The public deserves user-friendly services from the federal government, whether it’s veterans in need of critical health care, taxpayers seeking IRS assistance or college students applying for financial aid. While there have been continual customer service improvements in the private sector, the public consistently rates federal agencies far behind other sectors and industries, leading to a lack of trust in government.
Source: Pew Research Center
WHAT WE’RE DOING
Our goal is to help transform the federal government into a world-class service delivery organization. We share knowledge and best practices on the customer experience through our research and events; advocate for removing policy and legislative barriers; and hold agencies accountable by publishing insights on their interactions with the public.
Government for the People
Profiles on the customer experience
In collaboration with Accenture Federal Services, we released “Government for the People: Profiles on the Customer Experience” — a first-of-its kind report compiling customer experience data, feedback and insights from across eight of the federal government’s high-impact services. Among the services profiled are federal student aid, passport services and health care for veterans
With continuous improvements in the private sector setting high expectations about what constitutes good service, the public consistently rates the services provided by federal agencies poorly, placing them far behind other sectors and industries. Poor experiences with these services lead to an overall lack of trust in the federal government and, according to the Pew Research Center, that trust remains near historic lows.However, our report finds that the common perception of the federal government as a poor provider of customer service does not tell the whole story. Several of the government’s most-used services are highly rated, according to agency customer surveys
The new report features in-depth customer experience profiles that highlight what is working well, where improvements are needed, and the actions that agencies are taking to strengthen the customer experience. It also highlights concrete steps that federal agencies, the Office of Management and Budget and Congress can take to enhance these services.
PROFILES
Airport security screening and passenger support services
Transportation Security Administration
Read the Profile
Citizenship and immigration applicant services
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services
Read the Profile
Customer Experience
Research Reports
Colleagues as Customers: How Mission-Support Services Can Improve the Customer Experience
The Partnership for Public Service and Medallia identify three key strategies for mission-support service providers to use to improve the internal customer experience.
Time for a Change: How agencies are transforming business practices to meet customer needs
In this issue whitepaper we worked with Accenture Federal Services to identify how federal departments and agencies are rethinking traditional ways of doing business.
Beating the Tax Rush: Providing Critical Information Early Improves the IRS Customer Experience
In this issue brief, we worked with Accenture Federal Services to examine how the IRS overcame significant budget and staffing constraints to get ahead of customer questions and improve customer understanding and experience.
Beyond the Basics: Leading Practices for Improving Customer Experience in Government
This white paper highlights three proven private-sector strategies that government can adopt to improve citizen services, and explores common challenges federal agencies experience when implementing these practices.
Customer Experience Dashboard
This sample customer experience dashboard highlights some of the important data that agency leaders can track to understand services from a customer’s perspective.
The Most Important Customer: Improving the Citizen Experience with Government
Benefits of improving the customer experience go well beyond satisfied customers. Learn how in the Partnership for Public Service and Accenture Federal Service’s new issue brief.
Government for the People: The Road to Customer-Centered Services
The Partnership for Public Service, with support from Accenture Federal Services, identified the steps agencies can take to become more customer-centered, based on extensive interviews with agency leaders.
Serving Citizens: Strategies for Customer-Centered Government in the Digital Age
In this report the Partnership for Public Service and Accenture highlight lessons learned from federal initiatives that have simplified and streamlined the process of interacting with the government by implementing a customer-centered approach to digital services.
RECENT NEWS
PARTNERSHIP FOR PUBLIC SERVICE AND ACCENTURE FEDERAL SERVICES UNVEIL FIRST-OF-ITS-KIND FEDERAL CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE REPORT
October 7, 2019
Publication Type: News Release
Publication Tags: Agencies
Tags: Customer Experience
Report reveals what is working well, what needs improving and what actions agencies are taking to strengthen customer experience across eight high-impact service providers WASHINGTON – The nonprofit, nonpartisan Partnership for Public Service, in collaboration with Accenture Federal Services, today released “Government for the People: Profiles on the Customer Experience” — a first-of-its kind report…
PARTNERSHIP FOR PUBLIC SERVICE STATEMENT ON THE OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET’S NEWLY RELEASED DATA ON FEDERAL SERVICES
September 19, 2019
Publication Type: News Release
Tags: Customer Experience,Leadership Development
WASHINGTON – Partnership for Public Service Executive Vice President Meroe Park released the following statement applauding the Office of Management and Budget’s newly released data and information on 25 high-impact federal service providers. Whether working with veterans to access health care services or assisting students with financial aid to attend college, the federal government serves…
PARTNERSHIP FOR PUBLIC SERVICE APPLAUDS LEGISLATION DESIGNED TO IMPROVE CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE IN GOVERNMENT
July 26, 2019
Publication Type: News Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 26, 2019 CONTACT: Onamé Thompson 202-775-6898 WASHINGTON – Partnership for Public Service President and CEO Max Stier released the following statement on the Senate’s passage of S. 1275, the Federal Agency Customer Experience Act of 2019. “The Partnership for Public Service applauds the Senate passing the Federal Agency Customer Experience Act….
3 agencies praised for making customer experience a top priority
October 24, 2018
Publication Type: In the News
Publication Topic: Build Networks of Support,Develop Strong Leaders,Engage Employees
The Trump administration has recently placed what’s come to be known as customer experience high on its priority list. A report from the Partnership for Public Service and Accenture detailed ways several agencies have successfully overhauled their business processes to better optimize customer service. But there is still work to do.
PARTNERSHIP BLOG
- Three tips for building good working relationships in a virtual environment
- The importance of emotional intelligence and communication in a virtual world
- How past presidents overcame challenging transitions
- Communicating during the coronavirus: Advice from a Microsoft leader
- A leadership model for federal leaders during times of crisis
OUR EXPERTS
For more information on our customer experience work, sign up for email updates below or contact Eric Keller at ekeller@ourpublicservice.org.