Using AI To Close the Gaps in State and Local Government Services
In the digital age, government agencies are not meeting citizens' expectations regarding service delivery. Despite a 2.2% increase in citizen satisfaction with government services in 2024, the federal government earns a low grade of only 69.7 out of 100—and state and local governments lag even further behind. With 75% of respondents in a 2024 BCG survey expecting government services to match those of private companies like Apple, Google, and Uber, the bar is set very high.
Fortunately, cloud-based tools, including artificial intelligence (AI), offer a golden opportunity for improving service delivery within the budgetary constraints of most government agencies—which is the focus of our e-book, AI for State and Local Government: A Three-Part Guide to Getting Started.
A prime example of how cloud-based solutions can transform government agencies is found in one of the most common communication channels: the call center.
Call Centers: Moving From Awful to Awesome
We’ve all experienced it: calling a government office and receiving a complicated menu of numbered options.
With its labyrinthian interactive voice response (IVR) system, this old-fashioned call center is the embodiment of subpar constituent experience. Menu options are limited, and categorized in ways that don’t address the complexity of constituent issues.
Even in a digital world, people still want the option to speak with a real person when they have questions or concerns. However, government agencies operate under tight budgets that do not allow for hiring and training more agents—not to mention paying them during off-peak times.
The answer? Cloud-based contact centers.
Via these platforms, citizens can enjoy a personalized experience across multiple communication platforms, including phone, text, email, chat, and social media. And because contact centers are in the cloud, agencies can quickly scale resources up and down to handle seasonal or emergency demands. The end result? A vastly improved user experience at a much more cost-efficient price point.
Chatting in Real-Time, Via AI-Powered Chatbots
When we contact a government agency, we want to feel taken care of—and chat offers a very effective way to provide that care. In fact, in the 2023 Government Contact Center Satisfaction Index, 78% of constituents took advantage of chat when it was offered—and their satisfaction levels were seven points higher than customers who did not use it.
Today's chatbots, powered by AI technology, can hold actual conversations with users. While this might feel like an additional layer of technological bureaucracy to wade through—it’s actually the opposite. Chatbots answer frequently asked questions, gather relevant information, and connect users to the right human agent if their needs are too complicated for the bot. All of that means that chatbots save time—for both citizens and agents—reducing frustration, saving money, and improving the service experience.
AI Technology Delivers Improved Service Delivery
Even beyond call centers, AI technology offers many additional opportunities for local and state governments to improve how they serve their constituents. When implemented effectively, these capabilities can raise your agency’s service delivery to match that of private-sector businesses.
Can your agency become the next Uber? To learn more about how state and local governments are leveraging AI to improve the citizen experience, read our e-book, AI for State and Local Government: A Three-Part Guide to Getting Started.
