Leadership in Customer Service Building the Trust

107 High performance in government

108 Accenture research suggests that high performers in the public sector base the value they create on two criteria: the outcomes they deliver and the cost- effectiveness they achieve. They look at value from the perspective of the citizen — the primary stakeholder and most important beneficiary of government activities. By focusing also on cost-effectiveness, high-performance governments strive not only to do the right things, but also to do them in the right way. High-performance governments share some common characteristics. They generate maximum public value. They are relentlessly citizen-centered and outcome-focused. Their capabilities and operational activities all support the delivery of outcomes defined by their mission, and they measure their performance based on those outcomes — not just inputs and outputs. At the same time, high-performance governments are committed to cost-effectiveness. They hold themselves accountable and they make their operations and results transparent to all. They are innovative and flexible, continually striving to improve value delivery, and are able to respond creatively to new challenges and opportunities. They work in open and collaborative ways, understanding that their organization is part of a larger system, and cultivating working relationships with other agencies, organizations and stakeholders. Finally, high-performance governments reflect their enthusiasm for delivering public value. This evident passion engages both internal staff and external stakeholders in active support of their organizations’ missions.

Contents Foreword 2 Introduction 4 Key Finding One 11 Key Finding Two 19 Key Finding Three 25 Key Finding Four 33 Key Finding Five 41 Recommendations 49 Conclusion 58 Country Reports 60

1 Foreword

In this, the seventh year that Accenture has examined the global landscape of public-sector service, we find that government executives around the world continue to press forward toward high performance.

2 We first looked at the emerging trend absolute rankings might rise or fall Notably, all the executives exhibited a of “eGovernment” in 1999-2000, slightly from year to year, these coun- keen interest in learning from their peers. and we have followed that trend as tries have consistently been among They are making some truly innovative it moved mainstream and became, the top ranked. They were among the moves in their customer service programs eventually, an essential and integrated first to move to transactional services, and are hungry for inspiration wherever part of governments’ broader vision to explore the concept of one-stop it resides. As one government executive of leadership in customer service. service, to embrace multi-channel we interviewed said, “Now you have Each year, our report has included offerings and so on. In our own heard what I have to say. Tell me what a comparative assessment of national experience with governments around other people are saying.” governments’ service delivery the world, we were often asked, “What These executives recognize that they performance; over time, Accenture’s sets these leaders apart? What do they are at a critical juncture in their “eGovernment rankings” have become do to perform so consistently well?” customer service programs. This year a recognized international benchmark. While we plan to return to the rankings we were impressed by the number Yet we also recognized that leadership next year, this year we try to answer of governments that had either just is not a static concept — that to remain those questions. As the starting point announced or were in the process at the top requires a determined of our report, Leadership in Customer of formulating innovative new service push against the limitations of today Service: Building the Trust, we set out strategies to put them on the path to and a rejection of complacency in to interview top government executives high performance in customer service. favor of future progress. in the countries comprising the two They are moving beyond tactics to a To that end, this year’s report, Leadership highest-ranking categories from level of service in which their interac- in Customer Service: Building the Trust, our 2005 report (the “trendsetters” tions are designed to build an implicit takes a decidedly different approach. and “challengers”). trust — where citizens and businesses While we have kept certain elements While the approaches in these leading feel the value their governments provide of the study (such as our citizen countries might differ, the leaders and where governments’ first aim is research and country-specific profiles), all share an extraordinary passion to do right by those they serve. It’s we have not conducted a country for customer service — and they are the next phase of leadership in customer ranking for 2006. After years of rapid eager to share with and learn from service, and it’s a concept Accenture eGovernment development, countries’ each other. We spent numerous calls “building the service trust.” maturity advances have slowed. As hours interviewing nearly four dozen No country has achieved this pinnacle leadership in customer service became high-level government executives. of service yet. However, Leadership more difficult to achieve, the time These executives went out of their in Customer Service: Building the Trust it took for governments to make way — making time by arriving seeks to provide the most useful lessons noticeable improvements grew. More early in the morning or staying late from the leaders, insights into what visionary citizen-centric strategies and into the evening to accommodate the citizens themselves say and cross-cutting initiatives needed time us in their already full schedules; a thoughtful analysis of individual to mature and take hold. providing us with highly useful countries’ strengths and weaknesses We also noticed that certain countries information sources; pointing which, taken together, will help had remained consistent leaders over us to other potential interviewees governments determine their next time. While their positions in the and invariably making themselves steps toward ever-higher performance. available for additional questions.

David Wilkins Global Managing Director Government Sales and Innovation

3 Introduction

In our 2005 report, Leadership in Customer Service: New Expectations, New Experiences, we presented a new vision for government customer service: one that was catalyzed by eGovernment, but that went far beyond it.

In it, we looked at the many facets But what is the next wave? For leading In the past few years, governments of excellence in customer service governments that are on their way to have expanded their perspective — and identified the hallmarks of high mastering the four pillars of leadership aiming to provide truly citizen- performance. Leadership in customer in customer service, what lies in centered, integrated one-stop service service, we said, would be marked the future? And for governments that experiences. This involves making by service that is citizen-centered, are looking to catch up to the leaders, horizontal (and to a lesser extent, cross-government, multi-channel how do they close the gap? vertical) cross-government linkages and promoted through proactive This year’s report, Leadership in Customer and developing multiple channels communication and education. Service: Building the Trust, aims of access, allowing citizens to interact (See sidebar, Defining leadership to answer these questions. with their governments wherever, in customer service.) whenever and however they choose. Since our very first study in 2000, Governments that embraced these we have watched the evolution principles, we asserted, would of leadership in customer service deliver greater value for their stake- (see Figure 1, page 6). We saw holders by providing better outcomes governments take their first tentative more cost-effectively. At the same steps by publishing information online time, they would position themselves in the late 1990s. In the early to for the next wave of new aspirations mid-2000s, governments increased and challenges. their efforts to move more individual services online and build greater transactional capability. At that time, the paramount objective was take-up.

4 Deﬁning leadership in customer service

Our vision for leadership in customer service puts citizens ﬁrmly at the center. The vision has four important elements:

A citizen-centered perspective A “citizens-ﬁrst” point of view, in which all the necessary information is organized around the citizen. Government frontline agents providing the service have access to all this information, and use it to tailor interactions to each citizen’s needs and circumstances.

Cohesive multi-channel service Service that is fast, efﬁcient and convenient, regardless of the chosen channel. Interactions that involve more than one channel (for example, mail and telephone) are seamlessly coordinated.

Fluid cross-government service Government agencies working together at the local, regional and national levels to provide integrated services to the citizen.

Proactive communication and education Active outreach and communication, which ensures citizens are well informed about government services. Governments provide citizens with information and education designed to increase adoption of government services through appropriate channels, improve ease of use and strengthen citizens’ ability to comply with what is expected of them.

Governments that embrace these four pillars of leadership in customer service will be well on their way to delivering the outcomes their stakeholders desire and to achieving high performance through greater public-sector value.

5 Figure 1. Governments’ progress toward leadership in customer service has been marked by clearly deﬁned stages.

Establish eGovernment Use eGovernment Embrace Four Pillars of Build the Trust Leadership in Customer Service*

Goal Number of services High percentage of citizen Government services delivered cross- Citizens trust their available online and business uptake channel and cross-government for governments implicitly one-stop/end-to-end services

Era 1999–2001 2001–2005 2005–2008 2007+

Key Internet capability • Citizen outreach • Cross-government collaboration Content of services— Challenges • Uptake • Service integration not just delivery

Time to 2–3 years 2–5 years 5+ years 7+ years Implement

Financial Technology cost Investment in additional Deliver more for less cost Citizen input informs smart Implications channels allocation of resources from the outset

Service Service availability Service delivery Service value Service trust Implications

Value Government masters • Increased convenience • Citizen-centered perspective Country effectiveness Proposition/ technology • Decline in transaction costs • Cost to serve declines/ﬂattens improves Advantage

* Citizen-Centered, Cross-Government, Multi-Channel, Proactively Communicated Service

In this, our seventh study, we see that In the future, leadership in customer The implications of building trust can many governments have internalized service will be defined by service be seen as a virtuous circle: trust in the principles of leadership in customer that builds an implicit trust between government builds a more connected service and are using their new vantage citizens and their government. Here, populace, whose true needs inform point to define the next phase of service trust means even more than a belief the development of more effective policy, for both their citizens and themselves. that governments are acting in implemented via excellent service, Accenture believes the high-performance citizens’ best interests; it implies an resulting in a strengthening of trust. governments of the future will inviolate institution. Citizens will know And the cycle repeats (see Figure 2, reinvent service completely. Current with absolute certainty that their page 9). service models — and the processes, governments are acting to the best Who will lead the way toward service structures, governance and cultures of their ability to ensure citizens enjoy trust? Those governments that approach that go with them — will no longer the highest quality of life. Citizens customer service with an insatiable suffice. Transformation will occur not will feel the value government hunger: the ones that continually aspire only in the service delivery mechanisms, provides. Governments, in turn, will to move to a higher level of performance but also in the services themselves — lead more boldly because they enjoy and to create an environment in which in their very nature, content and the confidence and support of their citizens thrive. essence — as well as in the far broader constituents. This is an outcome far outcomes they achieve. beyond the citizen satisfaction levels with individual services that many governments already measure.

6 Since 2000, Accenture has assessed Of course, it is important to understand Citizens will know with the service delivery programs of more that what one country defines absolute certainty that than 20 national governments. We as excellence may not be another have looked at the breadth and depth country’s ambition at all. their governments are acting of their services, and their maturity. However, many government executives to the best of their ability Government executives have told us shared that learning what other to ensure citizens enjoy the they value these rankings: they provide organizations have done — and especially, a snapshot comparison of their the way they have aligned their vision, highest quality of life. performance against their peers and their policies, their organization and offer insight into areas for improvement. their culture to improve customer Over the past few years of research, service — will boost their own ability however, we have noticed some to improve. consistency in our rankings. Year Our intent is not to provide all the after year, some countries seem to stay answers; but rather, to share the hard- ahead of the curve in vision and in earned insights from experience. implementation, consistently pushing These lessons cannot simply be copied; toward the horizon. As we talk to our each government must tailor and apply clients, they often ask us what these them, based on a deep understanding high performers have done to be of its own unique strengths and successful, what challenges they have weakness, challenges and opportunities. faced and what lessons they can share. In the words of one executive: “It’s To provide a more comprehensive almost like a toolkit to me. So I might perspective on these questions, we have just shared with you a wrench, have decided against ranking countries a screwdriver and a hammer. Someone in 2006. Rather, this report delves into in another government would look the high-performance aspects of those at these tools and say, ‘O.K. Can I use countries that we already identified some of this?’ And then they’ll figure as leaders in 2005, by interviewing out how they’ll use them to work in the executives that have been most their own space, recognizing that they instrumental in moving their countries are starting with a different piece to the position they are in today. (See of wood than mine.” sidebar on page 10, Our methodology in brief.) Through numerous hours of interviews with nearly four dozen government executives, we have examined successful service delivery strategies and learned what the leaders plan to do to sustain leadership in customer service. We probed their “behind the scenes” accomplishments—activities that are perhaps not yet visible externally, but which nevertheless lay the foundation for substantial improvements. As today’s more complex programs and initiatives need time to take root and begin to yield results, allowing more time between rankings will provide a truer picture of progress over time.

7 What have we learned from the leaders? Five key findings emerged, and we present them in the first section of our report.

First, leading governments are Second, governments are at a Third, successful governments are introducing services on par with critical juncture for service success. advancing by putting in place the best of the private sector. Leading executives recognize they new modes of operation that vary While a common perception exists that have “reached the limit” with their dramatically from the past. government trails business in introducing current approaches to customer As governments have developed service innovations, our own survey service and must step into the increasingly rich eGovernment programs, of the landscape shows that in fact, this uncomfortable arena of transformation. they have created a new vantage is not always the case. Governments First, they are re-assessing and point — a platform from which they are using a range of technologies — re-crafting their customer service can now see that the true picture of from short message service (SMS) strategies, not just to satisfy citizens, leadership in customer service is much and text applications to kiosks and but also to create lasting value. more complicated than they had interactive voice response (IVR) — Second, they are veering away from previously understood. Much of their to provide unique and interesting services a “best practice,” one-size-fits-all existing infrastructure, built for a that range from the merely helpful or template. Governments are building government-centric view of service, convenient to the truly life changing. their strategies based on their own will be inadequate to support their unique challenges and value proposi- ambitious new strategies. In response, tions. Leading countries, in particular, they have begun to implement new have recognized that there is no internal structures and processes that set definition for citizen-centricity. vary quite dramatically from those They are putting the “custom” back of the past, including strong new in government customer service. organizational designs, relentless simplification, business reengineering, consolidation and forays into shared services.

8 Figure 2. Building trust through leadership in customer service starts a virtuous circle. ��

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Fourth, successful governments are levels of government also deﬁes easy working with hundreds of government using a combination of four proactive answers. In fact, many governments�� clients around the globe. This section tactics to promote adoption of their are compromising their ability to ��presents key areas governments service strategies. prepare for their future by focusing need to address to take the next steps These approaches — the stick, the carrot, too heavily on tactical service levels toward high performance by building marketing pull and high-touch push — and not enough on the bigger picture. citizen trust. are being used to create genuine Whether and how public-sector Finally, as always, we conclude the enthusiasm for their most effective executives rise to meet these report with individual overviews of channels. challenges will determine which the state of customer service in each governments are able to lead the of the 21 governments we surveyed, Fifth, today’s leaders won’t way in creating an environment drawing together our results and necessarily be tomorrow’s leaders. of implicit service value and trust. conclusions within the context of Leadership will be contingent upon In addition to providing a snapshot each country. governments’ ability to address future of the leading countries’ progress challenges that are both broad and deep. in the journey toward service What would typically be considered trust, our second section provides leading service practices in the private recommendations for moving ahead. sector (such as data mining or offshoring, for example) remain We base these recommendations not difﬁcult, if not impossible, for some only on this year’s research, which governments. Building the ability includes executive interviews, back- to cooperate across boundaries and ground research and the citizen survey, but also from years of research and extensive experience gained from

9 �� Our methodology in brief Figure 3. The 2005 Accenture Leadership in Customer Service rankings. We have omitted the scoring (and ranking) component of our evaluation this year. �� Instead, we have spent more time �� investigating the accomplishments of the �� countries that have performed consistently well for the past several years. In 2006 �� you will see intense concentration on the countries we identified as leaders in last �� year’s Leadership in Customer Service: �� New Expectations, New Experiences report. �� We conducted a series of 46 in-depth �� interviews with high-ranking government �� executives in the governments of the top two categories (“trendsetters” and �� “challengers”) of our 2005 rankings (see �� Figure 3). These countries are Canada, the United States, Denmark, Singapore, Australia, �� France, Japan, Norway and Finland.1 Our goal in these interviews was to gain �� a deeper understanding of what contributed �� to these countries’ world-leading service programs. We talked with the executives �� who were responsible for these programs �� to uncover the challenges they faced and how they handled them, what factors �� contributed to their successes and what �� innovative approaches they could share. This first-hand glimpse provided us with �� invaluable insight into why these programs �� have been successful. Their lessons learned are as relevant to those countries that have consistently performed well as they are �� to those progressing more slowly. As Linda �� Lizotte-Macpherson, Associate Secretary of the Treasury Board Secretariat of Canada, �� says, “We are now moving into a new era. We’re in the next generation of major transformation. So there really is benefit �� from learning from each other, no question.” This year we continue both the background research and citizen survey components of our traditional research approach. We have profiled individual countries and surveyed 1 We also conducted two interviews in the United 2 Countries were selected based on the location a total of 8,600 citizens for both the leader Kingdom and Ireland, two countries whose past of Accenture’s government practice worldwide. categories and for the remaining countries performance piqued our interest—Ireland, for This approach resulted in the exclusion of Mexico, in the “followers” and “formative” categories the unique service challenge it faces, posed by which had been surveyed in past years, from 2 as well. This research informs the entire very high levels of new foreign workers, and our 2006 study. report and in particular, feeds heavily into the United Kingdom for the dramatic internal the individual country profiles at the end structural shifts we saw the government of this report. making to its service program.

10 Key Finding One

Leading governments have introduced services on par with the best of the private sector.

11 At each point of the process you need to see what sort of coordination is required. It is about dynamism and ﬂexibility.

Ann Steward Chief Information Ofﬁcer Australia Government Information Management Ofﬁce

12 A common perception persists that the public sector trails the private sector in terms of innovation in service delivery.

In fact, our research this year clearly 38 percent said the same about (IVR) and others—to craft services that showed us how widespread this opinion government. Yet, the United States are every bit as innovative and exciting is. We asked citizens in 21 countries to ranked number 2 in our 2005 survey as what businesses have offered. assess the progress of the private sector of leadership in customer service. For example, Finland introduced a versus the public sector in developing What’s behind these perceptions? system to pay for parking via mobile online services. In 20 out of 21 countries, First and foremost, many people hold phone in multiple cities, as well as citizens felt private-sector business a picture of government customer in some private parking facilities and was doing a better job. Singapore, service that is incomplete and out parking facilities owned by public in fact, was the only country where of date. Our extensive research has companies (such as the Helsinki-Vantaa citizens felt the opposite was true. shown us that, contrary to the Airport). The PARKIT parking payment In some cases, this perception gap prevailing belief, leading governments system allows users to start, end proves to be quite large: 20 percent have introduced many services that or extend parking time by making or greater in some countries (see are on par with the best of the private a phone call, without even going to Figure 4). The largest gap (27 percent), sector. While they may not always be the vehicle. The service saves time, in fact, was in the United States, where recognized for their accomplishments, trouble and money, as the user need fully 65 percent of the respondents they are using technologies—mobile, only pay for the parking time actually said private-sector business was doing short message service (SMS) text used. PARKIT accepts diverse payment a good or excellent job, while only messaging, interactive voice response methods: mobile phone invoice,

Country Perception Gap % Singapore +11 Malaysia -1 Norway -2 Portugal -6 Sweden -8 Brazil -9 Italy -11 Spain -14 Belgium -15 Finland -15 The Netherlands -16 South Africa -18 Denmark -19 France -19 Ireland -19 Canada -20 Germany -20 Australia -21 Japan -21 Figure 4. Even in some leading countries, the gap between citizens’ perceptions United Kingdom -24 of business’ versus government’s online offerings looms large. United States -27

13 14 The PARKIT parking payment system allows users to start, end or extend parking time by making a phone call, saving time, trouble, and money. credit card invoice or a specific itemized to stop it when they leave. SMS during the events. Initial estimates bill. Denmark, the Netherlands and messages to the customer confirm from the 10 pilot events showed an Germany, likewise, offer pay-by-phone fee payments and warn if an account average cost savings of 12.5 percent parking in certain cities. has insufficient funds. Parking per event. Australia offers a similar example. inspectors can view a list of vehicles The city of Melbourne, Australia Various councils in the country already authorized to park in the area using wants visitors and residents alike to provide the capability to pay for a wireless application protocol (WAP) feel at home there. It has introduced parking (on specific parking meters) phone or handheld computer. iHubs —kiosks that are, in effect, like using mobile phones. In some cases, Through innovative pilots, other mini-chambers of commerce. These the system will send an SMS warning countries are exploring the potential will be installed around the city and if a parking meter is about to expire. of mobile, SMS and other technologies provide information about events, Now the government is experimenting for additional services, from the dining, entertainment, shopping and with “virtual parking meters.” No practical to the truly life-changing. transport. Users identify where they physical infrastructure is required In Singapore, for example, the Ministry are in the city on a detailed map and other than a sign telling people what of Transport and Industry piloted by moving an icon across the screen, number to call. Customers register a project in November 2005 called locate points of interest or make their mobile phone and vehicle details “Type and Go,” which brings mobile reservations for events. Information online. They can then prepay their technology to bear for comprehensive will be shown in the lower quarter parking fees by credit card and check events management for businesses. of the screen so it is wheelchair their account balance and parking The system allows business people accessible, and the city plans to history online. They can also update to receive alerts, register and receive implement voice instructions for their vehicle information anytime reminders or notices of changes for the visually impaired. online. To pay for parking, customers free-registration government events In the Netherlands, the “Burgernet” simply call the number displayed at and seminars through SMS. The system (Citizens Network), a local phone the car park to start the virtual parking also allows users and event organizers network of citizens and businesses, meter when they arrive, and call again to exchange feedback and responses

15 When the police start a search (for a missing child, burglar or stolen car), participants receive a phone call with descriptive information and a number to call back if they have relevant information. taps the power of the collective for Norway.no, Norway’s public-sector In Australia, voice-based technology safety and justice. When the police information portal, recently developed features prominently as part of the start a search (for a missing child, a service for those who would like government’s existing multi-channel burglar or stolen car), participants information from the Web portal, but approach. For example, Centrelink receive a phone call with descriptive who are not on the Internet. By using is an agency of the Department of information and a number to call the phone and a toll-free number, Human Services that delivers a range back if they have relevant information. users can have information from the of services to the community. This initiative provides the police vital site (news, contact information and Centrelink’s automated phone services sets of “eyes and ears on the ground,” other site topics) read to them. use both IVR and natural language enabling them to respond much The system is voice sensitive and users speech recognition to allow the more quickly in critical situations. who say “help desk” are put straight customer to direct the Centrelink The Netherlands has also begun a local through to a live person. reporting system instead of pressing pilot that sends out SMS alerts within Italy is venturing down a similar path phone keypad buttons. a radius of several hundred meters with its national citizen’s portal. Other countries are breaking new from where a child has gone missing, Users can ﬁnd information held in a ground by combining technology and or a burglary or a car theft has been selection of the Italia.gov pages via true cross-government collaboration reported. Participating citizens receive the telephone, using an interactive to improve social inclusion and build a message with this information telephone capability. The main services greater connections to the citizen. and if they have relevant information, that are currently available (grouped In Sweden, under the VISAM-project, can call the number provided in into the following main ﬁve areas: the “Tekniskt möte” (Technical Meeting), the message. labor, disability, retirement, education initiative has received much attention Beyond SMS and mobile technologies, and health) can be accessed through within the public sector. Within the a number of countries have been a guided vocal navigation that, with project, a number of “customer exploring the use of interactive voice just a few commands, allows users workspaces” were set up at different response (IVR) and natural language to hear the desired information. government agencies. These workspaces processing to increase access for are kiosks with a phone, video camera the disadvantaged.

16 17 and video screen, through which the Nordisk eTax brings together all citizen can contact personnel at any the tax rules and regulations of the of the five collaborating government participating countries in all of the agencies (the National Tax Board, languages. The tax administrations the National Social Insurance Board, are collaborating to simplify life for the Swedish Enforcement Administration, citizens in the participating countries the Swedish National Board of in a real way. Thanks to Nordisk eTax, Student Aid and the Customs Office). a Finn moving to Norway to work, for In addition to government cost savings, example, can learn about Norway’s tax citizens and businesses receive better rules in Finnish, or a Norwegian going service in places where any of these to work in Iceland can learn about agencies lack offices. These customer Icelandic rules in Norwegian. workspaces help secure equal service While these examples provide just and consistent treatment irrespective a sample of the best of today’s of the user’s geographical location. government customer service, they Still other countries are collaborating reflect the innovative approaches at an international level for technology- governments are adopting. To take enabled citizen-centric service on the lead in customer service—looking a grand scale. For example, the tax beyond constituents’ in-the-moment administrations of Sweden, Denmark, “demands” toward their unexpressed Finland, Norway and Iceland have needs—governments need to retire established an innovative common tax strategies that focus solely on the portal, Nordisk eTax, built on a history tactics of online service delivery. In of close cooperation and a deep the next section, we discuss how the understanding of each other’s leaders are breaking away from the languages, cultures and experiences. pack and moving toward a model where services are constructed to foster an implicit trust in government.

18 Key Finding Two

Governments are at a critical juncture for future service success.

19 We have yet to realize the full potential from integrating data and creating cross-sector business processes, but that’s where we’re going.

Mikkel Hemmingsen Deputy Director Danish Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation

20 Many government executives recognize they have “reached the limit” with their current approaches to customer service and are now at a critical juncture in terms of service success.

The leaders are facing this challenge online. That is, they seek to understand compliance, but to actually help that by stepping into the uncomfortable not only what citizens want now, but business do better through enhancing arena of transformation. First, they also what they need in the context of the efficiency of its business operations?” are re-assessing and re-crafting their broader social outcomes. This is part Especially striking is the number customer service strategies. Second, of their push toward service trust. As of leading countries that are making they are veering away from a “best Wu Choy Peng, CIO of Singapore, explains significant strategic shifts in their practice,” one-size-fits-all approach. her government’s service aspirations: service approach. Seven out of last They are putting the “custom” back “How can we better position ourselves year’s nine trendsetters and challengers in customer service. to deliver services our customers (78 percent) have all announced or Presently, most leading countries are would value, but do not expect? How (as of this writing) plan to announce in a phase of re-crafting their strategies can we be proactive? For example, major new central service strategies (or have just announced dramatically today a businessman looks at govern- in the year since our last report. new strategies) with a much broader ment as someone who may hold him In contrast, only two countries of last emphasis on service that creates value, back. How can we bring the regulatory year’s remaining 12 follower and rather than on simply putting services agencies together not just to simplify formative countries (17 percent) have

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Figure 5. As world-leading governments craft bold new customer service agendas, the gap between the leaders and followers may widen over the next few years.

21 Figure 6. Governments’ true understanding of citizens’ needs and, correspondingly, the value they can deliver to citizens, increases as they move toward service trust.

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announced bold new approaches to Countries on the move are developing government is looking beyond its own customer service. Figure 5 illustrates far-reaching service strategies borders in the development of its Plan which countries have announced intended to strengthen social fabric Avanza, which was approved by the a major new strategy in the past year and improve economic prosperity. Board of Ministries in November 2005. (as opposed to a minor update or Spain and the United Kingdom are The Plan Avanza is the strategy for refresh of an existing strategy) and notable for appearing to be on the developing Spain as an information which countries are relying on verge of dramatic advancement. These society and for positioning it as strategies two or more years older. countries (14th and 10th, respectively, a leader in Europe and on the Of particular interest to us are the in our 2005 rankings) have articulated international scene. anomalies: the two leading countries new strategies quite similar in tone Today’s and tomorrow’s leaders are that have not made any announce- to those of the leaders. In the United shifting their service focus toward ments of major changes to their Kingdom, the “Transformational value creation, but this concept means service strategy (France and the United Government” strategy reflects a critical very different things in different States) and the two “follower” coun- shift to a view of technology as an cultures. As governments make their tries that have (Spain and the United enabler rather than an end in itself. service transitions, they in fact do Kingdom). France’s next steps are It also acknowledges the important not look alike; rather they are building somewhat unclear; its current ADELE structural and governance changes their strategies based on their own (Administration ELEctronique) that must occur in tandem to close unique challenges and value propositions. strategy is set to expire in 2007 and the gap between providing service for Canada, for example, is embedding the government has reorganized in citizens and creating value for them. Canadian values into service delivery the past year, which will undoubtedly In Spain, the government’s Plan and building trust in government: affect the country’s approach to Moderniza subsumes the majority of “The basic impetus [behind Canada’s service modernization. How soon the government’s current eGovernment service transformation agenda] is this will happen is an open question. objectives under a much broader to increase the level of Canadians’ While executives in the United States agenda of improving the Spanish confidence in their government,” describe an evolutionary process of government’s relationship with its explains David Marshall, Deputy Minis- continual refinement, other countries citizens. In addition, the Spanish ter, Public Works and Government seem to be taking more dramatic steps.

22 Services Canada. “It is a recognition Determining citizens’ real current and “How can we better position that the well-being of Canadians, future needs is not easy; the further ourselves to deliver services inasmuch as their view of whether government looks to the future of they’re well governed or not, is not customer service, the less likely its our customers would value, only dependent upon the elected citizens’ needs will be expressed versus but do not expect? How can officials. There is a big part to be implicit (see Figure 6 on page 22). we be proactive? For example, played by how the public service Leading countries, in particular, have or the bureaucracy carries out the recognized that generic terms such as today a businessman looks policies of the elected officials. And “improving performance” and “becoming at government as someone to the extent that these policies— citizen-centric” are almost meaningless in the sense of service delivery and when the concept is without national who may hold him back. How efficient use of funds and so on— and cultural context. (See sidebar on can we bring the regulatory is well done, it either improves or page 24, A new view of citizen-centricity.) agencies together not just decreases the confidence of Canadians As Andrew Sheffield, Director of in their government. . . So at the root Service Transformation at the UK to simplify compliance, but of it is a generation of confidence in Cabinet Office describes, “We have to actually help that business the competency of their government.” a huge difficulty with language. It do better through enhancing Singapore emphasizes building the is perfectly respectable to talk about international competitiveness of customer focus and customer-centricity, the efficiency of its business the country. In contrast, Japan has and acknowledge that we have operations?” a high-tech focus, where ubiquitous to design our services such that the technology will lead to increased users —the customers —will use them. efficiencies to help reduce the national But there is only a sort of a passing debt while contributing to a safer understanding of what that actually and more secure society and building means in practice.” a whole new relationship between Once governments can articulate those the government and those it serves. needs, they can begin to align their Denmark’s Mikkel Hemmingsen, capabilities and strategies to meet Deputy Director at the Ministry of them—constructing service as a lever Science, Technology and Innovation, to accomplish bigger social outcomes. outlines still another view on value. Of course, new strategies alone — even He explains that having a key set the most ambitious — will not propel of identifiers standardized across governments toward service trust (and government — a person, a company, ultimately, high performance). Strategies an address, income and so on — has must take into account a variety of enabled Denmark to reuse data across factors, including the unique needs agencies and thus provide service of each country’s populace. Executing in a whole new way. Hemmingsen on these new strategies requires new continues, ”You could say that we organizational foundations (new have this system of knowing about policies, processes and organizational people. We know where they live. models). In the next section, we We know how much tax they pay discuss the mechanisms the leaders and where they work. We know how are putting in place for rapid service many children they have. We use this advances in the future. knowledge to reduce the administrative burden on citizens. We have yet to realize the full potential from integrating data and creating cross- sector business processes, but that’s where we’re going.”

23 A new view of citizen-centricity Governments are recognizing that being The United Kingdom’s Transformational citizen-centric encompasses more than just Government strategy emphasizes determining recognizing who their “customers” are and what has to be delivered centrally, while what they want, and they are altering their increasing local involvement. Local strategies to take a bigger picture view. government representatives serve on the For many of these governments, their Service Transformation Board and local redefinition of what it means to be citizen- authorities are working in parallel to centric has led to increasingly local citizen determine how to deliver. “It’s kind of touch points. These leading governments early days, but a strategy like this simply are making innovative use of their local wouldn’t be worth the paper it’s written connections to build bridges to citizens on if you didn’t have local involvement,” across all levels of government. says Andrew Sheffield, Director of Service For example, in Denmark the “Structural Transformation at the UK Cabinet Office. Reform” is one of the biggest and most Service Canada is a collection of services important reforms of the public sector to individuals that have been brought under in many years. The Structural Reform will a single leadership, and is now rolling out impact both the national and local level to improve services to Canadians at a local governments, but will affect local govern- level. For example, Service Canada is ment the most, as fewer municipalities will opening up small boutique offices in soon deliver an increased share of public shopping centers and has negotiated special functions and services. As Hugo Prestegaard, deals on cell phone usage for its agents. Head of Division at the Danish National Moves such as these are helping Service IT and Telecom Agency, explains, “Denmark Canada become more mobile and reach is traditionally a country with a strong smaller communities — and ultimately, decentralization of administrative power. to become more relevant. And the new reform is putting that more What’s behind these approaches? “At the in a forward way, focusing more on that. . . heart of governance is connecting with In fact, the target for this reform is to put the people you govern,” says Maryantonett the citizen in the center — ensuring that Flumian, Deputy Head of Service Canada. a citizen can have all his or her problems “And the electronic channel does many solved in one stop, either by calling the things, but it also disassembles that local services center or going there in relationship. Government operates best at person. The local center will have access the retail level. . . Governments make policy, to systems often run by central agencies. but they only connect at the retail level.” So it’s very different than many other countries with big national call centers and things Governments are beginning to realize that like that. Here the ambition is to empower if they give up their personal interface the municipalities by decentralizing tasks with citizens, then people begin to lose from central government and giving citizens their understanding of the relevance of most of their assistance locally.” government. In contrast, by building local connections with the people they govern, Finland’s growing emphasis on local service they can begin to use these connections delivery is evident in its use of its network to inform policy in meaningful ways. of 213 Citizen Centres to deliver an increasing The aim is to bring a strong and reliable number of government services and customer voice into the design of individual an enhanced focus on coordination down services. As Bjarne Hope, Norway’s Director- to the local and municipal levels. General of Taxation, says, “Intimate (The government, in fact, initiated a relationships with citizens can give you Local and Regional Service Strategy last a better look to the future.” year to guide its actions to 2010.)

24 Key Finding Three

Successful governments are advancing by putting in place new modes of operation that vary dramatically from the past.

25 The starting point is not the technology. The starting point is the customer.

Ng Wai Choong Deputy Secretary, Industry Singaporean Ministry of Trade and Industry

26 As governments have developed increasingly rich eGovernment programs, they have, in effect, created a new vantage point.

Leaders have seen that high-performance to face your colleagues week after The Norwegian government estab- customer service is much more week. So you know if you’re obstruct- lished a new Ministry of Labor and complicated than they had previously ing another colleague’s initiative, you Social Affairs to better coordinate the understood. They have begun to had better have good, sensible reasons Norwegian Public Employment services, recognize that many of their existing for your position. You can’t just do the National Insurance services and internal mindsets, structures and things with impunity. You’ll be facing the municipalities’ social services. The processes—built for a government- that person every week. This creates government is reorganizing a number centric view of service—will be incentives for a business-like cooperation.” of departments into one Labor and inadequate to support their ambitious In Denmark, in conjunction with the Welfare Department (expected to be new service strategies and, ultimately, Structural Reform, the government is finished by July 2006) so that the their pursuit of building service trust. shifting power from the central and many users in need of services from Moving to a higher level of perfor- regional levels to the county and two or more of the authorities do not mance will only come by shaking off municipal levels. Hugo Prestegaard, have to contact several departments their old routines and acting in ways Head of Division at the Danish to resolve problems. In addition, in that are decidedly non-traditional National IT and Telecom Agency, each municipality, a municipal-central for governments. explains: “Denmark now has 14 government “first-line” office will To that end, a number of the leaders counties, and these will be trans- provide coordinated services adapted have begun developing new founda- formed into 5. And many tasks that to the users’ needs, replacing various tions. Far more than a retrofit of the have been done centrally will be offices that are located in the munici- existing machinery of government, moved down to the municipalities. palities today. New offices will be these approaches involve implementing The municipalities will then have a opened in all municipalities before 2010. new internal structures and processes greater power. They’ll become bigger— In Finland, the government is coordi- that mark a departure from the past. have more force to take on a bigger nating all the information manage- They include strong new organizational role. They will go from 271 to 98. ment in the state administration. designs, consolidation and forays into So we will have major players that The organization charged with this shared services, business reengineering have more power and more people. objective is new, and its establishment and elimination of some unnecessary The idea is to make sure that when represents a shift in mindset for the citizen interactions altogether. you go into a citizen service center, Finnish government: now focusing on they will take care of your problem. centrally providing the services that Strong new organizational designs Even though the people actually taking will be common to all the agencies In Canada, where the government care of it may be sitting in other and ministries. has a history of making progress agencies elsewhere, you shouldn’t Beyond consolidation, other govern- through horizontal cooperation, the even be aware of that. We’ll take care ments have taken deeper dives into government’s service transformation of you. That is the idea.” shared services. For these governments, agenda advances through a model of the benefits are threefold. First, they “business-like cooperation” that begins Consolidation and forays create good management tools and with a weekly breakfast meeting of into shared services information to enable external service deputy ministers. In terms of consolidation, in France, delivery—in effect, marrying internal the Ministry of Finance (MINEFI)—and “It’s a very, very effective mechanism excellence with external service more precisely, its Budget Department— because every Friday you know you’re delivery. Second, by acting as one created the Direction generale de la going to see every other deputy in the back office, they remove modernisation de l’État (DGME) as minister. Everybody shows up at those significant impediments to agility a new division to drive state modern- meetings,” explains Canada’s David and responsiveness to the customer. ization, including the development Marshall. “More importantly, you have Finally, they gain increased efficiencies of eGovernment. The DGME has been and economies of scale, liberating formed by merging four former resources to devote to service agencies, three of which previously delivery initiatives. reported in to the Prime Minister.

27 In Singapore, for example, the govern- we will be able to stand up as an Beginning in 2004, the US government ment set up its VITAL.org-Centre for organization to address a need more established Lines of Business (LoBs), Shared Services in April 2006 to deliver quickly. We can divert money to higher which seem to be the starting point selected human resources and finance priorities; we can manage horizontally.” for the country’s greater push to processing services to government In the sidebar on page 32 entitled shared services. These LoBs (financial, agencies. Likewise, a number of Some advice on building public-sector human resources, grants, health and Australian states (such as Western shared services, Bruce Deacon offers case management systems and IT Australia and Queensland) are insights from his experience. security) are areas where US federal introducing shared services, and the Funding and governance of broad agencies could team to increase Cross-Jurisdictional Chief Information corporate initiatives such as shared efficiencies and improve economies Officers’ Committee in Australia services is an ongoing challenge. of scale by reducing duplication. Lead continues to identify the potential Canada’s model relies initially on agencies with the greatest compe- for shared services and infrastructure central funding to give the initiative tency are acting as government-wide where appropriate. legs, with agencies bearing an service providers. Rather than expend Canada created the Shared Corporate, increasing share of the costs based significant effort and resources Administrative and Information on their use of the services once the modernizing existing agency-specific Technology Services to make the service has been well established. systems, the Office of Management government’s internal operations more Ken Cochrane, Chief Executive Officer, and Budget (OMB) developed a efficient and effective, as one key Information Technology, at Public comprehensive reference model that component of the government’s overall Works and Government Services highlighted the LoB overlaps. Using service transformation agenda Canada, describes the funding model the power of the purse, OMB led (with the other being the outward- during Canada’s shared services a migration to common, government- facing Service Canada). The initial evolution: “Having a central funding wide solutions. The goal of the effort focus is on human resources, financial source, at least in the early days, is to identify opportunities to reduce and materiel management services, and maybe for a while longer, is very the cost of government (estimated and distributed computing/desktop critical to encouraging take-up. And to be in the tens of billions of dollars and data center services. Bruce once you achieve an appropriate level over ten years) and improve services Deacon, Assistant Deputy Minister of take-up, you arrive at volumes and to citizens through business perfor- of Canada’s Corporate Administrative a critical mass where the service mance improvements. Shared Services initiative, explains the makes sense. This is key. In the case Says Karen Evans, Administrator rationale: “It’s the idea of competitive of Government On-Line, if we had of E-Government and Information government. In a global world, asked departments to ante up their Technology at the US Office of companies in a country have to have resources to support the central Management and Budget, “If you look confidence that their government can service, they wouldn’t have had the at eGovernment programs, including function as competitively as they do. capacity to figure out which services Lines of Businesses, the intent is to But it is also about good management, needed to be made available, to improve efficiency so more attention accountability, transparency and the reengineer their own businesses and can be focused on achieving the capacity to respond to changing to redesign their systems and solutions mission—delivering service to citizens. priorities. We have to be able to be to enable these changes. That’s heavy The savings from cost avoidance can flexible, to change things to respond lifting, too. In fact the lifting in then be redirected to serving those to needs. If we move to shared services, departments, if you put it altogether, citizens better and more effectively.” is substantially heavier than the central investment.”

28 In the United Kingdom, there is a For most citizens, government Leading governments have significant and explicit push to interactions can be disruptive and come to recognize that true implement shared services and time consuming, and therefore, they redeploy resources to the front line. seek to minimize them. Leaders have citizen-centricity encompasses The government created a cross- taken this to heart and have been removing as much work government team to promote shared relentless about examining their from the system as possible services, and appointed a Shared existing processes, simplifying and Services Director to work in the reengineering the way they do things for citizens. Cabinet Office, acting as a catalyst in line with a more far-reaching vision. to drive progression to shared services. As a result, some are eliminating The government clearly supports the unnecessary touch points for citizens notion that merging functions such and businesses altogether. as call centers or human resources For example, when the Singaporean yields big savings from scale efficien- Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) cies that can then be used elsewhere. developed its Online Business Licensing In addition, the government plans to Service, it undertook an extensive operate on the presumption that only government-wide review of all start- by agency sharing and teaming will up licenses required by more than it provide the best value for money. 30 government agencies. Irrelevant This will make it harder for wasteful, and obsolete business licenses were duplicative projects to be funded. removed. In addition, other licenses Simplification and were merged or converted into once- business reengineering off lifetime licenses to create a more pro-enterprise environment. “The Leading governments have come to starting point is not the technology,” recognize that true citizen-centricity explains Ng Wai Choong, Deputy encompasses removing as much work Secretary, Industry, at MTI. “The from the system as possible for citizens. starting point is the customer. First we As Andrew Sheffield describes, “I’ve do a policy review: ‘Do you really need no doubt that British citizens are no all these licenses? Are there alterna- different from any other citizens in the tives to this license?’ Next we ask, world. They don’t particularly want to ‘How do we make it more effective use government services. You know, and more pleasant?’ And we do serious it’s not like we’re offering them nice business reengineering. Finally we ask, things to buy in a shop, or airline ‘How do we leverage technology to tickets for holidays.” enable this?’ Our ultimate aim is not to Ong Joon Lim Wilson, the CIO of require licensing where possible. Certainly, Singapore’s Inland Revenue Authority, the results are very encouraging.” echoes the sentiment: “People don’t In Australia, students in tertiary studies have a choice; they have to pay a tax. receive government subsidies. Historically Whether they like it or they don’t like students had to apply via paper forms it, they have to pay it. We have to and physically appear at a social make it as painless as possible, so that service center to register changes in at least, people don’t feel so dreadful their status. The Student Notification when they are paying taxes. That’s of Employment Income Initiative the basic premise we start with for introduced by Centrelink has simplified our services.” students’ reporting requirements while multiplying their choice of channels.

29 30 Online licensing enables easy registration for business owners so they can spend their time at work on other matters.

Now students can log in directly from Bjarne Hope, Norway’s Director-General forms, but retrieving information their universities at their convenience. of Taxation, describes his agency’s directly from the underlying basic Designing self-service options also relentless drive for improvement: systems of the organizations.” provided Centrelink with the opportu- “I think what we have experienced For several years, we have emphasized nity to streamline business processes, through these years is that every time that it does not matter whether increase the use of electronic record- we have moved a step forward, and governments provide excellent keeping and improve data integrity. we thought that we had solved a services if citizens will not use them. Norway introduced a service revolution problem or reached a new position, We have seen this problem with in 1999 when it launched pre-filled we have seen new possibilities. What eGovernment in particular—even tax forms in conjunction with an early we are working on now, for instance, as governments improved their online version of an electronic tax filing is also to use the pre-filling procedure offerings, citizens failed to embrace service. Originally, the government and the electronic service to make a them. The result was that many pre-populated tax returns using only better tax return for corporations and governments have struggled to achieve information from its own registers. businesses. So we have tried to use our the anticipated time and money Since then, the government has experience and the best practices on savings from extensive citizen self- aggressively pursued third-party the personal taxpayer side and expand service. In some cases, the problem information (from organizations such that to the business side, gathering all has been access—citizens lacking the as banks and insurance companies) to the information that we can to make necessary physical hardware or Internet pre-populate tax forms for its citizens. things simpler.” connections. Just as often, however, The service has reached a level where To that end, the Norwegian Tax citizens have not known what services more than half of all taxpayers need Authority is now making innovative were available or how to use them. not change or add anything; their use of the existing “AltInn” common In this case, governments’ efforts at information is accurate and complete. reporting system for businesses to proactive communications and In addition, in 2005 the government try to retrieve information directly education are critical. In the next expanded its electronic filing service from companies’ accounting and wage section, we discuss the innovative ways so that it is available to all individual systems as they compute relevant tax some countries are using a combina- taxpayers, regardless of the complexity information. “That is a new way of tion of proactive tactics to continue of their tax situation. doing it,” says Hope. “Not filling out to build user awareness and adoption.

31 Some advice on building public-sector shared services The Canadian government is currently Relate the back end to the front end. building its shared services initiatives “The back ofﬁce of internal corporate through an approach that balances private- services affects the front ofﬁce—the direct sector principles with public-sector realities. client service. For example, you need to Bruce Deacon, Assistant Deputy Minister understand that how well you operate the of Canada’s Corporate Administrative back end impacts how quickly and reliably Shared Services (CASS) initiative, offers payments are made, how easily customers advice from his experience developing reach the right people when there is an shared services in the public sector. administrative problem, and so on.”

Don’t stop when it gets daunting. Get strong commitment from “Tell yourself you really know the answer. senior leadership. If you talk about it, you’ll be 90 percent “Strong commitment is essential to success; right. If you do too much analysis, it can it must, however, be proactive and be paralyzing. All you see is complexity.” sustained. Strong commitment isn’t ‘I think this a good idea.’ It has to be ‘I think this Keep scope in check and is a good idea and how can I support you?’ stay focused. You need a commitment of leadership and “You always have the problem of scope also a sustained commitment of funding.” creep. Keep it in check and stay focused. You may ﬁnd that you are in an environ- Think like a business and capture ment where, for whatever reasons, the the returns. pressure to move faster is there. Govern- “If a company is outsourcing, there is ments are no different from a major formalized supply and demand, articulated company. If leadership changed, opportunity with Service Level Agreements. In the same changed, you would adjust accordingly. way, if you run shared services, you are We are in an environment where those now delivering a service for a price, and you things can change. You can adjust if you have to construct it and manage it to drive have the right people and have done your out costs. The service provider must operate detailed analysis. along business lines, with activity costing and continuous productivity improvement. “The agencies themselves also need to be On the other hand, the consumer has to thinking about how and where to do shared organize to receive the services, as well as services. It is moving forward rapidly. to effectively manage the supplier relationship. All of this is going to happen; it’s just a question of how quickly, and what scale.” “If you put the relationship on a supplier / client basis, it becomes explicit. You can Acquire, retain and develop articulate what you are spending and what the people capacity. the savings are—and you can project and “Transition management is not something plan. You can capture savings and often you learn to do for a few months. Develop reallocate them into higher service levels. teams of people with specialized expertise. Agencies should think of themselves As they get better and better, build on your as outsourcing: they have to rethink things success. You will have people who will and learn to manage the contract. If you move. You can plan that. If you do it don’t run it as a business, you won’t drive correctly, you plan a degree of churn. Have out the unnecessary cost.” departments cycle people into the transition group. In Canada, we advise those that Capture these keys to success. will be transitioning to shared services in “Success in shared services depends on a later phase should have their best and a number of key factors. You need a clear brightest working with the transition team commitment and mandate; a deﬁned policy now to get experience: to get involved, framework within which to design services; build resources and position themselves.” adequate capacity, both in terms of funding and the right people; strong governance from the beginning and rigorous processes for managing transformation; and certainly not least—you need the right attitude, including a sense of urgency.”

32 Key Finding Four

Successful governments are using a combination of four proactive tactics to promote adoption of their service strategies.

33 Leadership really is about strong beliefs about what is right to do, and the willingness to take doubt and criticism and stay with a vision and move forward.

David Marshall Deputy Minister Public Works and Government Services Canada

34 Last year we pointed out that, despite citizens’ relative Internet savvy and familiarity with online government in advanced countries, the telephone continues to be the predominant means they use to communicate with government.

This year in our citizen survey, we saw the best level of service across A key component of their effort the trend continue, as we saw a number all country categories (advanced, is changing perceptions through of our leading countries still struggling developing and emerging countries). proactive marketing. However, despite with converting even high Internet use In developing and emerging countries, a growing recognition of the value into genuine enthusiasm for the channel walk-in centers are the main priority of marketing and some initial (see Figure 7). for investment. “testing of the waters,” in most countries, Obviously, the value of live communi- While it will be difﬁcult for any other eGovernment usage rates have cation should not be underestimated. channel to replace personal contact, remained relatively constant from From our citizen survey, we see that in- governments continually strive to move 2005 to 2006 (see Figure 8). person communication has the highest the boundary in terms of what services The challenge stems at least in part ease-of-use rating in advanced citizens are willing to transact online. from governments’ relative inexperience countries, and it is expected to deliver with marketing, lack of robust marketing

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Figure 7. Even the leaders struggle with converting high Internet penetration into real enthusiasm for the online channel.

35 Figure 8. Despite increasingly intensive capabilities and often overly simple Also in Denmark, as of February 2005, outreach campaigns, eGovernment approaches. However, despite the all government organizations have usage rates have remained relatively continuing struggle, we did find been required to accept only electronic constant from 2005 to 2006. evidence that some leading countries invoices from suppliers. After some are beginning to apply effective start-up problems, the new e-Faktura �� methods to improve citizens’ accep- system was in place by mid-2005 and tance of their most efficient online handling approximately 70 percent �� channels. Beyond basic and ad hoc of the invoicing transactions that it campaigns (such as running a public is eventually expected to facilitate. �� service announcement on television, The somewhat radical decision to close for example), these leaders are using a down the offline channel will affect combination of four proactive tactics: some 15 million invoices from approxi- �� mately 500,000 Danish businesses Stick each year. This bold move by the �� Strong pressure or mandatory government was supported by a strong use of more efficient channels business case showing significant �� for some services. benefits for both business and Carrot government. Analysis indicated that �� Incentives for online use. the potential savings from electronic invoicing could be as high as € 120 to Marketing pull �� € 150 million per year across government, Innovative campaigns to increase and about € 50 million for business. �� awareness and educate users on how to access and use the available services. In Japan, which has built a world-class online capability but has struggled �� High-touch push with low take-up, the government Help and support; showing people seems to be taking a new, harder line �� and businesses how to get the most to promote electronic transactions. out of services. A special committee recently recom- �� For example, Denmark has used the mended that “the budget (investment) stick technique in different ways to for the eGovernment [services], which �� good effect. Denmark’s E-Day Projects are not expected to achieve 50 percent first gave public organizations the or more online transactions as a goal, �� right to demand electronic communi- should be frozen.” If the cabinet fails cation from each other, and then to present concrete countermeasures, �� expanded that right so that all citizens the majority Liberal Democratic Party and all businesses could demand to will request these strong sanctions �� communicate with the public sector go into effect. electronically. While the E-Days were Other countries are using the carrot �� based on agencies’ voluntary compli- approach, providing incentives to ance, the pressure to comply was encourage people to take more �� strong and persuasive: “Basically this advantage of self-service. This was a voluntary agreement that all approach is particularly common �� public organizations signed up for. among revenue agencies. The United They agreed to make it available States, for example, encourages �� so that all citizens and companies people to use online tax filing services can communicate with the public by promising earlier refunds for those �� sector electronically and safely. It was who file electronically. Norway offers a voluntary thing, but we followed a two-month extension on the filing up and actually published on the deadline (from end of March to end �� Internet who was not ready yet. So, of May) for electronic filing. Other �� the agencies were put under pressure. countries, including Singapore and And that’s quite a unique way of Ireland, offer similar approaches. enforcing it without enforcing it,” explains Carsten Loesch, Project Manager, Ministry of Finance.

36 Implementing these stick and carrot After three months of marketing, the Singapore’s Ministry of Finance, its approaches is not always easy. number preferring the Internet grew Infocomm Development Authority and Particularly in countries that value to 46 percent, with only 38 percent the Network for Electronic Transfers individualism, or in those that strongly preferring phone for their contacts Pte Ltd. (NETS), a private financial believe all citizens must receive the with government. services company. Consumers and same service advantages (irrespective In the United States, the USPS has business users were eligible to win of where they live or their abilities, turned its unmatched reach into every attractive prizes when they made for example), any approach that home in the country into an invaluable payments to the government using appears too heavy-handed by the marketing asset — to drive awareness online payment modes from NETS, government or implies favored of its most innovative services. namely eNETS Credit and eNETS treatment for a particular group, Debit. A total of 386,198 transactions may cause trouble. “During last fall’s busy holiday mailing were made via eNETS between July period, every household in America and October 2005, representing In Japan, for example, both stick and received our Holiday Mailing Guide, carrot approaches present challenges. a 44 percent increase over the same which provided our customers with months in the previous year. “As we look back, the e-Japan initiative helpful and timely information has operated too much from the designed to make their preparations In another campaign, the Singaporean viewpoint of the supply-side, and less hectic,” said Susan Plonkey, Vice Accounting and Corporate Regulatory therefore, it was not always in sync President of Customer Service. “It Authority (ACRA), promoted a with the needs and requirements of included mailing deadlines, packing competition among users of its BizFile the Japanese citizens,” says Takuya tips, and information about the system 2. “The public uses our BizFile Hirai, Japan’s Parliamentary Secretary services available through our website, online filing system, and we need their of the Cabinet Office. “Honestly usps.com, which they could use to save feedback to improve it,” explains speaking, it is very difficult to force time, print postage and send packages— Bernice Quek, Head of IT at ACRA. people to use the Internet—and if we from home or at the post office.” “So, we offered prizes for the e-mail abolish the paper bases, it would force suggestions that would have the most people. That means that what we have “And we’re building on that,” Plonkey impact on the system.” The competition is a very steady and continuous stream said. “We got such great feedback, offered a few top prizes (including of public relations and publicity in that we’ve started a regular series of an iPod mini) and consolation prizes, order to educate the people. I think mailings to every home and business and generated significant interest that the way to have very convenient in America. We’re telling them about and participation. and easy-to-understand services for My Desktop Post Office, a great application that links their home High-touch push is the final proactive the citizen is by reducing the costs technique that leading countries have or fees they have to pay.” computer right to usps.com, and provides shortcuts to the tools and incorporated. By providing support and Certainly, the stick and carrot approaches services they use most. We want them showing people how to get the most will not be the only levers for improving to know about Carrier Pickup, too, out of the governments’ online service adoption. Other leading countries are which allows customers to log on, let offerings, the government wins putting their own spin on traditional their post office know they’ve got a eGovernment converts one by one. marketing pull as well as high-touch package ready to ship, and have their This year we saw more evidence than push approaches, to good effect. letter carrier pick it up with the next we had ever seen previously of this For example, France uses the Internet day’s delivery, at no extra charge.” type of approach, and it is symptom- channel extensively to promote atic of the growing recognition that a “This is just the beginning,” added highly personal level of interaction will e-services (via pop-up ads, commercial Plonkey. “We’re going to do a series links and so on). Denmark recently often be necessary for driving citizens of these mailings throughout the year. to the more efficient online channel. launched its first concerted marketing What better way than the mail for the campaign across all government with This is particularly the case when the USPS to let people know about great services are complicated or have big great results. Before the campaign products and services we offer?” started, an equal number of citizens personal implications for the citizen (42 percent) preferred to contact the Singapore often has some of the most (or perceived negative ramifications public sector via phone as did those creative approaches to marketing. Its if done improperly). Such services include who preferred the Internet channel. recent “Why Q? e-Pay” campaign was applying for benefits or paying taxes, a six-month joint promotion by among others.

37 38 Countries are using the “carrot” approach, providing incentives to encourage people to take more advantage of self-service.

For example, the Irish Revenue helps When Singapore’s Accounting and “For those who are not IT-literate, foreign nationals at regional offices Corporate Regulatory Authority (ACRA) or not able to speak English, we have learn how to use online filing channels: introduced BizFile, its business made available professional advisors— “Because of Ireland’s booming economy, registration and filing process, it such as lawyers, accountants, chartered we have a large number of non- moved that service completely online, secretaries—to do the filing for them. nationals. In the recent 2005 census, with no manual systems running in We also have authorized service our actual number of new employees parallel. However, the agency did bureaus, where they can go and get coming into the workforce increased provide a number of key support a knowledgeable employee to actually by approximately 60,000. Of those, mechanisms to cushion the blow. handle their requests for them. some 40,000 were non-nationals Juthika Ramanathan, Chief Executive We also have at our premises, what coming to the country for the first of Singapore’s ACRA, explains: we call a ‘cyber guide,’ who can do the time,” explains Declan Rigney, Principal “Our system is completely online, filing for them on their behalf, as well. Officer, Customer Service Policy, Web-based, 24/7. And to address The other category would be people of Ireland’s Office of the Revenue different customer segments and who are literate in English, but may Commissioners. “Obviously, there are enable them to transact with us not have access to the Internet for language barriers over the phone. online, we made help readily available. some reason or other. For them we The face-to-face channel has been For those who could do it themselves— provided 12 self-help kiosks, which are popular. In fact, some 75 percent of because they are IT-literate and fully equipped with a scanner, printer the contacts who come into our public English-speaking—the system is and a PC, which they can use free of offices are non-national customers. designed to be transaction-based, charge to do their filing. And they also It is costly, but it is necessary: our tax as opposed to form-based. You just have access to our filing self-help desk process still has many features that have to come in knowing what you free of charge. So, if they are stuck require complex explanation. If we are want, rather than having to know the or need to ask any questions, they offering good alternatives, we believe legal requirements of your actions. can just pick up the phone and speak we can reduce the amount of contacts. to someone who can guide them,” We are working on putting in PC Ramanathan adds. facilities and support in our offices to encourage online services.”

39 Other Singaporean agencies have similar broader social agenda by reallocating documentation. As they traveled high-touch programs in place to internal employee effort to the through other cars, the visitors migrate individual citizens to online frontline and providing real assistance exchanged information with notaries, services. Many agencies provide self- to the unemployed. Many of these auditors, lawyers, service companies service Internet terminals in offices online services are for the employers and other related functionaries. that offer counter services. These themselves, and UNEDIC provides Clearly, leading governments are terminals create greater awareness, continual support to drive take-up. breaking new ground in customer enable higher usage of the agency’s It’s an intensely high-touch approach, service to secure true and lasting value e-services and offer greater convenience with lots of one-on-one interaction, for their citizens. However, even to the customer when the queues are rather than just a dissemination all they have done—the innovative long. Agency staff provide assistance of published information. services they have implemented, and guidance. To date, approximately “We have very close contacts with the new strategies they are crafting, 1,000 self-service terminals exist at employers, as every month we collect their different approaches to organiza- the premises of 36 agencies. The contributions from them and unem- tional structures and processes and success has been encouraging: since ployed people to deliver our services. the increased emphasis they have July 1, 2005, customer service officers So we frequently contact them by placed on driving take-up—all of these at 10 agencies’ counters were able to phone either to explain a new regulation will not guarantee a future position successfully divert a total of more than or to propose a new service that we can of leadership in customer service. 1,000 walk-in customers to transact offer. And this way, each time we speak online via the self-service terminals. Governments’ future challenges are with them, we can explain what new broad and deep. How governments Another high-touch program, called services are online,” remarks Philippe rise to meet these challenges—to eCitizen Helper, involves private citizen Dialinas, Director of Services within connect strategy to implementation volunteers and aims to provide all the Information Services of UNEDIC. in a meaningful way—will determine users with the means of transacting In conjunction with the Ministry which governments are able to online with the government, even if of Finance and a number of other create an environment of service they do not own a computer or do agencies, UNEDIC also sponsored value and implicit trust for citizens not know how to use the Internet. an innovative promotion called and be the leaders of tomorrow. For specific seasonal events, such as “Le train de la création d’entreprise income tax filing, agencies typically de nouveau sur les rails” (The train arrange for special road shows and for the creation of new enterprise, events staffed with volunteers to on the rails). The promotion, which help people use the online services. began in 2003 to educate the public Thanks in part to this approach, the about opening and sustaining a Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore business, expanded in 2005 to achieved a usage rate of about promote the creation of jobs. In 70 percent for online filing. September 2005, the train made a When France’s UNEDIC began shifting 10-day trip with stops in 13 towns its emphasis from simply collecting across 7 French regions to present the contributions and paying unemploy- whole complement of tools available ment to the much farther-reaching to help contractors and employers to mission of helping unemployed people engage, create, develop and sustain get back to employment as fast as their companies. Aboard the head possible, it also emphasized moving ministerial car, the visitors talked as many services to a self-serve model to administration representatives, as possible. The goal was to further its received counsel and collected

40 Key Finding Five

Today’s leaders won’t necessarily be tomorrow’s leaders.

41 We need to have the ability to be quite self-critical. Even if we’ve launched something we think is absolutely terriﬁc, we should still be going back and saying, “Actually, you know, we could make it even better.”

Andrew Shefﬁeld Director of Service Transformation, UK Cabinet Ofﬁce United Kingdom

42 As governments make great strides in using innovative service approaches to connect effectively with citizens, it is becoming clear that some critical divides remain.

Whether and how governments close strategies, governments are encoun- Andrew Sheffield of the United these divides will become the new tering some unexpected difficulties Kingdom gives an example from determinants of which countries beyond technology. How governments the United Kingdom’s earlier days lead in the future. As Figure 9 shows, handle these challenges will determine of eGovernment: “When we had the digital divide is not just about which ones rise to the top, becoming renewing your car tax online, there technology. In many countries among the first to develop service was a requirement to put the vehicle’s surveyed — even among past world trust with their citizens. mileage in a box in the form. People eGovernment leaders — citizens’ didn’t know what their car mileage increased confidence in using the Challenge: Service channels are was so they were leaving their Internet is not matched by improvements exploding, and so is the complexity computers, going outside, opening in their perception of eGovernment. for governments. the car up, looking at the mileage The proliferation of devices (channels The gaps that remain—inherent in and coming back—by which time the of interaction) offers governments the structure and organization of session had timed out. And it’s those unparalleled opportunities for connecting government, as well as in the culture tiny little things that you miss that with their citizens (see Figure 10). As of a country and in its citizens’ deep- cannot only mess up that service but new channels open, they provide rooted attitudes and perceptions— can give customers a very, very poor governments with unprecedented new present the real challenge for the experience, which will prevent them reach. Yet they create both expected future. As they enact their new service from using other services.” and unexpected pitfalls as well.

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Figure 9. In many countries, citizens’ increased conﬁdence using the Internet is not matched by improvements in their perception of eGovernment.

43 Figure 10. With the increase in service delivery channel options comes an increase in technological, organizational and process complexity for governments to manage.

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While the United Kingdom resolved Challenge: Citizens’ fears, beliefs and In Japan, for example, the implemen- this particular issue, it illustrates the value systems may run counter to tation of a residents’ registration types of challenges that can arise what is considered best practice. system using an electronic network and impact negatively on service In our 2005 report, our findings (“Juki Net”) was met with strong trust when governments expand revealed that in most countries, opposition by some individuals, who channel options. governments’ concerns about citizens’ started demanding either the system “So at each stage of the design process privacy fears were overblown. Our be dismantled or individuals be given you have to keep taking it back, 2005 citizen survey showed that with the right to opt out of it. checking that it’s absolutely right few exceptions, citizens are amenable Takuya Hirai of Japan talks about before you launch it, taking it through to allowing government to have the challenge: “I think that’s a very detail and usability testing. And then access to and share a whole range important issue, and the biggest issue once you have launched it, you have of information, from nationality down in service delivery,” he says. “In Japan to keep an eye on the management to health insurance details, and to a there is a personal information information: find out what user lesser extent, social security numbers protection act. However, people have attitudes are to it, find ways of and tax information. responded to it at a level that has improving it. We need to have the Some countries, such as Norway, actually prevented some information ability to be quite self-critical. Even Denmark and Finland, have unique that should be provided from being if we’ve launched something we think identifiers in place, and their popula- provided. It’s very important to is absolutely terrific, we should still be tions are familiar—and comfortable— develop a better balance, but the going back and saying, ‘Actually, you with governments cross-sharing concept of privacy itself is not well know, we could make it even better,’” information. However, privacy remains defined and not well rooted. We need says Sheffield. a thorny challenge in a number of a new wisdom in order to create the other countries. best balance.”

44 Similarly, the United States, the United Some countries have sidestepped the Norway.no was a success because the Kingdom and Australia face battles rising cost of technology for now. For Norwegian government allowed over biometric passports. Current example, the strength of Norway’s innovation to flourish where it started, events (for example, recent controversies economy from its natural energy and the passion of the people made in the United States over the reach of resources has meant that the cost of the product really good. When the the US Patriot Act and over domestic infrastructure typically is not seen as government needed Norway.no to have spying) hamper governments’ ability to a driving issue. Singapore has been a more formal structure, it brought the move toward greater information sharing. able to parlay its low-crime rate, its portal under a ministry and gave The French government has plans for tech-savvy population and its pro- it funding. They allowed the entrepre- developing a biometric ID card, called business environment into an attrac- neurial spirit to flourish to its maximum the Identité nationale électronique tive package for many high-tech extent and then brought the project sécurisée (INES). The goal is to deploy companies. The country has benefited under a more formal arrangement INES in 2008 and use the card to from many private companies looking at the appropriate time. verify identity and to allow access to the country as a test bed for their Yet while the Norway.no portal is a to eGovernment services. However, latest technology innovations. fine example of how governments can 2005 saw considerable public concern These examples are isolated, however, successfully convert informal coopera- over INES regarding the collection and for most countries, the challenge tive structures into more formal and storage of biometric data and the of staying abreast of technology while arrangements, such examples are rare. creation of a national population data- managing the costs of implementation As illustrated in Figure 11, we found base. The approach has raised notable (both of which factor into the coun- that in fact, in more than half the issues about people’s civil liberties. try’s ability to remain competitive in a countries we surveyed, citizens’ Resolving citizens’ concerns about global environment) is a growing issue. perceptions of how effectively their government works together is declining. privacy will be critical to enabling the Challenge: Ad hoc cooperation works holistic view of citizens that will allow on a small scale, but does not have What is happening? Most governments governments to begin to proactively the strength to tackle big challenges. struggle with translating their manage their needs. However, some historically informal connections into The greatest service innovations often governments seem in no better organized models when the time—and come from an individual or small position than they were a year ago. the scale of the challenges—demands. group of people who champion an idea In some cases, the challenges are These governments find it uncom- and rally enough resources to make growing as new initiatives have monly difficult to answer the question it happen. brought privacy concerns to the fore. of how long to allow processes to For example, Norway.no started out grow organically, versus when to apply Challenge: The cost of technology as a government project under the the “muscles and the money” to drive is rising for governments. jurisdiction of a county governor’s programs forward. The result is that Governments are burdened by the office in 1999. With just three “seamless” cross-government service costs of their legacy systems. Private- employees, the portal grew into a quite often begins to unravel when sector companies have the option to recognized success that stayed largely put under the pressure of scale. offshore some functions and activities in the hands of those who started it. In some respects, Canada is still that others can perform more effec- “This county governor’s office had been working on connecting vision to tively. Yet for most countries, including active within information technology implementation with Service Canada. world leaders Canada and the United development. Perhaps it was because The country has been ahead of the States, offshoring is unpalatable, of this that the government chose to curve for years and it has a history prevented by unions, or goes against start the information portal project and a culture of working cooperatively. the cultural grain. out here. When we were reorganized The Service Canada program has as a public agency last year—under already launched incredibly innovative what was then called the Ministry of pilots—starting small and growing Modernization—the government never organically. But moving Service really considered moving us. So now Canada forward on a large scale we have employees from all over the remains a challenge, due at least in country that come to this little village part to the collaborative nature of to work. Which I think makes it quite the Canadian government that has a unique and special environment,” been key to its very success. explains Sarah Jane Hails, Product and Service Developer for Norway.no.

45 Figure 11. In more than half the Deputy Head of Service Canada countries surveyed, the percentage �� Maryantonett Flumian describes the of citizens reporting that government challenge: “I know that technology �� services and departments work can power its way through a lot of together at least fairly effectively stuff. So I have to ﬁgure out, ‘Who are �� declined between 2005 and 2006. the partners I need to make it happen?’ There’s the tax department and I �� deﬁnitely have to go talk to every

�� province… So it’s a simple idea. The complexities come when you try �� to implement it. But there are simpler threads through the implementation �� than people give credit for. It’s not a whole new legislative base. It’s not �� trashing every department and every program. It’s not, ‘This can only happen �� in a unitary state.’ But you can clang all those alarm bells and then you �� get to paralysis.”

�� Challenge: Some governments are stuck in their own service processes. �� Leading governments have listened to the call for citizen-centricity. They �� understand that the ultimate determi- nant of service success will be whether, �� in fact, citizens use the service. With so much riding on citizens moving �� to the more efﬁcient self-service channels, it is little wonder that �� they are trying to tune in to citizens’ attitudes and perceptions. Most �� executives that we interviewed described how they implemented �� satisfaction surveys for citizens after completing their transactions. �� Others talk about working to service level agreements. �� While these steps are important, the �� challenge arises when governments do such a good job at implementing service-level metrics and at measuring �� satisfaction against what citizens �� ask for, they forget to consider what �� citizens really need.

46 Some leading governments are Likewise, Australian agencies survey Most governments struggle broadening their horizons. (See sidebar their stakeholders annually. A number with translating their on page 48, A world-class approach maintain a questionnaire on their to building citizen insight.) For example, websites to gauge user needs, prefer- historically informal connections Singapore’s Land Transport Authority ences, difficulties and expectations. into organized models when involved stakeholders in every step The Australian Government Information the time — and the scale of the process when building its Management Office plans to develop [email protected] suite a consistent and coordinated measure- of the challenges — demands. of services. ment approach across government, “During the requirements gathering, by taking stock of the measurements we involved the industry partners as different agencies now use, and part of our focus groups discussion. continuing to complement agency- And as we went along to develop the based measurements with annual prototype, they were brought in again whole-of-government measurements. to give their views, and to confirm or Moving beyond point-in-time snap- verify whether the inputs were correctly shots is critical for developing the interpreted. We did not wait until the citizen insight that can eventually be system was ready before we involved translated into service trust. As Juthika the stakeholders. They were engaged Ramanathan of Singapore’s ACRA, during the major stages of develop- says, “I think, if I look at what our ment,” says Rosina Howe-Teo, Group initiatives were, they really are set Director of Information Technology up to serve their [business] purpose— and Chief Innovation Officer of the rather than be driven by an outcome Land Transport Authority of Singapore. of a customer satisfaction survey.” France is one of the few countries “The trick in government is not only we saw that regularly measures to imagine the possibilities, but see awareness, take-up and satisfaction if those possibilities are robust enough with its online services on a national to actually get you through the legal level (via its annual “Online Adminis- screens,” explains Maryantonett tration Barometer”). More than that, Flumian. “Focus less on all those France has also made progress by inputs and more on those outcomes: systematically measuring the value of ‘Is this a reflection of what people its services. Its methodology not only want to achieve?’ Because if you focus examines quantitative money and time on what governments are there to savings, but also looks at services in do in terms of the social contract— qualitative terms, including the services’ the contract between citizens and social impacts and contributions to governments —and then focus on furthering the government’s mission outcomes, boy, can you do a lot with and mandates. stuff in between.”

47 A world-class approach to building citizen insight Canada’s program of developing insights Members are recruited every year and into citizen needs and expectations is among are allowed to serve for a two-year term. the most robust we have seen in our The mechanism allows ICCS to track leadership in customer service research. sophisticated users versus novices, and the Beginning in the late 1990s, when the members represent a range of demographics intergovernmental Citizen-Centred Service (geography, age and so on). The Institute Network (CCSN) released a series of reports, also runs focus groups throughout the year tools and recommendations aimed at on special areas of interest, such as a recent improving citizen satisfaction with public- deep dive into citizens’ preference for the sector service delivery in Canada, the telephone channel, what’s wrong with it Canadian government has not looked back. and how to improve it. It moved to form the Institute for Citizen- The ICCS research is complemented by the Centred Service as an ongoing center surveys that departments do themselves. of expertise in 2000. To help them in their efforts, the ICCS has The flagship of the ICCS’s research is developed a repository of leading practices Citizens First, a biennial survey of Canadians in citizen-centric service, as well as a that measures about 80 different federal, Common Measurements Tool (CMT) to provincial and municipal services in facilitate benchmarking across jurisdictions. terms of what citizens want, how well Individual managers can use the CMT to the government is doing and what the construct a client satisfaction survey by government could do to improve. selecting the questions that meet the needs of their organization. The CMT identifies “Citizens First gives us the forward agenda, a set of “core” questions that measure writ large, every two years,” explains Brian the key drivers of satisfaction, based on Marson, Senior Advisor, Policy and Service knowledge gained through Citizens First. Transformation, Treasury Board Secretariat of Canada. “We also have a companion But what really sets the Canadian model survey for the business sector called Taking apart is the degree to which the research Care of Business that we started two years is done collaboratively. Brian Marson ago and will be repeating in 2006. So now, explains: “It would be as though in the each year we’re either going out to citizens United States all the states got together or going out to the business community to with the federal government and the major find out how satisfied are they, what drives cities every two years and did a mega their satisfaction and what their priorities survey of what citizens want from the are for service improvement; this helps public sector, how well they are doing, what us define the next phase of the service citizens’ service improvement priorities are. improvement agenda across the entire And then those federal, state and local public sector.” jurisdictions would need to get together several times a year to push the agenda In addition, the ICCS supplements its forward and to work on the projects that Citizens First and Taking Care of Business required inter-governmental collaboration. research with a 10,000 people-strong That’s where the Canadian model is so Internet panel, to gather input before different from anything we’ve been able changing a governmental website or to see in the United Kingdom, Australia, introducing a new program on the Web. France and other countries —collaborative research and collaborative action across the whole public sector to meet citizens’ service needs.”

48 Building the Trust Recommendations from Experience

49 While this year’s findings provide a snapshot of leading countries’ accomplishments, many governments hunger for concrete advice on how to move ahead.

In this section, we provide recommen- Loesch’s attitude was nearly universal that national competitiveness is dations for next steps on the journey among all the executives we inter- absolutely essential for their ongoing toward service trust—and ultimately, viewed. Not content to rest on their survival. Singapore continually feels high performance. (See sidebar on laurels, leading governments talk to the pressure of being a city-state with page 53, Our recommendations in each other; send delegations to each no wealth-generating natural resources brief .) Our recommendations stem not other’s countries to gain a more and it motivates them. On the other only from what we have learned in our in-depth understanding of how their hand, Norway (which still performs research this year, but also from an service programs compare; and have exceedingly well in customer service) understanding of public-sector service a voracious appetite for any informa- is a wealthy country with a relatively based on our seven years of in-depth tion the world outside their borders content population and for now lacks study and Accenture’s extensive can provide. such a burning imperative. Countries experience working with hundreds For these leaders, measures that yield in a similar position must be extra of governments around the globe. incremental citizen satisfaction are vigilant that they do not lose momentum. When it comes to leadership in Drive out complacency. not adequate. Instead they will begin measuring more far-reaching goals, customer service, standing still is The leaders of the future will be the such as citizen engagement, confidence equivalent to falling behind. ones that have a taste for continuous in government and expectation improvement. Carsten Loesch of Set your own standards for excellence. of prosperity. These trust-oriented Denmark articulates the point well: Governments in pursuit of high measures will capture a government’s “I would say we are good internationally, performance must develop a more ability, not just to provide established but we’re not where we want to be. strategic vision of service that reflects services, but also to design the services I mean, we want to go even further. their own culture, aspirations and that enable citizens to thrive. So, we don’t just lie back and enjoy values. Governments focused on that we’re good. In some instances, Sustaining a high level of intensity building the service trust do not ask, we actually think there are plenty of is challenging, particularly when “Did we answer the phone on time?” things we can do better.” strong external motivators are absent— but rather, “Did we give the customers or far off on the horizon. Singaporean what they need?” Because the definition executives, for example, emphasize of customer service excellence varies

50 in different cultures, high-priority the way from policy-making down strong governance structure—from needs in one country may not even to how we execute administrative the top (ministerial or agency-head) appear on the agenda of another. procedure,” says Ng Hock Keong, Director, level and working down through Likewise, leading governments look Customer Relations Division, Central the organization. beyond the service norms and strive Provident Fund Board of Singapore. Leading governments create committee for an ideal they may not yet even Effective execution involves orches- structures that allow for collaboration have considered. Greater citizen trating both the top-down and the across organizational lines, starting connections will result in deeper horizontal organizational structures at the top and then cascading down customer insight, which must help in the right way. For successful through each level. shape policy development. It is governments, that means taking In Denmark for example, the steering incumbent on those with influence bold steps: These governments tap group for cross-public-sector coopera- to stand firm as their policies shift operating executives, rather than tion, or STS (which prior to January from global “best practice” to those those steeped in policy, for key roles. 2006 was named the Board of that are locally distinctive. They give funding power to the leaders eGovernment), includes the very highest who are charged with accomplishing Organize for effective execution. levels of civil servants. The chairman specific goals. And they create funding is the deputy secretary from the Ministry Policies that reflect service trust are pools for prototyping good ideas. of Finance and the members include vital, but stand as empty promises As governments progress to an ever- three other deputy secretaries, as well without effective execution. Most more true manifestation of citizen- as the director of local governments governments, however, still earn higher centric customer service, learning how and the director of regions. grades for policy development than to make collaboration really work has for execution. This must change. This is a powerful setup, says Carsten become imperative. Effective execu- Tomorrow’s leaders will recognize that Loesch. “Whenever we do a project, we tion starts with strong leadership— good policy is only possible when it is create steering committees underneath a visionary with the ability to mobilize linked to good execution. “Real citizen- STS. And those steering committees are people around the transformative idea. centricity, I think in a nutshell, means then organized using representatives Excellence in leadership, however, whatever we do, we think from the from all relevant organizations, whether must be coupled with an equally customer’s perspective. So it goes all it’s regional governments or local

51 Governments focused on building the service trust do not ask, “Did we answer the phone on time?” but rather, “Did we give the customers what they need?”

governments or state organizations. Strengthen connections with the have political contacts and are The Digital Taskforce often works as citizen, while using technology influencing the ministries and the a secretariat for the steering commit- to continue to try to push the limits Parliament when they decide on the tees and runs the projects from an of what can be done online. budgets and on the different develop- administrative standpoint. So, we Building service trust means increasing ments. So that is a very important part organize across the public sector.” citizen engagement. Through rich and and a long-range influencing factor.” To break a logjam of no consensus: continuous two-way dialogues, high- Tomorrow’s leaders will rely on their “We go through other channels in performance governments will combat past investments in technology which the Ministry of Finance might the distrust and apathy that can infrastructure to cultivate daily force the local governments to cooper- characterize the relationship between dialogue with citizens. In Singapore, ate through a budget negotiation that governments and citizens. for example, every government is taken outside of the normal For example, in Norway, the govern- official’s e-mail address is listed on structure of cooperation. . . And ment used its relationships with the government website. But e-mail sometimes it’s a question of people: different professional societies to is only the beginning. As communica- I mean, how tough are you when you identify innovative ideas to guide its tions capabilities advance, governments sit in meetings and you have the future direction. “We are getting a lot will develop creative ways to involve Ministry of Finance sitting at the of good proposals and impressions citizens directly in decisions. head of the board? Sometimes we from these contacts,” explains Bjarne If American TV viewers can cast tens will have to do this — to cut through.” Hope. “And they are very important of millions of votes for a favorite singer Leading executives underscore the for us. We ask users—especially those on American Idol each week, it follows point that the collaboration process in the professional area of trade and that citizens could just as readily is not static. “At each point of the industry—what kind of future do they provide feedback on proposed policies. process you need to see what sort see? What will simplify their relation Leading governments use technology of coordination is required. It is about to us? And they are full of ideas and to gain incremental improvement dynamism and flexibility,” says preferences that they communicate to without having to discard what is Australia’s Ann Steward, CIO of us. And that is the basis for our proposals already in place. (See sidebar on the Australia Government Information to our ministry when we are establishing page 55, Pushing the customer service Management Office. new projects. Also, these societies

52 Our recommendations in brief Drive out complacency. The leaders of the future will be the ones who have a taste for continuous improvement. When it comes to leadership in customer service, standing still is equivalent to falling behind.

Set your own standards for excellence. Governments in pursuit of high performance must develop a more strategic vision of service that reﬂects their own culture, aspirations and values.

Organize for effective execution. Tomorrow’s leaders will recognize that good policy is only possible when it is linked to good execution. Organizing for effective execution means getting both the top-down and the horizontal organizational structures right.

Strengthen connections with the citizen, while using technology to continue to try to push the limits of what can be done online. Building service trust means getting citizens engaged. Tomorrow’s leaders understand that sophisticated technologies, coupled with growing citizens’ trust, allows governments to push the boundaries of what services citizens will willingly transact online.

Aggressively incorporate private- sector learnings, but in a way that makes sense in a public- service context. Tomorrow’s leaders will aggressively pursue the private-sector’s best thinking and lessons learned. They seek out the innovations and fold them into the governmental framework.

Develop accountability and transparency, especially across initiatives that span multiple governmental organizations. How well governments act as one — both within and across jurisdictions — depends on strong models for building accountability that will ensure progress is made.

Develop continuity of leadership. Without continuity of leadership, transformative initiatives quite easily fall apart. Even in countries with frequent turnover of administrations, leadership continuity can be established in the ranks of the civil service.

53 Figure 12. Over time, sophisticated technologies coupled with growing citizens’ trust allow governments to push the boundaries of what services citizens will willingly transact online.

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envelope .) For them, how much service From a tactical perspective, many a single consolidated view of a taxpayer’s can be moved online is a constantly borrow private-sector business information and their history (including moving target. These governments practices that make service personal phone calls and letters), as well as understand that with a whole layer and efficient, such as load balancing automatically transfer details of a of sophisticated IT in the background, across call centers, providing taxpayer’s inquiry with the call. This coupled with growing citizen trust, electronic navigators to public service system is expected to end taxpayers’ governments can move the line of and “pop-ups” on customer service frustration caused by having to repeat what services citizens will seek online representatives’ screens. “We’re the same information if they are trans- over time (see Figure 12). moving more into voice recognition ferred to another ATO officer. with our telephony system,” says Aggressively incorporate private-sector The Government of Canada asserts and Ireland’s Declan Rigney. “We had so protects its “brand” as diligently as learnings, but in a way that makes many inter-office calls. Someone might sense in a public-service context. any private-sector enterprise. “We’re call saying, ‘Have you got my letter?’ very conscious of the brand, with a In their quest for high performance, and we would have to ring another common look and feel to our services leading governments seek out the best location and ask them. Now when you regardless of the channel,” explains practices in customer service, wherever call us, we use voice recognition and Jim Alexander, CIO of the Government they reside. While they constantly we’re capturing the seven-digit and of Canada. “That brand we created— monitor what other governments are one-character tax ID number. Then, that was a lot of tough work starting implementing, they are also aware we route the call to the right place back in the late 1990s, but it has paid that, in general, citizens view the and a screen pops up the citizen’s off hugely in that the Government of private sector as ahead in terms of record and correspondence —from Canada service brand is really very innovative customer service. any physical location. We’re currently well recognized. And that’s a piece To that end, the leaders aggressively evaluating how much time it is saving.” that we’re not going to let drop away.” pursue the private sector’s best thinking The Australian Taxation Office (ATO) As central government entities such and lessons learned. Far beyond simply will be rolling out a similar service as Service Canada partner with studying what is going on in business, during 2006. Its customer relationship the provinces on service delivery, the they seek out the innovations and fold management (CRM) system will government ensures a common look them into the governmental framework. provide ATO call center staff with and feel and federal identity, even in

54 cases where they co-brand. The Service Develop accountability and Pushing the customer Canada that citizens see is the same transparency, especially across service envelope Service Canada in Ontario as it is initiatives that span multiple in New Brunswick or British Columbia, governmental organizations. One of the biggest lessons from eGovern- ment is that people will move between even though a citizen might receive As governments take the next bold channels. If the citizen perceives a service provincial services from it. steps toward building service trust, as higher value-add, it is more likely Some governments take an even more governance emerges as one of the most the citizen will conduct that service face- intensive approach to adopting private- pressing issues. Accountability becomes to-face. Some people just will not make sector best practices. For example, much more complex in a horizontal certain investment decisions [of time as France’s UNEDIC shifted to a more world. Building a single window to or money] unless they have the comfort of a high-touch interaction. Says Ireland’s customer service-intensive mission, citizen service across jurisdictions sults. Declan Rigney, Principal Officer, Customer “If you look at what we’re doing and its employees learned successful Service Policy, Office of the Revenue service strategies by working side how we’re doing it, there is a combina- Commissioners: “We haven’t put our eggs by side with the private sector. “For tion of ground-up and top-down in one basket. We have made moves to instance, for hotline support, we factors. For example, our interagency beef up telephony and have plans to put first asked private companies which task force is a ground-up force: to say, terminals in offices to help people self- specialized in this kind of customer ‘Hey, here’s how I would do it.’ Then service, but we haven’t given people only service support [for their advice], and we have the President’s Management an online option.” then we asked internal people to go Agenda scorecard. That drives a top- On the other hand, the answer is not that and work with them: to show them down accountability. If you said you’re some services will always just be “one- that it was not so terrible. What other going to do ‘X,’ you need to do ‘X.’ and-done” online. Or that other services (such as seeking benefits) are all personal people could do, they could do,” “People are very competitive. We rank and should all be handled in a face-to-face explains Philippe Dialinas. The things in the United States all the time. manner. There is not a simple dichotomy Singaporean government, similarly, The idea that you’re not green [on the between technology-enabled services or sends its customer service representa- green/yellow/red stoplight-type of not; the picture is far more sophisticated. tives to work for a time at best-in- scorecard], or the idea your score will Essentially, technology reshapes citizens’ class private-sector call centers. drop compared to last quarter is a big expectations of customer service over time and, necessarily, the nature of the motivator. The President takes this In the government of Canada as a whole, services themselves. part of the management capability seriously. He holds meetings with “We are looking at a greater integration cabinet secretaries where he talks is to aggressively bring in people from of offerings,” explains Ann Steward, CIO the private sector and vest them with about how important this is. So that is of the Australia Government Information the most transformative jobs—such a huge motivation factor,” Evans says. Management Office (AGIMO). “We are not as the CFO and the CIO. Singapore and looking at information communications Develop continuity of leadership. Japan are likewise hiring in from the technology (ICT) as an insolating, but as private sector. Of course, to progress toward service an enabling component, that complements trust, strong leadership is essential. and supports government service delivery In Singapore, the Ministry of Defense If the leaders are strong enough, while increasing productivity.” (MINDEF) is taking a private-sector knowledgeable enough and vocal model to whole new heights, pioneering enough, then people will follow. a breakthrough approach to outsourcing for its MINDEF.com website. MINDEF But true leadership in customer service learned from its initial outsourcing requires consistent and continual concept that it needed to foster new leadership — a challenge raised by thinking and new ways of working many of the government executives with its outsourcer. Its entwined we interviewed. Without continuity, pay-to-operate/pay-to-perform concept transformative initiatives quite easily fall fosters both agreed service-level apart. Particularly often in government, performance as well as innovation. leaders move on to different career (See the sidebar on page 57, opportunities. And so initiatives start and stop and start again. Or new leaders An innovative take on outsourcing, for greater detail.) The model has come in and try to pick up the pieces proven so successful, that other and the initiative goes nowhere, Singaporean agencies that have because the new executive does not watched it closely are now embarking share the predecessor’s vision. Successful on similar approaches. transformation to service trust requires consistent, sustained and inspired leaders.

55 56 “Leaders are very much criticized for An innovative take on outsourcing attempting to do something different Alphonsus Pang, Director of the MINDEF “Both models are intertwined. It’s part and because it’s regarded as risky. I myself Systems Organization, describes how the parcel of the outsourcing contract. The have had a fair shake of being told Singaporean Ministry of Defense introduced model evolves over, for example, a five-year I was off my rocker and other things a successful payment program for its period of the contract. At the start of the like that. But leadership really is about MINDEF.com outsourcer, which first contract, the pay-to-operate has the strong beliefs about what is right to cemented performance levels and then heavier weight, to give us assurance the do, and the willingness to take doubt promoted innovation over time: service levels will be maintained. But and criticism and stay with a vision “Basically, the initial concept of the as time goes on, the ratio and the emphasis will move away from the pay-to-operate and move forward, says Canada’s MINDEF.com program was there would be a service provider offering the hosting to the pay-to-perform, thereby changing David Marshall. “And complementing the behavior of the outsourcer to want that you need a certain critical mass of services on behalf on MINDEF. They would be free to bundle private-sector offerings to generate new ideas, to want to come up like-minded people or support systems. as part of their effort. The return on with new services, and so forth, because, You can have someone with good investment to MINDEF came because the again, that’s where the revenue emphasis ideas, but that can quickly get shut service provider had revenue opportunities will go. So the model is partly intertwined, down by the system if there’s not elsewhere, so they could actually lower but it evolves over the years to move sustained support at the very, very their cost of services to MINDEF. toward a pay-to-perform emphasis. So we developed fairly aggressive ratio models, highest level. Because these are major “We have evolved from this into a new in which we’ll drive the change of behavior changes. And they don’t happen easily.” business model that we are putting in place, for an outsourcer from one of providing Singapore as a whole is a strongly which we call the pay-to-perform and commoditized hosting services to one, pay-to-operate model. The pay-to-operate illustrative example of the power of subsequently, where he’s really incentivized model is based on the premise that certain continuous leadership. The country’s to develop new services, new offerings, operating services are commoditized, in partnership with MINDEF.” stable power base has allowed the and hence, the operation of such services government to build 10-, or even is expected. For example, maintaining a 20-year strategies, and be confident certain level of uptime for the portal, and they will execute on those strategies. the various call centers, and so forth, would be covered under pay-to-operate. This However, even in countries with far more pay-to-operate model provides a base frequent turnover of administrations, revenue to the outsourcer, but if they do the continuity can be established. not maintain that, they will get a penalty. Leadership continuity need not be “The other side of the coin is the pay-to- confined to the elected leadership. perform model, which is really to incentivize It can apply to the top civil servants new ideas, new modes of services and as well. In the U.S. Postal Service, radical thinking and to enhance customer- many of the leaders grew up within centricity. The outsourcer will be incentivized, the organization, beginning as mail from a revenue standpoint, to provide value- added services. carriers or clerks sorting mail — and bringing with them dozens of years of experience in the organization. “When we get to our higher levels and our leadership, we also do hire from the outside, looking for people with education and experiences that can bring more value to the postal service,” says Robin Ware, Business Service Network Integration Manager.

57 Conclusion

Governments have reached a defining moment in their journey toward high performance.

Their future approaches to citizen insights to develop the most effective In the past, significant government service will determine whether they policy from the outset. Leading change was often caused by external build an implicit trust with citizens governments recognize the power pressures and crises. In the absence and continue to progress—or fail to of building and maintaining trust. of such an event, nations modernized improve their connections to citizens, Alphonsus Pang, Director of Singa- at their own pace, implementing new and stall. pore’s MINDEF Systems Organization, services and administrative efficiencies Transformation of this magnitude encapsulates the mindset of these in small doses. Today, global demographic, certainly takes time. Yet, as Jim high-performance governments socio-economic and political shifts are Alexander of Canada explains, perfectly: “In driving a transformation gathering force, causing governments this transformation can seem both slow in the thinking, in the mindsets of our to consider dramatic change in the and blindingly fast at the same time: people, in the way the organization way they serve their constituents. They “When I look back over the last five is structured and transacts, and in the realize their countries cannot thrive to six years, one thing I see is how way we look at the horizon, what we on a steady diet of citizen apathy, slow some of the changes have been aspire to is to be in time for the future. or worse, distrust. to come. The second thing I see is So what we have done is take our Leaders are already taking action. They what a remarkable distance we’ve government one step ahead. When you are employing all the tools at their come. Right now, there actually is recognize that a large organization disposal—from advanced technology no real resistance in the Government needs time to change, it is actually platforms and deep understanding of Canada to the idea of acting as one. an imperative for us to be ahead of the of citizens to bold organizational And yet in 1999, it was, ‘How could expectation curve, so that we can try moves and courageous leadership — you even think of such a thing?!’ So out new ideas, we can try out new to orchestrate a new understanding. on the one hand, there have been technologies, we can try out new The result will be self-renewing remarkable changes in attitudes, but on business processes, new concepts, and high-performance government, the other hand, boy it takes a long time!” the like—and so that we can learn in which citizens have confidence The payoffs are great. Citizens’ from it. That way, when all these new in their governments and governments, unexpressed needs are anticipated cohorts of people come through our in turn, sustain and build on that trust and met, and governments use their system with their new expectations, over time to foster the most positive their expectations will be met in time.” social outcomes.

58 59

Country Reports

60 Contents Australia 62 Belgium 64 Brazil 66 Canada 68 Denmark 70 Finland 72 France 74 Germany 76 Ireland 78 Italy 80 Japan 82 Malaysia 84 The Netherlands 86 Norway 88 Portugal 90 Singapore 92 South Africa 94 Spain 96 Sweden 98 The United Kingdom 100 The United States 102

61 Australia

Australia launched its methodologies, and providing guidance new eGovernment strategy, to agencies on applying ICT to improve government operations. AGIMO’s work Responsive Government: promotes the goals outlined in Australia’s A New Service Agenda, broader Strategic Framework for the Information Economy 2004–2006: in early April 2006. Opportunities and Challenges for This new strategy is evolutionary the Information Age, which include (rather than revolutionary), building raising Australian public-sector on Australia’s existing eGovernment productivity, collaboration and strategies and frameworks to meet accessibility through the effective use four priorities: meeting users’ needs, of information, knowledge and ICT. establishing connected service, Additionally, with the endorsement in achieving value for money and August 2005 of the National Service Percentage of Australians who use the enhancing public-sector capability. Improvement Framework (NSIF) and following channels to contact government Due to the federated structure of the related National Service Improve- Australia’s government, however, the ment Program, a new reusable strategy will not be mandated. Rather, business process is now available to a principles-based approach will be assist agencies in designing and % 86% 44 taken, with each level of government implementing collaborative service creating and implementing its own delivery arrangements within and eGovernment strategies, taking into across jurisdictions. In fact, several account each other’s directions. projects have already successfully Landline or Internet/e-mail/ implemented the NSIF. For example, mobile phone SMS/text Without central mandates, progress will require a high level of collabora- the first cross-jurisdictional agreement tion. To promote cooperation and developed under the NSIF was signed collaborative service delivery, Australia in January 2006 between Centrelink has created a number of cross- (under the Department of Human jurisdictional committees. For example, Services), the New South Wales members of the Online and Communi- Department of Commerce and the cations Council include the Australian South Australian Department of eGovernment Minister, as well as state Health. This agreement has resulted and territory ministers who have in the development of a Federated portfolio responsibility for eGovern- Service Finder for the human services ment matters. The Information sector, which will assist users in locating Management Strategy Committee and a service or a provider of a service the Chief Information Officer Committee seamlessly across linked directories. also have strategic roles in the We saw a number of innovative cross- operation of eGovernment. government projects gain traction The Australian Government Information during the past year. Among the most Management Office (AGIMO) supports notable, the Australian Taxation Office these groups’ efforts, developing is enabling individual taxpayers whole-of-government information (and from 2006, also their tax agents) and communications technology (ICT) to use the “Etax” electronic tax return management policies, standards and

62 lodgment facility to pre-populate their This year, we saw a number of interest- These findings imply that although the tax returns with data provided through ing examples of Australian state Australian government currently does Medicare Australia and Centrelink. governments and national government not have plans to integrate its existing The Medicare Australia and Centrelink agencies already implementing multi- government call centers into a single, information was provided through Etax channel strategies and providing a cohesive government-wide capability, on a pilot basis from July 2005, and consistent service experience across the phone channel itself warrants is expected to be available for all users delivery channels. For example, significant future attention. from July 2006. The synergies are Centrelink’s Electronic Welfare As Australia looks to its future of flowing both ways; these three Services Framework uses natural voice leadership in customer service, it does agencies are also working together to recognition, text messaging and other so from a position of strength. In develop the use of ATO data to assist technologies to implement the principle response to demand for quality in correctly completing transactions in of “no wrong door” access. In another customer service from its very e-savvy both Centrelink and Medicare Australia. example, the Department of Employment public, the government has enacted From an internal government perspec- and Workplace Relations’ JobSearch critical technology, process and tive, cross-government collaboration, website allows job seekers, employers governance initiatives to increase its as manifested through shared services, and recruitment agencies alike to use service sophistication. Going forward, is still in its infancy. While there has electronic channels to find jobs, build the Australian government should been considerable interest and studies résumés, advertise jobs or seek focus on the content of the services into the feasibility of shared services seasonal work. JobSearch is delivered themselves: to proactively deliver the at the federal level, the actual via a personalized Web page, e-mail, services citizens need in tandem with implementations are occurring at telephone or a text message to a building the service trust. a state level (Queensland and New mobile telephone—according to the South Wales, for example). Even at user’s preference. a state level, however, shared services Australians still use the telephone remains relatively rare. most often when contacting the In terms of multi-channel service, the government. According to this year’s new Australian eGovernment strategy citizen survey, Australians were nearly provides overarching direction for twice as likely to have used a landline consistent service through all delivery or mobile phone when they contacted channels. The aim is that electronic government (86 percent) as they were delivery will underpin all other delivery to have used the Internet/e-mail/SMS/ channels, ensuring a consistent base text channels combined (44 percent). to all activities and providing consistent In addition, 30 percent of Australians service no matter how government expected to receive the best customer is approached. To that end, AGIMO will service from the phone channels, develop a Web access strategy for the versus only 11 percent who expected Australian Government and integrate best service from online channels it with other service delivery channels. (Internet/email/text/SMS). Further, (Again, due to Australia’s federated a plurality of Australian citizens nature, this strategy will not be (34 percent) believes the phone implemented via a top-down, channel should be the priority channel mandated approach, but rather at an for government’s investment. (In fact, agency level.) In addition, the Australian of the nine leading countries from Government Service Delivery Access our 2005 survey, only in Australia and and Distribution Strategy provides a Canada did the telephone channel rank blueprint (which the IMSC already as a higher priority for government endorses) for delivering services in an investment than the Internet.) integrated, multi-channel environment.

63 Belgium

Belgium continues to make The government’s channel strategy is steady, if not dramatic, pragmatic; channel choice depends not only on the user’s wishes, but also on progress in improving customer the capabilities of the platform and service, with a continued applications as well. It should pay off in big dividends as well, as the Belgian emphasis on improving its population seems highly disposed eGovernment offerings. toward new technology options. For example, according to our citizen The recently published eGovernment survey, Belgians were among the most strategy for 2006 builds on priorities likely to feel at a personal advantage of the past, but with a greater in daily life when it comes to their emphasis on items related to security ability to use a wide variety of and social inclusion. technologies; 75 percent of all Percentage of Belgians who feel There seems to be a definite emphasis Belgians surveyed expressed a sense confident using SMS/text messaging in Belgium on both improving services of advantage. Of all countries surveyed, for and reducing the administrative Belgians were also the most likely (86 burden on citizens and businesses. This percent) to say they feel confident objective seems to take precedence using SMS/text messaging. % 86 over cost reduction and efficiency In any case, the government shows no gains, although these are clearly also sign of forcing its users to the Internet, being achieved. In addition to the either through the elimination of eGovernment strategy, the govern- channels or through penalties for use ment’s Kafka Plan (under the oversight of traditional channels. However, to of the State Secretary for Administra- continue to close the existing digital tive Simplification) continues to be divide, the Belgian government has a major driver in the government’s launched a number of important efforts to provide better service to initiatives. Among the most notable, citizens. A key remaining task of this beginning in April, Belgian citizens can plan is the introduction of a system buy an “Internet-for-all” computer that will require citizens to provide package. The price of € 850 includes their personal data only once to have a PC, card reader, software, four hours it shared with agencies that need it. of training and a year’s worth of The Belgian government does not have broadband Internet access. In addition, a multi-channel strategy as such, but those who buy the package will get its federal and regional eGovernment back the Value-Added Tax (a maxi- strategies specify the need to make mum�€147.50 for a PC and €172 for appropriate use of alternative chan- a laptop) via a tax credit. nels. As many Belgian citizens still Other initiatives include the national do not have access to the Internet, “Gingelom-project,” in which companies the government is explicit that to give old computers to schools, which serve inclusiveness, it will promote make them user-ready and loan them an increase of alternative channels, to individual children for one year. such as mobile phones and interactive The goal is to build good computer television, with the most suitable skills and demonstrate the value platform(s) for each interaction. of computer ownership to parents.

64 The Gingelom-project is the product The two “basic” identity authentication Belgium’s consultative approach with of voluntary cooperation between sources with unique identification data citizens in developing its eGovernment local companies and primary schools. are the National Register for citizens strategy should continue to create At a local level, in the Brussels region, and the Crossroads Bank for Enter- stronger links between citizen- the government plans to provide free prises (CBE), both of which have been centricity and policy. On the agenda Internet access to all Brussels citizens. featured in past reports. These two for 2006 is an initiative that will have Belgium faces a significant challenge initiatives continue to be the founda- government examining the wishes in promoting cross-government tion of cross-government efforts and and priorities of end users every two collaboration. Its governance structure are having significant impact. For years and using that information is highly complex, with five different example, thanks to the CBE, as of to inform which priorities will be set. layers of government. Nevertheless, January 2006, it now takes three days In tandem with these efforts, the cross-government collaboration is to start up a business, compared to government now needs to become being driven very hard by both the an average of 26 days in 2004. more visionary — looking to what lies Ministry for Administrative Simplification, To further foster cross-government beyond service delivery to what service in terms of streamlining government service delivery, Belgium launched the value means to its citizens and how structures to serve citizens better, BELgian Government Interoperability it can be achieved. and also by Federal Public Service ICT, Framework (BELGIF) in May 2005. in terms of enforcing a common BELGIF is a cooperative project among eGovernment framework. the federal government, regions and In tandem with this push is an communities, stemming from the need increasing emphasis in Belgium on to promote interoperability both at issues of security and privacy. Belgium national and European levels. The is eager to position itself as a leader hope is that going forward, BELGIF and exemplar regarding eID implemen- will ensure the interoperability of tation and to share its ideas with other e-government applications developed European countries. The national eID by the Belgian regions, communities card is a fundamental enabler, and the and federal authorities. Belgian government continues to make Already, some new and innovative real efforts to strengthen its security. cross-government services are emerging. The current Belgian eID card is a first- In October 2005, the Belgian Social generation version. Second-generation Security launched the “Communit-e” cards will be issued until the end of application, aimed at simplifying the 2007 and a third generation of cards benefit application procedures for will be issued after that date. As the disabled persons. The Communit-e card evolves, the ADvanced APplica- application allows municipalities to tions for electronic IDentity cards enter benefit applications directly into (ADAPID) project will investigate the the social security network made security and privacy issues of the available by the Crossroads Bank for first- and second-generation eID cards Social Security. They then receive, by and propose a more suitable design return, an acknowledgment of receipt for the third generation. of the application, as well as the administrative and medical forms (pre-completed with identification data), which can be given immediately to the applicant. The Communit-e application has won best practice awards at both the national and European levels.

65 Brazil

Brazil made conservative There are some notable digital divide progress toward leadership programs, nevertheless. A project to connect all schools to the Internet by in customer service in 2005. 2006, which had been making slow progress due to budget and procure- The current administration has ment issues, may get some renewed maintained the major components momentum as the government has of the existing eGovernment program, recently announced its plan to expend reinforcing a broader social inclusion approximately US$113 million on and encouraging an open-source installing 2,300 computer school labs strategy. Progress has been slow, with for the majority of the Brazilian most projects only partially imple- municipalities, with all of the computers mented, and a number discontinued. to be loaded with open-source software. Last year we mentioned the govern- Greater governmental effort to increase ment’s plan to launch a new portal — Top barriers to adoption cited by access will be critical, and Brazilian ”Portal Brasil”— as a way to integrate Brazilians who do not use eGovernment citizens are hungry for it. Of all the content and services offered countries surveyed, Brazilians were previously via both the brasil.gov.br overwhelmingly the most eager for and Rede Governo sites. Portal Brasil both greater use of other outlets (such % % was launched in November 2005, 51 40 as post offices and banks) to distribute as planned, and designed to provide information and for provision of self- government services and institutional service kiosks in department stores, information to citizens. The services grocery stores and other convenient are provided for all levels of govern- Lack of access No or slow locations. More than 96 and 92 percent ment, and the portal is a positive to computers access to the respectively expressed that these two step toward organizing service in Internet options would be useful to them. a citizen-centric way. While Brazil does not have a govern- The digital divide continues to separate ment-wide, multi-channel strategy, Brazilians from their government, some initiatives in this regard have however, with non-users citing lack begun to gain traction. Citizens are of access to computers (51 percent) taking advantage of online tax payment and no or slow access to the Internet options—40 million contributors (40 percent) as the major issues.3 As (business and citizens) filed tax returns a whole, Brazilian citizens express only through the Internet in 2005. Other mild confidence in using technology, examples, such as the vehicles license with only just over half (52 percent) payments and reporting criminal expressing confidence in using occurrences via the Web have received the Internet. attention from other countries.

3 For our citizen survey, leading international practices for conducting research were used to get a polling sample. In Brazil, our sample was representative of higher income groups with a home phone in São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. Therefore, given these demographics, we expect our results are a conservative indication of the access challenge in Brazil.

66 On the other hand, efforts to broaden Following the success of Bahia’s SAC, cross-government services seem to other states have followed suit. For have stalled. For example, several example, the state of Minas Gerais has departments and agencies provide a citizen service center called PSIU their services via telephone, but there (Integrated Services Office), the state is no plan or strategy to consolidate of São Paulo has “Poupa Tempo” (“Time the many call centers into one. Past Saver”), and the State of Rio de Janeiro plans to have a unique number to has “Rio Fácil” (“Easy Rio”). handle all citizen inquiries were not At a federal level, digital certification implemented, partly due to lack of is the primary initiative to enable interest from agencies that already future cross-government collaboration. had a call center in place. Certificates will be issued by SERPRO, In terms of offering more convenient the main federal government IT service access to government services, provider, and will be a foundation Brazil’s state governments seem of e-PING, the common government to be primarily leading the way. electronic platform for communication. Some local states provide a range As Brazil looks to its future of cus- of citizen services through Integrated tomer service, it needs to reinvigorate Service Centres. both its strategy and its approach. First created by the Bahia State While it has demonstrated leadership Government in 1995, with the name in pockets, it lacks a determined and of Serviço de Atendimento ao Cidadão sustained effort to drive the country to (SAC), these centers offer several kinds the next level. Without it, the country of services in the same location, risks falling increasingly behind others bringing together services of federal, that have already begun moving toward state and local agencies. In the state delivering the next level of service of Bahia, there are now 25 SAC value to their citizens. branches, eight of which are in Salvador (the state capital and largest city). In addition, two mobile units visit small communities that do not have a regular office. In recognition of the Integrated Service Centers’ impact on improving service to its citizens, The United Nations granted the Public Service Award to the Government of Bahia in June of last year.

67 Canada

Canada’s political landscape with a number of services from different changed significantly during departments (including Passport Canada and the Canada Revenue Agency, the past year. among others) introduced. One notable development was the introduction of In January 2006, a new minority an Office of Client Satisfaction, for conservative government led by Prime citizens and partners to present Minister Stephen Harper was elected. suggestions, compliments or com- That this administration change will plaints and to spur Service Canada affect the sweeping vision of service to continuous improvement. transformation that the government set out in 2005 is unlikely. Canada’s Canada Business is the business-facing service transformation program is complement to Service Canada, and a key part of the Government of another important part of the govern- Canada’s broad agenda to modernize ment’s overall service transformation management in the public sector. On agenda. Industry Canada established the other hand, how the administration “Canada Business” more than a decade change will affect the implementation ago to provide a one-stop shop for Percentage of Canadian citizens of the vision is less clear; for now, businesses. It integrates multi- who feel their government is the main change seems to be a jurisdictional services to businesses, effective at working together reorganization of existing structures. providing them through a national Most notably, the departments website, central hub locations in every of Human Resources and Skills province and territory, 13 Canada Business call/service centers and 435 36% 39% Development and Social Development have been consolidated into one network partner sites. Canada Business Department of Human Resources and also provides a platform for introduc- Social Development, under which ing new initiatives such as BizPal, a Service Canada now operates. one-stop, single-window service for 2005 2006 permits and licenses for all three levels Service Canada is the citizen-facing of government. Like Service Canada, component of Canada’s service Canada Business has laid important transformation program. Through foundations, but now needs to move Service Canada, the government plans at a pace that matches client expecta- to provide one-stop service for federal tions in terms of extending its services government services and eventually and promoting their take-up. (through an evolving network of partnerships), for relevant provincial The other major aspect of Canada’s and territorial government services service transformation program is the as well. These services will all be Shared Corporate, Administrative and accessible through easy-to-use Information Technology Services initia- integrated service channels, including tive to make the government’s internal telephone (1-800-O-Canada), Internet operations more efficient and effective. (servicecanada.gc.ca), mail and Initially, the shared services focus will in-person (Service Canada Centres be on human resources, financial and across the country). materiel management services, and distributed computing/desktop and Service Canada is considered to be one data center services. of the largest single reforms ever in federal operations. In fact, plans call These initiatives are manifestations of for all Government of Canada services the “whole-of-government” approach to individuals to be accessible through to customer service that Canada has Service Canada by 2008-2009. Since genuinely embraced. Building on its Service Canada launched in 2005, it success with its Government On-Line has been slowly building momentum, program, the Canadian government is

68 now focusing on managing service the government’s overall service it easy or fairly easy), only 17 percent delivery across all channels and delivery strategy and infrastructure, expect to receive the best service departments on an enterprise basis, and is responsible for advising the through it. In contrast, 30 percent and rethinking how to deliver internal government on horizontal or govern- expect to receive best service from government services. Service Canada ment-wide expenditures and manage- walk-in centers, and 37 percent via alone is expected to yield net savings ment in the areas of IT, service delivery telephone. In fact, a plurality (34 (operation and program savings) of and administrative services. In concert percent) thinks the telephone should Cdn$2.5 billion over five years. with the Chief Information Officer be the primary channel for future To be successful with service transfor- Branch, Public Works Government investment (versus 27 percent who mation, the Canadian government will Services Canada (PWGSC) is taking a think the Internet/e-mail/SMS need strong cross-government leadership role in providing shared IT channels should be). collaboration. From a technology services across the whole-of-government. These numbers suggest that while perspective, the Canadian government In addition, the Inter-Jurisdictional Canada has done a good job raising already has its “Secure Channel” Joint Councils bring together leaders awareness of its online offerings and, in place, which provides a common from the federal, provincial and in fact, organizing them from a secure infrastructure to enable service territorial, and municipal governments. citizens’ perspective so that they are integration. Secure Channel was The Joint Councils are a forum to easy to access and navigate, the actual critical to the Government On-Line advance inter-jurisdictional work experience of citizens is falling initiative—to allow users to conduct and have contributed some notable somewhat short. Citizens still do not online transactions safely and effec- accomplishments. Chief amongst these trust that the online channel will be tively, in a way that is consistent with is the creation of the Institute for able to meet their service needs as federal privacy standards. The Govern- Citizen-Centred Service (ICCS), the effectively as direct human contact. ment of Canada is pursuing strategies Canadian Governments’ research This year, we saw a moderate increase for multi-jurisdictional service delivery, arm for understanding its customers’ in the percentage of Canadian citizens engaging in discussions with provinces service needs and expectations and who feel their government is effective and municipalities about extending identifying and applying innovative at working together (39 percent, use of the Secure Channel to them. service solutions. versus 36 percent last year), which In fact, some multi-jurisdictional Canada is clearly well on its way to suggests that as transactions grow in projects are already gotten underway. establishing the foundational elements complexity, citizens are still looking For example, the National Routing of service trust. To bring its service for a human navigator to overcome System pilot project used Secure transformation vision to fruition, internal government obstacles to Channel’s Secure Message Routing however, citizens will also have to use seamless service delivery. Service (SMRS) to test the secure the services. The Canadian government The Canadian government clearly transmittal of vital event information had placed particular emphasis on recognizes that its citizens prefer (such as births, deaths and name educating its citizens about available specific channels for certain types changes) among Canadian provinces services, encouraging them to take of transactions. In fact, it is growing and territories. The NRS project advantage of the speed, convenience increasingly sophisticated in its involves the governments of British and lower cost of doing business with segmentation strategies, beginning Columbia and Alberta, and several government electronically. to view clients not only by age and federal organizations, including The efforts seem to be paying off; income but also by channel preference Statistics Canada, the Passport Office the government’s own research shows and propensity for migration. Offline and Canada Revenue Agency. that the share of transactions com- channels certainly will continue to Beyond technology, the Canadian pleted over the Web has grown from play a critical role in service delivery government has instituted new 22 percent in 2002 to 30 percent in for the foreseeable future. However, as governance mechanisms to facilitate 2005. In fact, a Canadian survey found the Canadian government continues to a “whole-of-government” approach. that 60 percent of Canadians and 61 foster cross-government collaboration, Within the federal public service, lead percent of businesses would prefer to it should leverage technology to responsibility for driving the Service complete all or most of their transac- continue to push the line of citizens’ Transformation Agenda rests with the tions online. Our own citizen survey comfort with and confidence in the deputy ministers serving on the Service this year showed a fair increase of online channels for increasing Transformation Advisory Committee citizens who had ever used eGovernment numbers of transactions. (STAC), which advises the Secretary (68 percent, versus 62 percent in 2005). of the Treasury Board on policies, However, despite the fact that legislation and strategies. The Chief Canadians consider the online channel Information Officer Branch (within the to be among the easiest to use (with Treasury Board Secretariat) sets out 68 percent of respondents considering

69 Denmark

The Danish government is In conjunction with the Structural determined to continue to Reform, the Danish government enacted a “Service Center Act” that improve the public sector — to establishes the rules for the service develop a coherent, efficient centers’ authority regarding the provision of services on behalf of other and service-minded public public authorities, including rules for sector that provides the citizens exchange of personal data. with “more quality for money.” While Denmark is a multi-tier government, the country is at an advantage To that end, “The Structural Reform” in that the national and local levels is one of the biggest and most are not as disconnected as in other important reforms of the public sector countries. This has allowed the country in Denmark in many years and it will to develop some truly innovative cross- Percentage of Danish citizens who likely dominate the service environment government services. Some of these use the following methods for in Denmark until 2007. services we have described in past contacting government The goals of the Structural Reform are reports, including the health portal, to make government more coherent, “sundhed.dk.” While sundhed.dk is user-focused and efficient (all of not a new initiative, the government which are congruent with the goals constantly develops more services 38% % 46 of the current Danish eGovernment and functionalities on the portal. For strategy). While the reform will impact example, in September 2005, it both national- and local-level became possible for Danish citizens government, it will affect local to access their medical records online Landline or Internet/e-mail/ government the most, as fewer via sundhed.dk by use of a digital mobile phone SMS/text municipalities will deliver an increased signature. The service has created share of public functions and services. much interest, and during the first Through mergers, the current 271 days of its launch, 12,000 people municipalities will be reduced to 98 ordered a digital signature from and 14 counties will become 5 regions. the website. The Structural Reform points out that Another innovative initiative is citizens should have a public sector e-Faktura. Since February 1, 2005, that is accessible when they need all government organizations have advice, guidance and service. In most been required to accept only electronic cases, citizens should be able to go to invoices from suppliers. After some one place regardless of which public start-up problems, the new system authority or administration has the was in place by mid-2005, and is now final responsibility. In order to achieve handling approximately 70 percent of this goal, a few principles, covering the invoicing transactions that it is both online and offline channels, have eventually expected to facilitate. The been adopted. These include: that arguably radical decision to close digital self-service solutions will be down the offline channel was sup- developed for all citizen-related ported by a strong business case services, that the most important showing significant benefits for both citizen services for the regions and business and government. Some the state will be concentrated in the estimates put the potential savings municipalities (which will establish from electronic invoicing as high as service centers to handle these tasks) €120 to €150 million per year for and existing barriers to coherent government, and about�€ 50 million service delivery will be removed. for business.

70 The Danish government’s intentions In mid-March 2006 it was announced Denmark is at an important juncture are clearly multi-channel, and the that two of the major public portals: in its service delivery agenda; certainly, Structural Reform references both “Netborger.dk” and “Danmark.dk” it will take time for the effects of the online and offline channels. There is, will merge into one portal called Structural Reform to be felt and however, no clear government-wide “Borger.dk” on January 1, 2007 (the understood. The country’s already- strategy focused explicitly on service same day as the Structural Reform close relationship between levels of delivery through online channels, and will go into effect). This initiative by government should prove to be an no strategy linking the use of on- and LGDK and the Ministry of Science can advantage, smoothing the path for offline channels. In addition, the be seen as another important step the Structural Reform. Still it remains government’s modernization program toward increased cooperation to be seen whether the Danish acknowledges the importance of between authorities because of authorities will seize the opportunity eGovernment as an enabler. However, the Structural Reform. for realizing the potential value of the even where the relationship between Last year, we described Denmark as reform. Adequate governing mechanisms eGovernment and modernization is facing something of an uphill battle will be crucial in order to meet the understood, eGovernment is not being in improving citizen perceptions of challenge of developing secure, applied equally or evenly within its online offerings. Since then, the coherent, value-creating services all agencies. government clearly has made a with the citizen in the center. To combat the challenge of providing concerted effort to influence the consistent service across channels, the public’s point of view. In September, Local Government Denmark’s (LGDK) October and November 2005, the website supports municipalities by Danish government conducted a providing examples, inspirational national marketing campaign for papers and guides on how to establish eGovernment services. More than both online and offline services for 800 TV commercials advertised eight citizens. The LGDK has also established different digital services for citizens a number of working groups on and businesses. These services were different aspects of citizen services also marketed through newspaper and is involved in organizing work- advertisements, Internet banners and shops and conferences on the topic. radio spots. The campaign is consid- As we have seen in many countries, ered a success. For example, just one of the most successful examples before the start of the campaign, of both multi-channel and cross- citizens were equally divided on their government service comes from preference for contacting the govern- Denmark’s tax agency. In fact, the ment via telephone and Internet (at Danish Tax Agency is the first authority 42 percent each). At the end of the to be reorganized as part of the campaign, preference had clearly Structural Reform. The state tax shifted in favor of the Internet agency has merged with local govern- (46 percent preferring Internet versus ment tax agencies into one authority 38 percent preferring the phone). with 30 tax centers, which handle all customer and tax tasks. Citizens can manage their tax issues online, by phone or in person, and in most cases, the task will be processed and executed instantly, no matter the method of contact.

71 Finland

Finland’s Government in the Offices and the number of Programme details the Finnish services they provide. Other strategy points call for unified action in service government’s targets and provision and for synchronizing service planned actions for delivering processes, although the strategy seems to stop short of any program to better service to citizens. provide a unified contact center for Through it, the government intends all of the government. to mitigate disparities in development Work toward a more centralized IT potential due to population variances. governance has also started. Leena It also wants to ensure that adequate Honka became the central government’s and equal services are delivered IT Director (CIO) in March 2005 and nationwide. Horizontal and vertical the government founded and organized cooperation of government agencies a new central IT Management Unit. Percentage of Finnish citizens will be key to the government’s success Goals include gaining economies of who have tried eGovernment in this regard, and we saw some scale and cutting down IT costs, as important moves in that direction. well as improving IT capabilities to Finland’s service approach emphasizes enable better customer service and increased efficiency—perhaps even productivity. A separate shared IT % 73 more than improving the citizen- service delivery organization is facing aspects of service delivery. The expected to be launched in 2006. Productivity Programme, led by the Likewise, a KuntaIT unit (municipal Ministry of Finance, is seen as one IT unit) to coordinate cooperation driver for changes in public-service in information management at a delivery in Finland. In it, all adminis- municipal level (and across the whole trative branches are obliged to public sector, when applicable) should develop and implement productivity begin operations in September 2006. plans—through service center initia- Initiatives like these are important for tives, improving government’s Finland to continue to drive costs out procurement, streamlining processes of its back-end processes and redirect and putting online the services resources to support its highly valued requiring most resources. social programs, where human interven- Much of the customer service activity tion on the front end simply cannot be we saw in Finland during the past year replaced with automation. The question relates to the government putting in now is whether these initiatives are place enablers of future progress. For being implemented on a scale that will example, in January the government deliver the desired benefits. announced it would begin work during The Finnish government has announced 2006 on a new national information or launched a number of innovative society strategy. Likewise, in the spring services over the past year. Among of 2005, the Finnish government these are pre-completed, pre-populated developed a Local and Regional Service tax return forms for individual Strategy to guide its actions through taxpayers, which will have their first 2010. This common service strategy is national rollout in April 2006. The anchored in customer-centricity: it pre-populated information draws on emphasizes making use of the existing required information from banks, infrastructure of the country’s 213 insurance companies and other Citizen’s Offices (service points where sources. All individuals need to do is citizens can obtain public services verify the pre-populated information. produced by at least two authorities) The taxpayer must correct and by increasing the number of authorities return the form if there are errors

72 or additional information that needs The Finnish government continues to be filled in, but if all information is to make good progress in developing correct, the taxpayer needs to do nothing. its service offerings, and we see no VETUMA is an online identification and evidence of complacency. Certainly, payment solution for citizens. It was the government is aggressively launched in 2004 by the communities pursuing a service agenda that will not of the Helsinki region, but quickly only benefit citizens, but improve the developed into a common venture for country’s future competitiveness as all public administration. Now, the first well. Looking to the future, developing municipal and central government consistency across channels should be identification services using VETUMA a point of continued consideration. will begin in 2006, with the target that While Finland continues to be the as many government service providers country where citizens are most likely as possible will use the technology. to have tried eGovernment (73 percent A national solution for identification of respondents in our citizen survey) and online payment should provide and has the highest percentage of significant boost to eGovernment citizens who prefer the eGovernment across all public administration. channel over other channels (43 percent), only 13 percent expected to get the While Finnish citizens seem neutral best service through eGovernment. or even positive about the concept of In comparison, 48 percent expect best a unique identifier for government service from walk-in centers or offices interactions, the cards’ security is more and 40 percent expect best service of an issue. For example, some press via landline or mobile phone. coverage has been critical of the current strong role banks play in For Finland to get to the next level identification—both on the issue of of customer service, in which the whether banks are as trustworthy as highest number of services possible the government, and also on whether are delivered through the most the commonly used identification by efficient channels, the government online banking codes is strong enough. needs to analyze not only which (The other side of the argument is that services citizens prefer on which using existing online banking codes channels, but also how the processes will drive increased adoption of both in customer service and in the eGovernment services requiring back end need to changed. Looking identification.) to the future, the government should continue to push the line of what Slow adoption of the mobile PKI services can be automated—not only certificate launched jointly by the by implementing technology, but also Population Register Center (PRC) and by proving to citizens the consistent TeliaSonera has also been discussed, quality of services delivered through with the reason said to be a lack of these efficient channels over time. services where the certificate can be In addition, to continue its progress used. However, the HST Group (formed toward high performance, the govern- by some of the banks, operators and ment needs to be ready and willing the state) estimates that the certifi- to change legislation to support new cates included in the Subscriber service models, and to make the Identity Model (SIM) cards and EMV necessary investments on a large chips of bank and credit cards will enough scale to enable the real benefits increase the number of Citizen’s possible from these new models. Certificates (a PKI-level certificate issued by the PRC) to approximately 1.7 million in the next few years.

73 France

In May 2005, Dominique Many multi-channel services are now de Villepin replaced Jean offered to citizens and businesses, such as “Allô service public - 3939” Pierre Raffarin as France’s (call center for administrative ques- Prime Minister. tions), “Impôt service” (call center/help desk for tax questions) and online/help Since then, there has been a govern- desk channels provided by social mental reorganization, which in turn institutions (AMELI for health and affects the structures in charge of CAF or PAJEMPLOI for family care). state modernization. Nevertheless, services offered online A new division of the Ministry of and via the telephone channel often Finance, the Direction générale de remain limited, and it is not clear to la modernisation de l’Etat (DGME), what extent the various channels is a single agency charged with state are seamlessly integrated. A genuine Percentage of French citizens who modernization, including the develop- government-wide, multi-channel prefer Internet or e-mail as a channel ment of eGovernment. The DGME was strategy is still to be defined. for contacting the government formed by merging four former Cross-government collaboration is agencies: Delegation for Users and being driven centrally by DGME, Administrative Simplification (DUSA), although adoption and implementa- Delegation for Modernization of Public tion is the responsibility of individual 69% Administration and the Structures of ministries. France has several exam- the State (DMGPSE), Agency for the ples of successful collaboration. For Development of eGovernment (ADAE) example, since mid-2005, citizens can and Directorate for Budgetary Reform submit online an address change to (DRB). Frank Mordacq, formerly the several administrations (tax, social head of the DRB, now leads DGME. security, family and unemployment Given that the DGME is newly formed allocations). In another cross-govern- and operational only since January ment service example, since the 2006, no strategy or action plan for it beginning of 2006, citizens have been has yet been published. However, the able to request birth certificates current eGovernment strategy, called online, which was a service histori- ADELE (for Administration ELEctro- cally provided by approximately nique), is unlikely to change signifi- 36,000 French city offices. The website cantly, given it was expected only to now provides a national platform, run until 2007. The larger question is which enables citizens to request their whether the creation of a new agency certificate online, no matter where in charge of eGovernment will their local city halls are located and accelerate ADELE’s implementation or which online services the local indeed, slow down the government’s website offers. ambitions. Major remaining initiatives The French government plans to under ADELE, apart from continuing develop a biometric ID card to verify to make more services available identity generally, and also to access online or via telephone, are imple- eGovernment services. The project, mentation of the “mon service-public” called “Identité nationale électronique portal, which aims at offering citizens sécurisée” (INES), will be deployed in personalized, customizable content 2008. Should INES come to fruition, it linked to eGovernment services will be a critical foundation to greater (2006 time frame) and moves toward interoperability and greater collaboration (2007).

74 cross-government collaboration. eGovernment channels) and with other However, 2005 saw considerable world eGovernment leaders (including public concern over INES, mainly due Canada and the United States, where to issues around collecting and storing only 26 percent and 27 percent, biometric data and the concept of respectively, preferred eGovernment). creating a national population France has also made progress in database. In response, the Ministry measuring the return on investment, of Internal Affairs made some notable setting a new methodology (presented modifications to the plans for INES, to all ministries in July 2005) to including the fact that the biometric determine which projects to imple- ID will not be compulsory and that ment and also to collect tangible two different databases would be used evidence of performance. for ID data and biometric data. Thus, As France looks to its future of service a single unique identifier for France to citizens and businesses, it does so remains highly unlikely for the with an equal mix of challenge and foreseeable future. opportunity. Citizen access to multiple France seems to be doing a good job channels is still a considerable issue of promoting its eGovernment services, for the government; at the same time, using a variety of means. France tends French citizens seem extremely to measure awareness, take-up and enthusiastic about what their govern- satisfaction with eGovernment on ment has to offer. As it develops a new a national level. Results from this vision under DGME for modernization annual “Online Administration beyond 2007, the French government Barometer” are encouraging, despite must expend at least equal energy still relatively low Internet penetra- on developing the connected and tion. For example, of those citizens knowledgeable populace that will be who responded they had used able to make most efficient and eGovernment (25 percent), 93 percent effective use of its services a reality. were satisfied with the services. Our own research bears these positive findings out. In fact, according to our own citizen survey, French citizens were the most likely to say they expected the best level of service from either the Internet or e-mail (32 percent). French citizens were also overwhelmingly the most enthusiastic about eGovernment, in terms of expressing a preference for it as a channel. Fully 69 percent of the French citizens we surveyed said that Internet or e-mail would be their preferred channel for contacting the government. This number contrasts dramatically with the second highest percentage (in Finland, where 46 percent preferred

75 Germany

2005 saw significant changes In fact, there are already some notable in Germany’s national cross-government examples at the local level. The concept of “Bürger- government, with early büros,” or single-contact citizen elections in September and a service centers, has been a leading practice among German municipalities new Chancellor, Angela Merkel, for some years (albeit with different installed to lead a new, levels of service and maturity). These “grand coalition” government. Bürgerbüros usually bundle high- volume yet low-complexity citizen In addition, a new Secretary of State services. The centers are often used to and IT Director, Dr. Hans Bernhard improve, or at least maintain, service Beus, is now responsible for the hours and number of physical access German government’s eGovernment points across a city. Percentage of Germans who agenda. The net effect of these Although we found no evidence of use the following channels for changes is not yet apparent. While a government-wide, multi-channel contacting government a new “eGovernment” strategy is strategy, we saw numerous multi- in formulation and expected to be channel applications at the Länder and released soon, whether this strategy municipal level. The Call Center will encompass broader leadership in Northrhine Westphalia is a multi- 61%% 13% 61 customer service principles is unclear. channel offering that integrates For now, however, the government physical, online and phone access is moving ahead with existing plans. to various state services, as well as EGovernment does not seem to be numerous municipal ones. The state Walk-in center Internet/e-mail/ at the top of the agenda. of Bavaria offers something similar— SMS/text The major focus of the current strategy it has a central service portal that is to integrate the BundOnline crosses municipal and Länder services initiative into Deutschland Online alike and an integrated phone/online (Germany Online). Deutschland Online channel. The city-state of Hamburg seeks to build on the federated has a central public call center under structure of Germany’s government, “040 Hamburg” that answers 12,000 with the federal government as well as calls per day. It is a one-stop shop, Länder governments and municipali- with 80 percent of all queries resolved ties agreeing on projects and different on the phone. national or regional authorities taking From our citizen survey, we found that the lead on speciﬁc initiatives. Prog- of the Germans who reported making ress continues, and major upcoming contact with the government in the milestones include having all Deutsch- past year, 61 percent said they had land Online projects that were decided used a walk-in center and 52 percent upon in 2003 available on the Internet said they had used the telephone. by the end of 2006; public authorities Those numbers compare to only able to communicate with each other 13 percent saying they had used the electronically by the end of 2007; and Internet and/or other mobile channels. all appropriate administrative proce- From the government’s perspective, dures in Germany available online by numbers such as these could be the end of 2008. The approach of viewed either as a testament to the Deutschland Online is symptomatic strength of the local service centers of a collaborative orientation that or as a call-to-action to build the could lead to strong cross-government viability of other channel offerings by initiatives, if given enough push. strengthening security and fostering citizen awareness. German citizens’

76 strong and persistent concerns The German government has not relating to data protection have had a history of using incentives prevented Germany from capitalizing for online usage; for example, even on the benefits of multi-channel though a citizen can submit an usage to date. income tax declaration online, there One interesting development to watch is no tangible benefit associated with in this regard will be Germany’s next- it (such as an extended submission generation e-health card, slated for deadline or faster processing). Instead 2006. The new smart card, a replace- of incentives to promote voluntary ment of an earlier version that carried online usage, we saw a few examples only a citizen’s name, address and of government making the online insurance number, will now store channel mandatory for certain prescription information as well. One transactions. For example, as of of its potential uses is as the standard January 2006, federal VAT tax card for digital signatures. If the card declarations need to be done online. evolves in this fashion, it could unlock Of course, this is a strategy only a vast number of potential new feasible for a limited number of government service offerings through services, and Germany needs to the online channel. exercise other options (including strong marketing) if it truly wants Last year we referenced Germany’s the benefits of a robust multi-channel relatively poor showing in the areas service approach. of proactive communication and education and the corresponding Germany’s future leadership in lukewarm enthusiasm among Ger- customer service is uncertain. The mans for conducting business with country’s service program seems to be the government online. Despite languishing of late, but a new govern- relatively high usage of the Internet ment and an expected new service in general (71 percent of the Germans strategy could signal a needed new we surveyed are fairly regular Internet approach and reinvigorated commit- users), only 44 percent said they ment to leadership in customer service. ever used eGovernment, and of those that had, 40 percent reported doing so only rarely. The gap between citizens’ perceptions of the quality of eBusiness versus eGovernment is also significant in Germany. While only 17 percent of Germans rated eGovernment services as good or excellent, 37 percent gave a good or excellent rating to eBusiness. While marketing of services is certainly a point under discussion, it is still unclear whether a marketing strategy will be part of the government online strategy going forward. Regardless, marketing will likely remain a challenge area for Germany for some time to come.

77 Ireland

The Public Service Modern- cooperate with the Reach agency and isation Division of the to make adjustments to their procedures and systems to facilitate the Broker. Department of the Taoiseach, Progress has been slow: as we have in cooperation with the Depart- seen in so many countries over the past year, moving from vision into ment of Finance, manages the implementation has been a considerable Public Service Modernisation challenge. As an independent report Program, which is charged commissioned by the Reach Agency stated, “While government’s vision for with providing better customer public service modernisation enabled service in Ireland. by the Public Services Broker has received much international acclaim, While the previous service strategy translating the vision into tangible Percentage of Irish citizens who felt has not been re-stated in the past year, change has proved more challenging it was easy to use eGovernment there appears to be an increased with many obstacles along the way.” emphasis on the government’s commit- One significant milestone will be the ment to quality customer service. implementation of the online PAYE Individual departments must have service this year, which is a joint 68% strategy statements outlining their project between Reach and the goals and strategies in relation to all Revenue Commissioners. aspects of the department’s remit, A new government portal for public including customer service, and services, Reachservices, which departments must report annually on provides access to a number of inter- their progress against their stated goals. departmental agencies and services, To enable multi-channel, cross- was launched in 2005. Reachservices government service, the Irish govern- is the first phase of the Public ment has adopted the model of a Services Broker system to be deployed, Public Service Broker to deliver all and is thus a highly significant public services electronically. This milestone for the government. framework provides for access through Reachservices uses the Personal a single point of contact, delivered Public Service (PPS) numbers data- through multiple channels and base to authenticate users. providing protection for personal and Single walk-in offices have already business data. The Public Service been put in place for a specific set of Broker is a highly ambitious undertak- services under Comhairle, the national ing, built with the intention of agency responsible for supporting the providing 24/7 access to all public provision of information, advice and services through the Internet and over advocacy on a wide range of social the phone, while maintaining existing and civil services. These Citizens face-to-face operations. Information Centres provide compre- Reach is an agency established in hensive information on all aspects of 1999 by the Government of Ireland entitlements in about 100 locations to develop a strategy for integrating around Ireland. Also through Comhairle, public services and developing and the Citizens Information Phone Service implementing the framework for (CIPS) provides easy access to information eGovernment. Since May 2000, Reach and advice by telephone and e-mail. has been defining the architectures One of its main objectives is to provide and principles underlying the operation a service that is accessible for people of the Public Service Broker. Depart- living in isolated areas and for those ments and agencies are required to with mobility problems. The service is

78 not free, but all calls within Ireland In 2005, 65 percent of timely filers Ireland has the benefit of a population are charged at local rates. used the electronic route, as compared familiar and comfortable with multiple Comhairle also sponsors the comple- with 53 percent in 2004 and 40 technologies. Our citizen survey mentary On-line Access to Services, percent and 9 percent in the respective revealed that 68 percent of Irish Information and Support (Oasis) preceding years. The Reach Agency citizens felt it was easy to use website, which gives frontline infor- also published a tender in July 2005 eGovernment. The Irish were also the mation on public services for use by for proposals related to a promotional third most likely to express confidence the general public from the point of and marketing campaign to promote using a whole range of technologies view of the user. Oasis has a service awareness, understanding and use for service delivery, with 51 percent of finder that points citizens to service of the Reachservices portal. all respondents expressing confidence. points nearest to a particular location. As early as 2003, Ireland recognized Ireland now needs to tie all the pieces Currently, the service finder displays that supporting and maximizing the together. The country has seemed the address and any other available benefits of e-enabled service delivery poised on the edge of a new era of contact information (e-mail, Web would require streamlined and service for some years. A new look address, opening hours and so on) consolidated back-office functions and at what citizens truly value from of the nearest schools, Citizens a major re-structuring of the way government, how the country’s Information Centres, Garda stations, government operates. The possibility existing strengths can be used to government departments and local of using the shared services model to deliver that value and a concerted government offices, health centers, provide back-office functions across push toward other enablers, including social welfare offices, legal aid centers, departments is now under active back-office consolidation and post offices and libraries, among others. discussion among various government implementation of a unique identifier Ireland’s flagship eGovernment departments, and we saw isolated will all be necessary to propel Ireland projects have received notable examples of some progress in this area. forward in the years ahead. international recognition. The Revenue For example, the Department of On-Line Service (ROS) was selected as Justice, Equality and Law Reform one of four European Union eGovern- established a shared services center ment awards from a list of 250 entries to provide financial services to the in November 2005. In addition, four Department, the Courts Service, the other entries were invited to exhibit Prisons Service and An Garda Síochána. at the event in Manchester: Reach, This center recently expanded to eCabinet (Department of Taoiseach), provide financial services for the moBhaile (Local Government Computer Department of Arts, Sport and Tourism, Services Board) and Meath County demonstrating the potential of shared Council. eCabinet is an interesting services on a broader level beyond service—it transforms the way in related departments and agencies. which Cabinet business is prepared Irish citizens typically have a number and processed, and supports a quicker of different and unrelated identifiers pace of conducting government for interacting with government, but business by enabling government Ireland has a number of initiatives in departments to electronically manage the works to continue to move toward all stages of the process of preparing, a single unique identifier. The refining and circulating Cabinet Personal Public Service Number documentation. (PPSN) remains the closest approxi- Marketing of public services in Ireland mation, although the limitations of continues to be done at an agency PPSN that were outlined in last year’s level, with some notable success. In report still remain. A project known 2005, for example, ROS had a strong as the Standard Authentication advertising campaign in both the Framework Environment (SAFE) national newspapers and on radio and is under way to define a coherent television to encourage online filing. pan-public service approach to the delivery of card-based services.

79 Italy

There has been no major “Public Connectivity System” (PCS), which is a sort of digital superhighway that change in Italy’s overall uses broadband links to connect central government customer service and local government offices, and the strategy over the past year; “International Public Administration Network,” which is a network of all Italian rather the government diplomatic and public offices worldwide. continues to make slow, These infrastructures will form steady progress on its existing the common ground for electronic communication among public offices all eGovernment plans, especially over the country, on the basis of shared at the local level. technology, organizational and security standards. In addition, the Department Every year since 2002, the Minister for Innovation and Technology is funding Percentage of Italians who are for Innovation and Technologies has eGovernment initiatives at both the confident in using the computer published revised guidelines regarding regional and local level, and has the implementation of Italy’s eGovern- prioritized requests for funding from ment program, outlining progress to projects that involve a large number date, current initiatives and targets. of organizations, and in particular, organi- 47% The most recent guidelines in 2005 zations from different levels of government. heralded the beginning of the “second The Italian government has continued phase” of the country’s eGovernment its major reform of the tax service program. This second phase furthers through the “Fisco Telematico” project a critical goal: a strong reduction and it has continued to promote in public spending on information e-procurement and e-payment systems technology (IT), as called for in the to achieve savings and more efficiencies. Financial Act of 2006. Related to these efforts are two Two key initiatives recently undertaken significant projects, the “National by the Italian government to foster Services Card” and the “Electronic digitalization of the local and central Identity Card,” aimed at improving government concern the legislation the usability of online services. These framework and the infrastructure two projects have encountered some system. On the legislation side, Italy challenges concerning funding, approved the eGovernment Code, stakeholder involvement and conflict which establishes conditions for a between responsible ministers; for now, more efficient government. This code the government does not seem to have came into force at the start of 2006, defined the available services network. replacing outdated regulations to Italy is currently encouraging greater promote the use of new technologies cross-government collaboration, as within the Italian government and service delivery in the country becomes in its relationships with citizens and increasingly local. However, cross- enterprises, as well as among private government collaboration from a citizens themselves. national-level perspective seems On the infrastructure side, Italy has largely a principle and desired outcome, prioritized the interconnection rather than an actuality. Despite the between all central and local govern- increasingly decentralized structure ment offices. This represents a major of the Italian government, with step toward fostering innovation municipalities and regions taking in government and developing an greater responsibility for administrative increasingly federal state. There are services for citizens and businesses, two key infrastructure programs: the there is no nationwide strategy toward consolidating services.

80 Clearly, the Italian government is The Italian government is trying to Overall, it seems that much of the looking for ways to encourage various bridge the digital divide, which has Italian government’s recent energies national, regional and local authorities mainly resulted from a lack of educa- have been focused on establishing to share ideas, technologies and tion about and familiarity with the the fundamental legislative and business models to move services online channel. One of the most infrastructural conditions necessary online, and to ensure the coherent important initiatives is the develop- for eGovernment (and multi-channel development of eGovernment policies ment of information and communica- government) to become widespread and services across the whole country. tion technology (ICT) infrastructure and integrated. However, while the approach (based in schools, by increasing the number Italy clearly faces some tough chal- on sharing experiences and reusing of PCs and by bringing broadband lenges ahead in areas such as cross best practices) leads to tangible connections to school buildings. Also government collaboration, data benefits related to innovation, it also notable is the “PC for public employ- integration and services personalization. faces strong challenges whenever ees” project, which facilitates payment It is likely that eGovernment will only these practices are extended to a conditions for PCs for public employees. make a real difference in modernizing context that differs from the original In October 2005, Lucio Stanca, government customer service one. In general the government does Minister for Innovation, issued a if it is part of a wider service delivery not seem to have yet moved to the directive on the quality of eGovern- agenda that is focused on radical next level: actually offering joined- ment services and measurement of the customer-and outcome-based changes. up services in a seamless way. satisfaction of customers. The directive Moderate progress has been the At a more local level, however, we did aims to provide guidelines for improv- pattern for some years, and the see some evidence of regions and ing quality and promoting the use government needs to light a charge municipalities taking the lead in cross- of eGovernment services through a under its program or risk falling behind government initiatives. The challenge is detailed, effective analysis of user’s in the future. to broaden success from islands of good needs. Given the current eGovernment Future digital development in Italy will practice into all areas of public adminis- environment in Italy, however, the be based on improving eGovernment tration—to realize the widespread government would do well to also services and strongly linked to effective benefits that eGovernment was investigate potential alternative governance at both the national and originally expected to deliver to citizens, channels and gauge what citizens local levels. Strong governance is business and the public administration. would actually value from government needed to define the innovation agenda, Currently, Italy does not have a in terms of service content and larger manage the investment portfolio and cohesive multi-channel strategy, outcomes, beyond just a measure of design market rules with the dual aim despite the tremendous impact such their “point-in-time” satisfaction with of promoting big public projects and a strategy would have on public-sector available offerings. offering quality services. It is time service delivery in the future. Histori- With regard to alternate channels, for Italy to balance today’s needs of cally, Italy has registered low Internet there is growing government interest decreasing IT expenditure to meet penetration as well as eGovernment in experimenting with new technolo- public budget constraints, with the usage; our citizen survey this year gies, such as mobile/wireless, Voice future challenge of implementing showed that less than half of the Over Internet Protocol, and digital innovative technologies to boost surveyed citizens (49 percent) had ever television (“Televisione Digitale growth and competitiveness. With 2006 used eGovernment. Likewise, Italians Terrestre”) to provide higher value an election year in Italy, it remains to are the least confident of all 21 customer service. These technologies be seen whether the aforementioned countries in using the computer may soon redefine the relationship governance will move to the forefront (47 percent are confident), the Internet between administrations and citizens, of the governmental agenda. (46 percent are confident) and e-mail by making a wide range of new services (41 percent are confident), underscoring widespread and easily accessible. the continuous need to provide Investments in these areas may also alternative connections to a population increase public administration efficiency. that does not seem enthusiastic in adopting the e-channel.

81 Japan

2005 was a significant year for The strategy includes not only enhancing Japan’s service delivery agenda. government websites and online services, but also creating one-stop Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi won shop access and, importantly, promoting a landslide victory in Parliamentary the use of eGovernment services. This elections in September 2005, giving emphasis on eGovernment will be Koizumi’s LDP and coalition partner a critical factor to u-Japan’s future control of two-thirds of the seats in success. Last year, we described how Parliament, and greater power to adoption of eGovernment services was continue and accelerate reforms. a key issue in Japan, due to low citizen Chief among these is achieving enthusiasm for and low satisfaction “small government,” which includes with their government’s provision of privatizing Japan Post, consolidating online services. In this year’s citizen and streamlining government survey, too, we saw little change in Percentage of Japanese citizens financial institutions, human citizens’ attitudes. Of those citizens who feel eGovernment should be resources policy reform, market who had contacted government in the the priority channel for investment testing, and aggressively pursuing past year, only 4 percent had used the the new u-Japan initiative. eGovernment channels. Therefore, Japan’s priority has shifted from In 2005, Japan’s eGovernment putting government services online % Committee accomplished its mission 29 to encouraging actual use of online as laid out in the e-Japan strategy services by citizens and businesses. (including, among other goals, making most services available online 24/7). On an encouraging note, the number A new government IT strategy, the of Japanese citizens who felt their “ubiquitous,” or u-Japan, initiative has government was doing a good to since been adopted and the eGovern- excellent job developing eGovernment ment Committee changed its name increased by 7 percent to 27 percent. to the u-Government Committee. Likewise, the Internet is the eGovern- ment channel Japanese citizens feel The u-Japan strategy has several goals. should be the highest priority for It aims to use IT to improve society investment, with 29 percent citing through disaster prevention, accident it as the top priority. prevention and robot technology to assist the elderly. It seeks to create a For Japan, the most important factor high-value and efficient eGovernment in improving take-up will be improving program by facilitating user-friendly the citizens’ experience. Of the nine online transactions, setting up a countries we identified as leaders last Government Program Management year, Japan scored the lowest in terms Office to manage cross-government of citizens’ perceptions about how IT programs and re-structuring legacy easy eGovernment is to use, with systems. And it intends to create under half (43 percent) describing it a world-leading ubiquitous society, as fairly easy or very easy. (This score by building a ubiquitous network compares to 55 percent in France and infrastructure, enhancing IT-based 60 percent or above in the remaining management among corporations and seven leading countries.) promoting research and development Historically, Japanese citizens have in ubiquitous technology. had to deal with multiple ministries and agencies and obtain multiple documents for even relatively straightforward transactions (such

82 as obtaining a business license). Japanese citizens’ current lack of To compound this issue, users of the enthusiasm for and slow take-up of online services have had to obtain eGovernment services has been due separate IDs, passwords and even in part to concerns over security and special software for interacting with privacy of personal data. For example, particular agencies. the implementation three years ago of To this end, many ministries and a residents’ registration system using agencies are trying to improve their an electronic network (“Juki Net”) has websites for better communication been met mostly with indifference, with the public. One of the current although the strong opposition of Japanese priorities is to enhance its some individuals and local govern- “e-Gov” central portal as a one-stop ments sparked a number of court access point to all the ministries and battles. In June 2005, the Kanazawa agencies. In addition, the government District Court endorsed citizens’ right plans to offer additional incentives, to control their personal data. such as reduced fees and shorter The government is very keen to address processing times for the online citizen’s privacy concerns. In April channel. In one notable example, the 2005, the government established the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and National Information Security Center Transport, National Police Agency and within the Cabinet Secretariat, tasked Ministry of Internal Affairs and with dealing with security problems Communications came together such as information breaches and to provide one-stop service for car hacking. In the same month, the registrations. Previously, car registra- Japanese government passed a law tions required visits to the police for a concerning the protection of personal parking certificate, the prefectural tax information. The government stated office to pay the related taxes and to that it would make efforts to raise the local transport bureau for an appli- awareness of the law and how it is cation. Now in some places, including being enforced, and to “promote the Tokyo and Kanagawa Prefecture, users efficient handling of complaints in can conduct all related transactions accordance with the Guidelines for the from their personal computers, and the Protection of Personal Information.” goal is to make these online applications It also declared that all local public available across the country during 2007. agencies must formulate an information Other customer service improvement security policy, and has promoted initiatives target the telephone the introduction of information channel. For example, at a local level, security audits. Sapporo City established a centralized Japan’s new vision and its increased call center in which customer interac- attention on the citizens’ perspective tions are now recorded and integrated (improving their service experience and with its knowledge database. Sapporo addressing their privacy concerns) are City call center staff can quickly vital components for Japan’s continued provide more accurate, relevant success. The government should information, and have improved their continue down this path, proactively resolution rates and overall efficiency. seeking to build stronger insights into In fact, first-call resolutions have its citizens’ values and formulating the reached 95 percent, with high action plans that will continue to customer satisfaction. build citizens’ trust in and far greater satisfaction with their governmental interactions.

83 Malaysia

The 9th Malaysia Plan, covering Aside from the myGovernment portal, the period from 2006 to 2010, the Malaysian government made a number of other important moves charts the next steps the to consolidate services for a more country has to take to achieve citizen-centric approach. For example, Malaysia has established 13 Government its “Vision 2020” (becoming Service Centres in the country, a united and fully developed which act as front-line, one-stop nation, “in its own mold,” service centers for all Government Multipurpose Card, or “MyKad”-related by the year 2020). transactions. Services available include application, renewal and replacement The 9th Malaysia Plan is expected of MyKads, payments of ﬁnes, renewals to be formally presented in the of drivers’ licenses and updates of Malaysian Parliament in March 2006. Percentage of Malaysians who are passport information. Also as part of Malaysia’s Vision 2020, regular Internet users The government also plans to consolidate the “ICT Strategic Plan for the Public call center operations. One of the pilot Sector” maps out what the government initiatives is the Electronic Government needs to do to provide efﬁcient and (EG) Help Desk Centre, which provides % effective electronic services, to make 44 Putrajaya Campus Network and use of ICT to improve productivity, to eGovernment application users with share resources among government a single point of contact to report and to become, overall, more citizen- incidents, problems and requests. In centric. The Malaysian Administration practice, the EG Help Desk manages and Modernization Planning Unit users’ ICT requests, tracks incidents continues to spearhead all eGovern- and provides relevant information to ment initiatives and is responsible users and other parties from different for monitoring and evaluating government agencies. It is also any cross-agency opportunities. responsible for quality assurance. Among the most notable accomplish- The government has established a ments of the government in 2005 performance measurement framework was the launch of the latest iteration for the EG Help Desk, complete of the Public Service Portal (or, with metrics on calls received and myGovernment Portal), in February issues resolved. 2005, with all core portal modules One of the more interesting develop- completed and “live” in May 2005. ments is Malaysia’s emerging MyGovernment is the single gateway E-Services initiative. E-Services is an to information and services provided application that enables citizens and by Malaysian Government agencies on businesses to conduct transactions the Internet. To date, myGovernment with government agencies and utility links 900 websites across federal, state companies through a one-stop, multi- and local authorities and the Malaysian channel service window, including kiosk, Civil Service Link. The portal will Interactive Voice Response / telephone continue to grow in scope and reach and Internet services through Web TV as departments and agencies continue and the personal computer. to make more services online. Other important planned enhancements include an online payment gateway, ubiquitous access through various mobile channels and single sign-on capability.

84 As of this writing, only five agencies to all newborns. With MyKad, the have implemented E-Services, but the government has overcome an enor- potential is intriguing. Our citizen mous hurdle impeding many countries’ survey shows that Malaysia still has plans for cohesive service and has a fairly low percentage of regular shown its ability to innovate. Internet users (44 percent), although However, the government cannot its users seem enthusiastic about afford to be complacent. Looking to eGovernment services. Citizens are the future, the Malaysian government equally positive about eGovernment will be faced with ever-greater as they are with eBusiness. In fact, challenges caused by globalization. only Singapore had a population It will need to enhance the competi- more favorably impressed with the tiveness of the economy, strengthen government’s online performance its economic resilience and improve in comparison to the private sector. its productivity. While the government The enthusiasm for eGovernment has been making steady progress, translates into a desire for additional its Vision 2020 has been in place for ways to access it: 80 percent of 15 years. From a customer service Malaysian citizens cited provision perspective, the desire to create itself of self-service electronic kiosks as one “in its own mold” is the right principle of the most useful ways the govern- for any country; however, it is time for ment could make government services the Malaysian government to reassess more accessible. its vision and ensure that it is, indeed, Future plans include implementing building an environment where kiosk service in various agencies government delivers beyond the beyond the piloted ones, and promot- requirements of simple metrics to ing these services among the public. create value for those it serves. The Malaysian government has also begun to provide financial discounts to increase the use of its E-Services. For example, those who use the E-Services website www.eservices.com.my to pay their Road Transportation Department (JPJ) summons receive a 10 percent discount. Proposals to extend these discounts to other areas (for example, for settling police summons) are under consideration, although they have yet to be approved and enforced. Last year we described Malaysia as being in a stage of formulation— building enabling pieces and priming its public for a future of enhanced government-citizen interactions. Malaysia is ahead of many countries in terms of already having a single unique identifier for citizen interactions with the government. The MyKad national identity card is mandatory for Malaysians above the age of 12, and beginning in 2000, has been issued

85 The Netherlands

The Netherlands’ Despite the lack of a national strategy, Actieprogramma Andere the issue certainly is gaining greater prominence. Minister Pechtold has Overheid (Action Program publicly expressed support for the for a Better Government) saw multi-channel approach, stating in May 2005 that “The strong staking of a leadership change last year, eGovernment doesn’t mean that other when Alexander Pechtold ways are not important...Fine-tuning assumed stewardship of between the different channels is crucial to deliver good service to the the program following the Dutch society.” And we did see some resignation of Minister of notable examples of multi-channel initiatives already beginning to take Government Reform and hold. In the last quarter of 2005 into Percentage of Dutch who use Deputy Prime Minister Thom 2006, for example, we saw a number the following channels for de Graaf in March 2005. of portals integrated with contact contacting government centers, including the Basis Bedrijven Despite the leadership change, Register (Basic Business Register, or however, little movement has been BBR), which registers all companies noted to centralize the governance. established in the Netherlands. 56% 31% Responsibilities for different programs What already exists at a national level still lie across several ministries, is “Postbus 51,” which is the Dutch although we did see a number of government’s center for public service initiatives aimed at integrating contact information (information communication Landline or Internet/e-mail/ channels and improving the efficiency only). It is part of the Ministry mobile phone SMS/text of processing questions and transactions. of General Affairs’ Government Overall, we saw no significant change Information Service, and manages the to the service strategy itself. The toll-free calls, letters and websites Actieprogramma Andere Overheid of most ministries. Aside from its (launched in 2004) should be connection to government depart- completed by the end of the current ments, the site also links through to parliament (likely 2007). The “Beter relevant third parties that can offer presteren met ICT. Vervolg rijksbrede additional trusted advice and support. ICT agenda 2005-2006” (Better There are new plans also for a performance with ICT. Sequel to “national initiated” contact center. Nationwide ICT agenda) is simply “National initiated” means that all the latest incarnation of the annually public service phone numbers—even renewed national information and across different levels of government— communications technology (ICT) plan will start with a specific number. For and does not materially differ from example, all cities (or bigger munici- the previous version. palities) will then connect to this The government lacks a coherent gov- number, appended with their own ernment-wide, multi-channel strategy. area code. Amsterdam is the first Currently, for both citizens and busi- city starting with this public service, nesses, there are multiple multi-channel followed by Rotterdam and Utrecht. initiatives (in different stages) that The service will start on a national target the same audience. In fact, the level in 2007. government has only recently begun discussions about integrating channels and allowing citizens to choose their preferred channel.

86 In 2005, we noted that the Dutch The next big step in identity policy is However, they were still nearly twice government could improve upon its the Citizen Service Number that will as likely to use the phone (56 percent) cross-government collaboration and be issued by local authorities begin- to contact the government than they service delivery, and for now, central ning in 2006. It will be based on were to use the online channels, such government agencies continue to the existing tax and social security as Internet/e-mail/SMS/text (31 provide the lion’s share of eGovernment (“SoFi”) number that all people percent). These results may indicate services. We did, however, see some living and working in the Netherlands citizens’ uncertainty about the important moves over the past year already have. Having a single iden- responsiveness of these channels. in the cross-government direction. tification number such as this for multiple government services enables Connecting policy to implementation The Andere Overheid action program cross-government service delivery. and building organizational structures does, in fact, emphasize sharing ICT There are privacy concerns, though, that foster collaboration are key issues infrastructure, and the eventual move and the required legislation has not for the Netherlands. According to toward a shared service model for ICT, yet been signed. our survey results, right now, only 25 which should lead to more integrated percent of Dutch citizens consider the infrastructure that will enable cross- To further promote cross-government government to be effective at working government. One of the most visible consistency, the Dutch government together—no improvement over last results is the Dutch DigiD (“Digital has adopted a metadata standard year’s number. In a time of economic Identity”) online identification for public-sector websites, called recession for the Netherlands, it system (introduced in January 2005). “Overheid.nl webmetadata,” and based may prove challenging to fight for The Dutch DigiD is set to become on the Dublin Core metadata standard. eGovernment and governmental the prime authentication mechanism This is a critical development, as reform. However, it is these very items for central and local government currently more than 1,200 Dutch that will have such a tremendous e-services in the Netherlands and will government websites exist. A national impact on the country—delivering be a critical enabler of cross-government metadata standard should help public- a higher level of governmental service delivery, as well as boosting sector agencies make it easier for performance, both in consistent adoption of the more efficient users to find and access government quality and in the number of possible e-channel. Thirteen new municipalities information wherever it exists, as channels—and translate into oppor- (of about 400) have joined the DigiD well as improve the interoperability of tunities for improving citizen welfare platform since its launch. Next to that, information and services at different and promoting overall progress. the Dutch Social Insurance Bank and government sites. the tax authority have both adopted DigiD as their authentication Moves like this are critical to continue system, which means that Dutch to encourage increasing numbers citizens are able to log on to a secure of the Netherlands’ tech-savvy environment using a single username population onto the efficient online and password. Given the size of the channels. In our citizen survey this customer bases of both organizations, year, 81 percent of Dutch respondents the use of DigiD by citizens should reported being regular Internet users. dramatically increase. And Dutch citizens were among the most likely of all the countries we surveyed to have tried eGovernment; 67 percent of our survey respondents reported using eGovernment at some point during the past year, a significant increase of 11 percent over our previous year’s survey results.

87 Norway

The election of September The plan focuses on services provided 2005 resulted in a change at the state level. While the municipalities are independent, they are of leading party in Norway. encouraged to participate and cooperate and are given guidelines While the new majority left-wing to do so. In fact, the municipalities coalition government is expected to have published their own digital follow the plans of eNorway 2009, the strategies that correspond with the impact of the party change on priorities national eNorway 2009 strategy. With and timelines is, for now, unclear. this decentralized responsibility for the The most recent strategy for providing development of digital public services, better services for the citizens was however, the Norwegian government launched in June 2005 by the Ministry faces something of a challenge in of Modernization (now Ministry of turning citizen-centric into a mean- Percentage of Norwegians who Government Administration and ingful principle. The effects of this expect “best service” through Reform). The title is “Modernization approach can be seen in citizens’ different channels for Welfare–The Government’s Action current perceptions; from our citizen Plan for Modernization 2005-2009.” survey this year, only 28 percent The eNorway 2009 plan prioritizes of Norwegian citizens think the the government’s use of information Norwegian government is effective 59% 7% technology. eNorway 2009 summarizes at working together. the government’s position as: “Norway’s One of the most eagerly anticipated advanced use of technology shall manifestations of cross-government simplify the daily lives of the population collaboration for citizen-centric and business and industry, and Walk-in centers Internet/e-mail government is MyPage. Part of the contribute to promoting value creation Norge.no website, MyPage is an online and thereby ensure prosperity and electronic public service ofﬁce that welfare for future generations.” will allow the general public to access Currently, the government considers services electronically, based on a itself to be in a phase of expansion personal Web page with secure log-on. and change, driven by IT. The eNorway Last year we noted that this portal 2009 plan has three areas of focus: would likely have a decidedly positive one, the individual in digital Norway effect on Norway’s ability to deliver (ensuring everyone can participate in citizen-centered, cross-government the digital society); two, innovation services. In fact, the government and growth in Norwegian business and intends to make all relevant government, industry (maintaining a competitive municipal and regional population edge and safeguarding prosperity by services available through MyPage promoting IT-enabled value creation); by 2009. This portal, which has been and three, a coordinated and user- called the most ambitious of its kind, adapted public sector (making was expected to be launched in 2005. government interactions easier and Launch of this portal was delayed, freeing resources to strengthen the however, and as of this writing, had welfare state). The eNorway 2009 plan yet to happen. presents a list of priority initiatives, With so much riding on its digital complete with target deadlines and services, Norway has considerable responsible ministries, that should work to do in building more positive be completed by the 2007 milestone. perceptions of these services. Our citizen survey this year revealed that

88 Norwegians were the least likely to The Norwegian government has no expect best government service to formal, clearly articulated multi- come via the Internet/e-mail. Only channel strategy. However, both the 7 percent of citizens surveyed expected former and the current government best service via this channel, compared have stressed the need for different to 59 percent (the highest percentage access points to government. More- among all countries) who expected over, the drive toward multi-channel best service via walk-in centers. Not access clearly encompasses more than surprisingly then, despite Norway’s just in-person, telephone and Internet high Internet penetration of 79 services. The Norwegian government percent, only 26 percent of Norwegian is also looking to even more modern citizens we surveyed preferred using alternatives, including mobile phone, modern, technology-enabled channels SMS and digital television. It is (Internet/e-mail/mobile text/SMS important to note, however, that the scores combined) to deal with the extent to which multi-channel access government. In contrast, 39 percent becomes a reality will again be prefer the telephone. determined at an individual organiza- Building the right services in the right tional level; each authority is to a way will be critical to changing the large extent free to decide which way citizens connect with their access points it will use. government in the future. And in fact, Looking to the future, Norway’s we did see evidence over the past year challenges are clear. First, the govern- of the government making some ment needs to develop a more central important moves in this regard. For view of planning and building infra- example, the government launched a structure. While the local delivery Security Portal in December 2005, to approach fosters strong connections make it easier for government agen- with the citizen, local governments cies that wish to offer digital services will never have the funding to build to solve the identification and the deep services that deliver greatest signature problem for citizens and value. This approach needs to move businesses. Users’ eIDs allow them beyond the tactical (building broad- access to public electronic services and band, for example) to the more the security portal works behind the strategic, with the national govern- scenes, with neither the general public ment finding commonalities among nor the authorities aware that an sectors and areas and then building authentication process has taken place. the infrastructure that will glean value Use of the portal is mandatory for from the skills and resources that are government agencies and recommended available at a local level. for municipalities. With the launch of the Security Portal, Norway became one of the first countries in the world to implement a common security solution for the public sector. Likewise, AltInn, Norway’s portal for electronic services to businesses (which has been described in our past few reports) continues to impress. More and more authorities are delivering services via AltInn and take-up of the services offered is high.

89 Portugal

Elections in February 2005 This year, Portugal had far and away led to a change in Portugal’s the largest number of respondents answer they did not know whether political direction. it was easy or difficult to contact government via Internet or e-mail; In conjunction with this change, the 29 percent of Portuguese citizens Portuguese government has also responded this way—twice as high as changed its plans around technology the second highest number of “do not in administration. The government’s know” respondents, in Malaysia. Of Technological Plan for Growth Towards those citizens who said it was not easy a Knowledge Society is the cornerstone for them to contact government, the of its economic policy. It provides the majority said it was because they direction to convert Portugal into didn’t know how to use the Internet a dynamic player within the global or e-mail (35 percent), suggesting a economy. Its measures are structured Percentage of Portuguese citizens strong need for greater technology around three axes of action: to qualify who did not know whether it was education in Portugal. Not surprisingly, the Portuguese for the knowledge easy or difficult to use eGovernment Portuguese were among the least likely society, to overcome the scientific to express confidence using the and technological gap, and to Internet and e-mail. Only 53 percent boost innovation. 29% and 48 percent, respectively, expressed The “Connecting Portugal” plan, also confidence with the technologies. launched in July 2005, is designed to The government has taken some steps enact part of the objectives set out in to close its existing digital divide. the Technological Plan. The main focus It provided all public schools with of Connecting Portugal is connectivity a broadband DSL connection to the and accessibility: “To connect the Science Technology and Society Portuguese, whether at home, or in Network and plans to double the more public spaces, is crucial to ensure that than 260 Public Internet Spaces everyone can take full advantage of the throughout the country by 2010. opportunities arising from the use of Of particular focus is opening new the new technologies.” The accessibility Public Internet Spaces in more densely focus is critical, as Portugal has a low populated areas and preparing some of and slow-growing Internet penetration. them for the needs of specific groups, From our citizen survey, only 46 such as the elderly and immigrants. percent of Portuguese citizens we interviewed identified themselves as The Portuguese Administration is regular Internet users—an increase of continuing its commitment to converging only 3 percent over last year’s numbers. services towards a Balcão Único (Single Point of Contact). It has created a new agency, the Agency for Coordination of Public Services Modernization (UCMA), which works toward eliminating fragmentations and furthering this end.

90 In fact, we saw increasing evidence of for the Citizen Card (Cartão do Cidadão) cross-agency collaboration to provide that will gather and replace the major the one-stop-shop experience. existing public services cards, such “Empresa na Hora,” (or roughly, as citizens’ identity, electoral, social “Business While-you-Wait”), is a one- security, tax and health care cards. This stop-shop for setting up businesses card will assume the double function that has been made possible through of a physical document that the citizen the collaboration of the various can present for visual identification, agencies that are involved in the as well as a digital document with processes of setting up a new business, high security that allows a citizen as well as agencies that have helped to identify and authenticate himself establish the legal and technical electronically in his actions. The proof architecture for the service. By January of concept for this card was presented 2006, more than 2,800 new companies in March 2006. (roughly 40 percent of the total) had Portugal has struggled for some years been set up using this new service, in its journey toward leadership taking an average of only 55 minutes in customer service. It has some to complete the process. considerable challenges to overcome — The Portuguese government’s commit- not least among these are the basic ment to its 2005/2006 strategy for digital access barriers that impede the “National Citizen’s Portal” is faster progress toward more efficient underscored by the introduction of and effective customer service. some new services. Launched in the While Portugal still has work to do first quarter of 2004, the Citizen’s in establishing the fundamentals, Portal now offers more than 700 it is clear the right spirit is there. citizen-oriented 24/7 services However, the necessary collaboration (56 percent informational, 26 percent is only just beginning, and it is not yet interactive, 18 percent transactional), apparent whether the government will provided by 118 public administration reengineer its structures and processes bodies. Beginning in February 2005, to ensure long-term success. the site has also offered multi-channel access, with some services supported by SMS, and access through WAP protocol by mobile phones and PDAs. While Portuguese law prohibits attributing a single identifying national number to citizens, it is possible to create individual citizen cards that aggregate several agency cards while still maintaining a number for each public service. The Portuguese Government has announced a project

91 Singapore

Public Service 21 (PS21), To continue to push online channel Singapore’s government-wide usage, the government’s customer service strategy has been shaped strategy to address the issue along three lines: instilling confidence of better services to citizens, in e-services, improving the online experience and providing multiple began in 1995. channels and multiple access points. Since that time, Singapore has made Among the most notable manifesta- bold and rapid advances toward its tions of this strategy was the launch vision of “engaging citizens in policy of five CitizenConnect public service formulation and delighting customers centers in October 2005 under a in the governments’ service delivery.” one-year pilot program. These centers provide convenient access to public The Singaporean government’s intent services on the Internet; assistance to Percentage of Singaporeans who is to move people to electronic those who need help in using them; rated their country’s eGovernment channels as much as possible—not and help obtaining information from performance as “good” or “excellent” only because it results in time savings relevant government agencies when and convenience for customers and necessary. Feedback to date has been businesses and cost savings for the positive and the government plans government, but also because the both to fine-tune the operations of 61% government believes that an information the existing centers and study the and communications technology feasibility of establishing a broader (ICT)-literate population represents network of such centers. a national competitive advantage. Other innovative initiatives to enhance This strategy undoubtedly is already citizen access include self-service working well for Singapore. In our Internet terminals at physical citizen survey, Singapore was the government offices. These self-service only country in which its citizens Internet terminals are supported by rated how well the government was staff who provide assistance in their developing online services better than use. Currently, about 1,000 self-service the job private-sector businesses were terminals have been installed at 36 doing. Sixty-one percent rated the agencies, allowing walk-in customers government as good or excellent to transact online via the self-service compared to 50 percent who rated terminals and avoid long queues. businesses that way. In addition, Like many other leading countries, Singaporeans were the most likely to Singapore is also currently exploring have used an online channel for their the feasibility of a single contact interactions with government (with center for the entire government, which 73 percent of those who interacted would act as a single-number hotline with the government over the past for any citizen queries to government. year having used the Internet/e-mail/ SMS/mobile text to do so). For businesses, the government has developed its BizCARE program to help businesses get online with a minimum of hassle. The government provides affordable access to PCs that are installed with quick links to relevant e-services, technical support for set-up and maintenance, affordable broadband connections and training programs.

92 Singapore’s vision for service delivery To that end, the government has From an internal efficiency perspec- extends beyond government’s borders. developed a broad mobile government tive, the Singaporean government The principle of “3P Integration” (3PI) (“m-government”) strategy, and we mirrors many other leading countries envisions service delivery in which saw a number of innovative examples in using technology to develop shared customers do not have to deal of sophisticated mobile services services capabilities. The government’s separately with the public, private already in operation in Singapore. “VITAL.org-Centre for Shared Services,” and people sectors to have their needs Most have already reached a level which was set up in April 2006, is fully met. The government views 3PI where services are personalized expected to begin delivering common as key to generating new synergies to deliver information and services corporate (initially, human resources in customer service—by harnessing specific to the user and allow the and finance processing) services to the potential beyond what the govern- customer to complete the entire trans- government agencies in mid-May ment can do on its own. action over the mobile channel. For 2006. The VITAL.org-Centre for Shared example, the Easi-ERP service allows Services should bring about greater In fact, the government is already motorists to pay their outstanding cost-efficiency through economies putting the 3PI principle into practice: Electronic Road Pricing (ERP) charges of scale, standardization and stream- for example, the eCitizen Helper and administrative fee via their lining of procedures. program involves citizen volunteers monthly mobile bill. Motorists who who help other citizens use the subscribe to Easi-ERP get both conve- Looking to the future, Singapore government’s online services. For nience and lower administrative fees. seems poised for continued leadership businesses, the Biz Helper program in customer service. The government’s partners the government with A guiding principle for Singapore has view of excellent service delivery as business intermediaries, such as been to leverage ICT as the strategic an integral component of its economic secretarial and payroll firms, to make enabler for public-sector operations competitiveness has meant that the it easier for businesses to transact to act as “Many Agencies, One country continues to drive for world- with government at those locations. Government.” In this regard, Singapore leading innovations. Many of these are For example, the Accounting and has shown continued progress and expected to come to fruition in 2006. Regulatory Authority has successfully innovation. For example, to facilitate The remaining question for Singapore, partnered to enable business cross-agency (and cross-sector) then, is whether the government can registrations to be done electronically collaboration, Singapore established match its vision with its ability to at DP Bureau, a one-stop business a central Government Web Services implement, and propel the country advisory center for entrepreneurs and Exchange (GWS-X) in October 2005. toward the next level of service trust business owners. The GWS-X facilitates the publishing with its citizens. and consumption of Web services As part of its service strategy, the within government and with the Singaporean government focuses on private sector. Agencies can now access providing multiple electronic channels, real-time information from each other, as well as multiple access points. For eliminating the need for customers to Singapore, the mobile channel will input the same information multiple likely play an increasingly important times when dealing with different role in service delivery in the future. agencies. The exchange has made it Singapore’s mobile phone penetration easy for agencies to share data and rate has reached a remarkable high processes real-time, without having of 96 percent. Not surprisingly, in our to worry about the compatibility of citizen survey more than 90 percent systems and security considerations. of Singaporeans expressed confidence using the mobile phone and more than 80 percent expressed confidence using text/SMS. These numbers point to the very real opportunities for the government to reach an even wider customer base.

93 South Africa

Last year we noted that the One of the key initiatives to foster a South African government consistent multi-channel experience for citizens is the Home Affairs was in its initial steps toward National Identification System, leadership in customer service, or HANIS. HANIS will encompass an Automated Fingerprint Identification with clear room for growth — System (AFIS), the ID card (smart card) beginning with eGovernment itself and the system integration that and moving eventually will begin to tie government applications together. The goal is to have four into broader customer million smart ID cards issued to service principles. pensioners between March and June 2006 before issuing the cards to the Batho Pele (a Sotho translation for entire population. “People First”), is the South African’s The South African government has government initiative to train public Percentage of South Africans laid some important organizational servants to be service oriented, to who are confident using the foundations for true citizen-centric, strive for excellence in service delivery following technologies cross-government service delivery. and to commit to continuous service The national government already has delivery improvement. Phase One of begun delivering services through the Batho Pele Strategy—namely, the clusters; various departments work % release of the Batho Pele Gateway 90 84% on initiatives together in six clusters, (and publishing information regarding including crime prevention and available government services)—has integrated justice, international affairs, already been achieved, as we discussed investment and employment, and in last year’s report. This year, however, Mobile phones Text/SMS social services, among others. The we were unable to find further South African government has also information regarding Phase Two, been developing Multi-Purpose which deals with making government Community Centers (MPCCs) in services available online. response to a lack of services that While the government does have a reach the majority of citizens— multi-channel strategy, it is not truly focusing especially on under-serviced coordinated. The South African Centre and rural areas. These MPCCs are for Public Services Innovation’s (CPSI) intended to become a hub of activity focus is on multi-channel access and and development in the area, allowing eGovernment services. Other agencies, communities to start playing a however, need to be involved as well. significant role in their own develop- For example, for now, only a limited ment. As of this writing, 80 Multi- number of departments are involved with Purpose Community Centers had been the Batho Pele Gateway Call Centre, launched, with plans for hundreds which had been intended to act as a more. By the end of about 10 years’ single point of access to the government. time, all municipalities should have a one-stop government hub.

94 South Africa’s “Reducing Red Tape Evidence suggests that mobile Initiative” also encourages cross-agency technologies could be key to addressing and cross-government collaboration, government’s slow response rates to but it will likely take a few years before citizen requests and to poor citizen this initiative has enough traction to access to services, particularly in work efficiently. Finally, the CPSI is under-serviced rural areas without the working to foster cross-agency and infrastructure for traditional eGovern- cross-government collaboration through ment. Capitalizing on the proliferation the eGovernment Knowledge Exchange of cell phones among citizens without (eGov KnowEx). The intention of the regular Internet access, the CPSI has eGov KnowEx is to provide key players implemented four pilot projects using in the eGovernment sphere (including mobile and wireless technologies. Government Information Technology Pilots such as these will be critical to Officers, line managers, the private continuing to connect citizens to their sector and the research and academic government; our citizen survey showed community) with an integrated, multi- that 90 percent of South African channel knowledge sharing and learning respondents felt confident using system that will build capacity and mobile phones and that they were enhance eGovernment strategy. among the most comfortable in the Likewise, the government has developed world with text/SMS (84 percent a Framework for Intergovernmental reported confidence). Relations (IGR), with eight provinces The South African government, despite already having formally launched IGR a clear desire for service performance structures and District Forums. improvements, has significant hurdles These initiatives all show the ahead. Its service vision is rather basic government’s thinking is in the right and the government seems to lack a direction. In practice, however, most cohesive approach and rigorous plans cross-agency and cross-government for moving it forward. Lack of access collaboration is still very much done remains a fundamental hindrance to on an ad hoc basis and this is hampering true leadership in customer service, the government’s move toward truly and the government would do well citizen-centric government. to consider additional programs in the mold of its mobile/SMS pilots, as such service programs build on the country’s inherent strengths.

95 Spain

Since our 2005 report, April 2006, the online availability the Spanish government of 800 new administrative forms, the conversion of 100 services to cyber- has launched or announced space and a progressive introduction a number of initiatives of ePayment of public fees and royalties. The government will also that indicate strong progress create an integrated network of toward truly value-led information points and a single customer service. ‘one-stop-shop’ Web portal service for citizens, which will replace more than Most notably, the government 500 different websites across Spain.”4 announced a series of new far-reaching In addition to the Moderniza initiatives, strategies. A new three-year action Spain has plans to build an ambitious plan, Plan Moderniza, announced in integrated network system for citizens. Percentage of Spanish citizens December of 2005, will integrate and When fully implemented, this “060” who use the following channels extend the existing Plan Conecta system will be truly multi-channel and for contacting government (Spain’s pure eGovernment strategy) cross-government: offering citizens initiatives. Also in development is the access to all public administration Plan Avanza, for the development of transactions using the nearest offices the Information Society and the to the citizen and with the most % % 66 44 convergence with Europe. This plan is accessible channels (“Office Network structured along five major axes, 060,” a unique telephone number, including home and citizen, enterprise, #060, and an Internet portal, e-Administration, education and digital www.060.es5). The Unified Phone Walk-in service Internet /e-mail context/environment. Plan Avanza was Number 060 launched in February approved in November 2005. 2006, unifying some 1,000 telephone Plan Moderniza has three prongs: numbers currently in operation for the improvement of the relationship with central government only. Minister the citizen (through transparency, Jordi Sevilla has said that the 060 simplification of procedures and physical branches will be open “soon” always-on access); improvement of and the website in the “near future.” the organization (through quality Currently, the Spanish administration’s programs and internal reforms); and information and communications improvement of the civil service technology (ICT) is highly fragmented, (through hiring process modernization, which has historically caused difficulties among other plans). The plan consists for different government entities of 16 measures to be implemented trying to work together in providing from early 2006 until the end of 2008. services for citizens and businesses. Among the most notable, an “eAdmin- To improve the situation, the government istration draft law will establish has laid out a technological architec- citizens’ rights to electronic access ture and guidelines calling for the use to all public administration services of standards, heavy reliance on open- and their right to submit electronic source software, a citizen-driven, documents and eSignatures for official one-stop approach to development purposes. Other initiatives include and the use of multilateral (rather than the plan to distribute eID cards from bilateral) solutions among public entities.

4 http://europa.eu.int/idabc/en/document/5265/343 5 The www.060.es portal will take the place of ciudadano.es, an earlier portal planned under Plan Conecta that never launched.

96 To enable the communication among As the Spanish government makes Last year we described proactive agencies that the Plan Moderniza plans to reengineer service delivery, it communication and education as an implies, Spain has also announced the is undertaking significant reengineering area where the Spanish government new Sistema de Aplicaciones y Redes of its internal structures as well. For should focus some additional attention. para las Administraciones (SARA, or example, the “Relación de Puestos This will continue to be an important System of Applications and Networks de Trabajo” (“List of Job Positions”) area for the government. A plurality for the Administrations). SARA, which system’s main objective is to reengi- of Spanish citizens (32 percent) rated also launched in February 2006, will neer civil servants’ jobs based on the a lack of knowledge of how to use the allow regional governments to creation of new channels; for example, Internet and e-mail as their biggest exchange data among themselves and retraining civil servants from face-to- barrier to greater use of eGovernment. with the central government. Six face interaction to call center interac- Only 61 percent of Spaniards expressed regional governments have already tion. All of these plans are being driven confidence using the Internet, one of enrolled in the system (Andalucía, by a desire for greater citizen-centricity, the lowest percentages of all countries. Cataluña, Asturias, Madrid, Castilla- greater effectiveness and more value- Building the citizens’ ability to make La Mancha and País Vasco), with all added services. In conjunction with use of all the options available to them remaining regional governments Spain’s new plans, a new agency will be just as important a foundational expected to enroll by summer of this (the State Agency for Evaluating element of success as the many year. Over time, the “060” agencies the Quality of Public Services and innovative technologies and organiza- that result will be the “front office” Policies) is also being developed, tional arrangements the government of the public administration, although which should help the government currently has in the works. they won’t replace existing agencies. continuously improve. All of these initiatives will be under- The Spanish government’s ambitious scored by the launch of a national strategies coincide with its citizens’ electronic ID card, which will contain blossoming interest in and use of the holders’ personal data in electronic online channel. From our citizen survey, format, a certified digital signature, we saw a nearly 10 percent increase and two biometric identifiers (facial over last year of citizens who de- image and fingerprint scans). scribed themselves as regular Internet Additional anti-forgery features will users (60 percent versus 51 percent). include security ink and a security And while walk-in service continues thread. This card, which is expected to be the favored method for contacting to foster the development of both government (66 percent have used eGovernment and eBusiness services, walk-in service, versus 44 percent who will be launched in pilot form in March have used electronic channels such 2006. A full-scale launch is expected in as the Internet and e-mail), Spaniards late 2007 or early 2008 and complete think as much attention should be paid implementation is expected by 2010. to the development of online channels The main challenge facing the eID card as to in-person ones (each channel is not the currently planned data for was rated as a development priority inclusion, but rather, what future by 36 percent of Spaniards). data (for example, health data, driver’s license data, academic data) will be added and how it will be used.

97 Sweden

In the year since our last In July 2005, the Swedish government report, Sweden has put some presented its proposal for a new information and communications new organizational structures technology (ICT) policy, aimed at in place to promote its enabling the country to claim a position as a global Information customer service agenda. Society leader. The proposal has been Verva (the Swedish Administrative criticized by some for lacking clear Development Agency), a new Swedish objectives and concrete measures, and agency whose main task is to work for it is uncertain what impact it will have a connected and more efﬁcient public on the government’s agenda. Similarly, administration, began operations in the government has declared a target January 2006. of having a connected public administration in place by 2010. How the Percentage of Swedes who think Verva’s mandate is to become an government plans to achieve this goal, their government is effective at expert in the development of modern though, is unclear from our review. working together public administration (closely monitoring national and international While the government does not have developments), to drive and support a single government-wide, multi- the development of the Swedish public channel strategy, the issue has been 22% administration (by developing principles under consideration for some years. and methods and by taking over One interesting recent development responsibility for centralized IT in the area of multi-channel delivery procurement from Statskontoret) is that Statskontoret (the Swedish and to educate key personnel about Agency for Public Management) has agency development. started to investigate the use of multi- channel strategies among Swedish Verva now incorporates most of government agencies and is promoting Sweden’s eGovernment initiatives, a wider usage of such strategies. establishing common standards and guidelines for electronic information Statskontoret carried out workshops exchange within government and and interviews with representatives stimulating increased cooperation from 11 central government agencies between different levels of govern- in April-May 2005 to ﬁnd out to what ment agencies and between public extent these agencies used multi- and private organizations. Verva has channel strategies. The survey revealed no mandate to force agencies to that very few had used such strategies collaborate, but rather, can only at all and those that did only had facilitate collaboration by offering implemented full-scale, multi-channel help in the form of guidelines, tem- capability for single services. Further, plates and so on. Sweden’s Department the government agencies surveyed said for Public Administration (within the they would like to see centrally Ministry of Finance), meanwhile, has distributed models that the agencies a high-level focus and develops could use if choosing to create multi- proposals for new legislation in the channel services, but at the same time, area of public administration. In theory, did not want to see any central this department could employ mecha- guidelines or recommendations. nisms to force agencies to collaborate, but in reality, it mainly emphasizes the importance of collaboration and also produces guidelines.

98 Despite Sweden’s traditionally decen- Increased collaboration, whether during the past year (73 percent). tralized approach to service delivery, the mandated or voluntary, will be Yet they are also among the least government has experimented with a important to improving Swedish enthusiastic; only 18 percent more consolidated approach. VISAM6 citizens’ perceptions of their govern- expressed eGovernment as their was an agency-collaboration project, ment’s effectiveness at working preferred channel. General guidelines in which Statskontoret worked with six together. This year Sweden scored from the Swedish government state agencies to develop, test and establish second lowest in our citizen survey that anything that can be distributed common channels for contact between on this measure, with only 22 percent electronically should be distributed in citizens/businesses and the public of Swedes thinking their government that way. However, what that means administration. The VISAM project was effective in this regard. precisely is unclear. No central tested the concepts of consolidated call The Swedish government has chosen strategies to encourage citizens to centers, including a government-wide not to issue a unique identifier for all access government services through call center (possibly under one number), eGovernment services. Instead it has specific channels exist. Forcing citizens and consolidated walk-in offices. As a chosen a solution where citizens can onto exclusively online channels is direct result of the VISAM-project, the obtain an eID from their private Internet a highly contentious concept. agencies involved in the project have bank. All public electronic services can For now, encouragement and incen- agreed to increase their collaboration be used, independent of which type tives from individual agencies is the to continue to develop joint services. of eID the citizen has obtained. general course of the Swedish In addition, one of the main conclu- However, this solution has not been government. For example, the Customs sions of the project was that some without issues. Namely, the value of Office removed the charges on all central intervention would be necessary eIDs is materializing slower than electronic services in October 2005 for inter-agency collaboration to be anticipated. Because agencies have while simultaneously increasing the successful. The VISAM report suggests to pay the banks that supply the eID price on some paper-based services. that the government should force solution for each transaction citizens The result was a quick increase of 5-6 agencies to cooperate through its make, the cost of new services is percentage points (to 95–96 percent) performance management approach, difficult to discern; this in turn deters for online services. In another example, and that “status quo is not an option.” many agencies from developing the National Tax Board announced Should that approach be adopted, it advanced electronic services. To try that citizens who file their national will represent a significant shift from to reduce that obstacle, Statskontoret income tax forms electronically Sweden’s long-standing tradition of struck a deal in November 2005 with (through online, phone or SMS agencies collaborating “behind the a number of private vendors to supply channels) would receive any refunds scenes”: a strategy that has yielded verification services at a fixed cost. earlier than those who use traditional some notable successes. For example, However, even now this deal covers channels. This announcement has not Min Pension (My Pension) is an only the largest agencies and regions, sparked any debate; in fact, it helped electronic service that allows citizens meaning the hundreds of agencies and the National Tax Board realize a more to get a forecast of their future pension. municipalities not included in the deal than 100 percent increase in electronic The service is an example, not only of still have to pay per transaction. Time filing over the previous year. For intra–agency collaboration, but also will show whether the Swedish the Swedish government as a whole, of collaboration between government government has to take more actions impressive results such as these agencies and private insurance companies. to further facilitate the development indicate that incentives, rather than of advanced electronic services. mandates, will be the appropriate course for encouraging take-up of Swedish citizens are among the most cost-effective e-channels in the future. familiar with eGovernment of any citizens in the world. Among all countries surveyed, Swedes were the most likely to have used eGovernment

6 The name is derived from the Swedish “VI SAMverkar” (“we work together”).

99 The United Kingdom

2005 was an election year Group Directors and others. The STB has “a remit to own and champion for Britain, bringing Prime the cross-government, business- Minister Tony Blair’s Labour focused, end-to-end service design party its third consecutive term. and delivery vision.” The Transformational Government Mr. Blair has announced that he will strategy makes clear that government step down before the next general agencies should offer a choice of election, and that announcement has delivery channels, with particular lent some urgency to continuing attention given to Internet, telephone public-sector reform. and mobile technologies. It also In November 2005, the British suggests how the channels could be government launched a wholly new used more efficiently, including a strategy titled “Transformational reduction in the number of central Percentage of British citizens Government—Enabled by Technology.” government call centers (currently who use the following channels The new strategy focuses on delivering 130 major call centers exist in central for contacting government a citizen (or business)-centric service government alone) and a rationaliza- via modern, coordinated channels; tion of the 2,500 existing websites. maximizing the use of shared services; The UK government recently has come and improving government’s profes- under a great deal of scrutiny regard- 77% 46% sionalism in terms of the planning, ing the number of call centers it delivery, management, skills and operates; a House of Commons’ Public governance of IT-enabled change. Administration Select Committee A detailed action plan containing report on “Choice, Voice and Public Landline or Post /mail specific targets and timelines is Services” published in March 2005 mobile phone expected by April 2006. However, highlighted the problem and called for the strategy already sets out some the introduction of a single call center detail around how the vision will be to answer citizen’s administrative achieved, providing a broad outline queries (similar to France’s “Allô, of priorities over the next two years, Service Public”). five years and beyond. Currently the United Kingdom is For example, the government plans driving to develop shared services for some important structural/gover- both front-office delivery functions nance changes, including appointing (customer service centers), as well as “Customer Group Directors” to take the back-office “business” functions responsibility for transforming (human resources, finance, IT). This services to particular customer groups move toward shared services under- (such as “parents” or “senior citizens”) scores the UK government’s current by cutting across organizational Efficiency Agenda, which aims to reduce boundaries. These Customer Group duplication, reduce costs to serve and, Directors will be charged with just as important, redeploy resources bringing together all the parties — to the frontline. It also reflects the from central and local government Transformational Government strategy’s and the voluntary sector—that are emphasis on a common IT infrastructure involved with the particular groups for public-sector organizations, within their responsibility. During the to enable joined-up services. past year, the government has also set up a Service Transformation Board (STB), under the leadership of the Service Transformation Director, to coordinate the work of Customer

100 The United Kingdom

To support the tremendous push for The UK government has stated that Directgov has continued to make shared services, the British government one early priority of the Transforma- excellent progress in terms of service has appointed a Shared Services tional Government Strategy will be and information offerings and Director, David Myers. His Shared to increase e-services usage by customer growth. Directgov now Services Team is currently supporting citizens and businesses. For example, attracts more than 1.3 million visits a number of “Pathfinder projects,” although 1.6 million people filed tax per month on the Web and is also which serve as pilots and opportunities returns electronically in 2005, that available via three separate interac- to explore a range of issues related to number represents only 20 percent tive digital TV services and on more implementing shared services. of taxpayers. Take-up is a particular than 3,100 public kiosks nationwide. While the Pathfinder projects are not issue at the local government level; In December 2005, the government the only examples of shared services local authorities deliver most front- also began work on a new initiative initiatives at the central government line public services. In response, some called Local Directgov Programme. This level, we found more examples at the local authorities have begun to is an ambitious eGovernment program, local government level, and local promote their Web services through which aims to increase citizen take-up authorities seem to be leading the a range of media (such as local radio of local authority online services and way in this regard. For example, ads, supermarket register receipts and extend their reach. The program is an in the largest shared services project even free promotional gifts). In November extension to the Directgov service and in the UK local government sector, 2005, the Local eGovernment Minister is expected to provide an important the Suffolk County Council and Mid- (Jim Fitzpatrick) announced details link between central government and Suffolk District Council are sharing of a national campaign to increase local services. services related to human resources, public awareness and take-up of e-services provided by local councils. The United Kingdom has made a finance, IT, revenue and benefits, as number of bold moves toward well as sharing customer and adminis- The “Lose the Queues” campaign should begin in 2006 and will focus improving its position as a world trative support for 15 front-office leader in public-sector service. Its council services. The partnership has on the benefits of accessing council services online, such as improved Transformational Government strategy already begun providing services to articulates the far-reaching vision additional organizations, with plans access to information, flexibility and convenience. that will be essential for delivering to expand to more. service that matters to citizens while On the customer-facing side of service The national channel strategy campaign acknowledging the significant structural delivery, take-up of online services has included a campaign that specifically changes that necessarily will result. continues to be a real challenge for the addresses social exclusion for disadvan- For now, however, Transformational United Kingdom. While the country has taged groups. A key element of this Government is a strategy alone— relatively high Internet penetration, we campaign over the past few years has clearly ambitious, but needing the noted last year that a relatively small been the network of 6,000 UK Online thoughtful and detailed action plan percentage of the population has ever centers. As a recent report on social that will bring it to fruition. Whether used eGovernment. In our citizen survey exclusion points out, over a third of the resulting 2006 action plan will this year, the percentage remained users have said that attending the be up to the task is a question that essentially unchanged from last year, centers have helped them improve will likely be answered in the very at 38 percent. Likewise, the United their IT skills “significantly.” near future. Kingdom is second only to Ireland in The UK government appears, then, the percentage of citizens using a to be slowly chipping away at the gap landline telephone as the most common between service provision and value method of contacting the government to citizens. In last year’s report, we (77 percent). Most notably, the United highlighted Directgov, the govern- Kingdom has the highest percentage of ment’s “flagship electronic service,” citizens using the post/mail (46 percent) as one vehicle that should help boost to contact government. adoption of online services tremen- dously. And in fact since then,

101 The United States

During the past year, a number Technology Office, with the support of of significant events have the General Services Administration (GSA) and the Federal Chief Information affected the federal government Officers (CIO) Council, completed in the United States, although several FEA deliverables this year. These deliverables include: a gover- it is unlikely that any will nance process for modification of FEA actually alter the direction models; profiles for security, privacy of the government’s overall and records management; and frameworks for Internet Protocol service agenda. Version 6 transitions and Earned Value Management (EVM) policy. The potential impact of these factors (including the ongoing war in Iraq, The United States appears to be making recent debate over the Patriot Act reasonable progress in the areas of and electronic surveillance without citizen-centric, multi-channel, cross- warrants) would most likely be felt government service. Progress to date through ongoing budget pressure and can largely be credited to the strong Percentage of US citizens who heightened sensitivity to issues of central role of OMB. In particular, in an use the following channels for privacy. In general, eGovernment is effort to achieve greater consistency contacting government seen as supporting a focus on greater and improve quality of government government efficiency, which was first websites, OMB issued a memorandum outlined in 2002 in the President’s outlining its expectations that all agencies would be fully compliant with % % Management Agenda. 73 60 its policy requirements by December From an internal efficiency perspective, 31, 2005, and that they would be the US federal government is turning monitored for ongoing compliance. This increasing attention to developing “stick” approach has proven a powerful its Lines of Business (LoB) program. Landline or Internet/e-mail/ motivator for agencies to strive for Beginning in 2004, the Bush adminis- mobile phone SMS/text continuous improvement. tration asked agencies with the skills and capabilities to function as In fact, we found a number of notable government-wide service providers service delivery innovations from the to submit business cases as part of the United States over the past year. For FY 2006 budget process. The government example, the next generation of set up five initial LoBs (financial, Regulations.gov (launched in September human resources, grants, health and 2005) now enables the public to access case management systems) and just entire rulemaking dockets, including recently announced a sixth related Federal Register notices, supporting to IT security. analyses and public comments. On the back end, the Federal Docket Manage- The government also continues work ment System (FDMS) allows agencies toward the Federal Enterprise Archi- to distribute workload across staff, tecture (FEA)—its blueprint to guide track docket management performance government’s use of technology to and collaboratively develop joint reduce redundancies, facilitate cross- rulemakings. These two “E-Rulemaking” governmental (both horizontal and initiatives promote a key principle of vertical) information sharing and eDemocracy and ultimately, building support citizen-centered, customer- trust with citizens—by using informa- focused government. The Office of tion technology to enable all citizens Management and Budget (OMB) to more effectively participate in E-Government and Information their government.

102 The US Internal Revenue Service To determine US citizens’ service All of these findings point to the fact (IRS) enhanced its Free File service for preferences, the government relies that while tech-savvy US citizens the 2006 tax season. Through public- primarily on outside research, as recognize that online services will private partnerships with a consortium privacy laws prevent the federal figure ever-more prominently into of 22 tax preparation software government from collecting demo- their dealing with government, there companies, the government provides graphic information on its website is room for improvement in generating free tax software and electronic filing, users. The recent Mitre / GSA report, real enthusiasm for the eGovernment targeted to low- and middle-income Citizens’ Service-Level Expectations, channel. Awareness continues to filers. The consortium members are Final Report (November 2005), found be key. According to our survey, providing additional tax forms this that preference for using the Internet the number one reason citizens feel year, such as for automatic extensions to contact the government is increas- eGovernment is not an easy channel of time to file. In addition, on their ing. A December 2005 report from is because citizens do not know the websites they display whether they the University of Michigan’s American right contact details. In addition, perform state online tax preparation Customer Satisfaction Index also US citizens were most likely to rate and filing services (and their found that satisfaction with govern- provision of additional information associated fees, if any). More than ment websites had improved by on currently available services and 70 percent of the nation’s taxpayers 2.5 percent over the course of the year. how to access them as the most qualify for Free File in 2006. The United States still has some useful way to facilitate their interac- The USA Services initiative, one of the challenges in connecting with its tions with government. Clearly, the 24 priority initiatives of the President’s citizens, however. Our citizen survey United States has many excellent Management Agenda, has primary showed that actual usage of eGovern- eGovernment assets and services, responsibility for the US government’s ment by American citizens remained about which it now needs to better multi-channel strategy. As part of its steady over the past year (62 percent educate the public. efforts, USA Services regularly in both 2005 and 2006). Citizens are As the United States looks to the convenes a 35-member Citizen Service still about 20 percent more likely future of leadership in customer Level Interagency Committee (C-SLIC) to contact the government via the service, it needs to take stock of its to identify ways to make the federal telephone (73 percent) than through current agenda and evaluate whether government more citizen-centric the Internet/e-mail/SMS/mobile text its current approach, which is still across five channels—telephone, e-mail, channels combined (60 percent). heavily focused on meeting service walk-in, future technologies and cross- Perhaps even more telling, despite delivery metrics formulated when channel contacts. USA Services is their clear comfort with the Internet eGovernment was a relatively new baselining current service, researching channel, citizens are more than twice concept, will meet the future citizens’ expectations and undertaking as likely to say they expect to receive challenges of building service trust. a six-step “Strategy for Improving the best service from walk-in centers The US eGovernment program has Agency Citizen Services,” as well as (41 percent) than they are to say they been very successful. Now, as other establishing government-wide citizen expect best service from the online governments aggressively pursue service standards. Actual take-up of channels (18 percent). In addition, ambitious new service strategies USA Services seems slow, however. only 38 percent of US citizens think for both competitive advantage and During the last year, USA Services their government is doing a good redefined relationships with their reported 242 million public contacts or excellent job developing online citizens, the United States needs through its national contact center services—which contrasts strongly to sustain a high level of commitment (1-800-FED-INFO), the Firstgov.gov with the fact that 65 percent think to maintain its leadership position. portal and its Federal Citizen Information businesses are doing a good or Center (publications distribution); excellent job. that number of contacts is up by only one million over the previous year.

103 Accenture gratefully acknowledges the contributions of all those who participated in our Leadership in Customer Service research this year.

104 For more information regarding this report, and to find out how Accenture can help your government achieve high performance both today and tomorrow, please contact us.

Global Managing Director, Denmark Norway Government Sales and Innovation Jakob H. Kraglund Roy Gronli David E. Wilkins [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] Finland Portugal Elina Piispanen Joao Antonio Tavares Managing Directors, Government [email protected] [email protected] Asia Paciﬁc Shane B. Ryan France Singapore [email protected] Antoine Brugidou Chin Siong Seah [email protected] [email protected] Atlantic & Europe Peter Holmes Germany South Africa [email protected] Holger Bill Pierre L. Dalton [email protected] [email protected] United States Lisa M. Mascolo Ireland Spain [email protected] Ger Daly Alberto Bardaji [email protected] [email protected] Country Contacts Italy Sweden Australia Angelo Italiano Annika Thunberg Jack E. Percy [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] Japan United Kingdom Belgium Ushio Usami Jeremy Oates Jos Vranken [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] Malaysia United States Brazil Ching Yew Chye Lisa M. Mascolo Antonio C. M. Ramos [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] The Netherlands Accenture Institute for Public Sector Value Canada Michel van Rosendaal Greg Parston Alden Cuddihey [email protected] [email protected] [email protected]

109 Copyright © 2006 Accenture About Accenture All rights reserved. Accenture is a global management consulting, technology services and Accenture, its logo, and outsourcing company. Committed High Performance Delivered to delivering innovation, Accenture are trademarks of Accenture. collaborates with its clients to help them become high-performance businesses and governments. With deep industry and business process expertise, broad global resources and a proven track record, Accenture can mobilize the right people, skills and technologies to help clients improve their performance. With more than 129,000 people in 48 countries, the company generated net revenues of US $15.55 billion for the ﬁscal year ended August 31, 2005. Its home page is www.accenture.com.

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