According to a recent survey more than 40 percent of citizens handle most of their government interactions digitally (PDF)—and 86 percent want to maintain or increase digital interactions. Unfortunately, only 1 in 4 was satisfied with those interactions. As more services move out of your offices and onto the internet, citizens will come to expect online interactions that simplify their searches and make finding what they need easier. If you’re ready to create a more user-friendly online experience for your constituents, these suggestions and government promotional products can help make your website more personalized and customer-focused.
Start with your citizens
Before you begin making changes to your site, establish a citizen advisory group. This group can aid in determining functional requirements, discussing design decisions, and testing the site before it goes live. Thank your citizen advisors with a few government promotional products. Offer them a veggie chopper to serve as a reminder that the website’s job is to simplify the customer experience. Or give them a tech giveaway like a webcam privacy cover to remind them that keeping citizens’ personal information private is of utmost importance.
Be inclusive
As you create your site’s customer-focused experience, be sure to include access for all citizens. Get in contact with experts who understand visual, hearing and other disabilities to ensure your site is user-friendly for all.
Create opt-in personalization
Websites like Amazon® and Google® have been leading the charge in personalization, using data from their customers to offer information or products they would find most interesting or useful. Adding personalization to your site and allowing citizens to opt-in with relevant information can simplify their searches. For example, using their address would be an easy way to get tax information, voting locations or trash pick-up dates.
Consider adding an app
As mobile phones grow in popularity, creating an app can take your customer-focused experience to the next level. Using opt-in information can allow the app to remind citizens about everything from voting dates to car registrations, giving people the information they need before they even know they need it. Once you’ve updated your website or built your app, persuade people to try it out with tech giveaways, like a charging cable or a screen cleaning cloth. Encourage people to send feedback by offering a prize, like a combination Bluetooth® speaker and wireless charger, to everyone who sends in comments.
Simplify your site
A simplified, easy-to-use website is sure to bring a smile to your citizens’ faces. With the help of an advisory group and government promotional products, you’ll be able to make your site more accessible, personalized and customer-focused.