said that if the government could better communicate how tech solutions will improve their lives, it would increase their trust in government services.
In response to citizens’ expectations in the digital era, state and local leaders are embracing technology to change the face they present to their citizens. They’re changing the way citizens see and view government portals — beyond just electronic phone books to find who to call when they need something. Smart leaders are realizing that a portal isn’t just a phone directory. It’s a giant step toward transforming government inside and out.
And you can do this with one pivotal solution — a modern, integrated content services platform.
Manage processes
Talking about a portal isn’t just a discussion about a web solution — that is an oversimplification of the demands of citizens. A nice website is great, but it does not address an efficient back-end that supports effectiveness in your processes.
That is why a content services platform is critical.
Using a content services platform, you can create a self-service portal to manage many government processes electronically, from paying taxes or reporting conditions to applying for a business license. Eliminating paper isn’t the only benefit — the self-service portal accepts documents using a workflow that automatically routes these documents and applications to the right staff that needs to respond, enhancing efficiencies and productivity.
Stay connected
This same workflow creates email correspondence and interactions with citizens, who can view the status of their requests when they log into the portal — making it a two-way tool, without staff time and effort. Having visibility into where requests are in the system gives citizens assurance and builds trust in government processes.
It also improves transparency and control in back-end operations by offering tracking, analysis and improvement capabilities — enabling staff to be more accountable and efficient.
The right solution seamlessly integrates with other data systems, accepting documents submitted through the portal and allowing users to retrieve them from accounting, GIS, HR, permitting and other key systems. This enables citizens and staff to have instant access to real-time data that is shareable across systems.
Go mobile, securely
You can configure a smart content services platform that provides mobile and web access to ensure a secure communication channel, regardless of the device used. With features like access control rules, encrypted keywords and digital signatures, you can easily set up your back-end infrastructure to safeguard the communication channel between your agency and constituents.
You can also personalize the experiences of citizens through interactive interfaces that match their unique needs and interests. This enables citizens to engage in real-time, two-way interactions with your staff, allowing your agency to increase responsiveness and public service satisfaction.
Lighten the load
A content services-driven portal is quicker to deploy than a custom solution, which needs to be rewritten for each department that wants a portal presence. This kind of redundant expense is a deal-breaker for strapped governments.
The right content services platform provides low code tools that allow you to configure and deploy quickly and without expensive custom code. You can also easily expand it across the enterprise, adding more functionality to your portal at a sustainable cost.
Take the modern approach
The new government portal isn’t an online phone book. It’s a way to securely begin an application or process. Using business process automation and workflow capabilities, you can reduce paper and electronically route information for faster action and improved efficiencies.
Engagement happens when governments provide fast and responsive services that citizens have come to expect and demand in today’s digital world. A powerful content services platform supports the promise of a self-service government in which citizens can access what they need, when they need it — from their device of choice. It’s the engine for the new government portal.
Are you ready to drive citizen engagement?