Providing services online, done well, benefits both people and government.
Individuals, professionals, businesses, etc. who choose to use government’s online services benefit from “anytime, anywhere” access to government services. Agencies benefit by freeing up their frontline service delivery staff. Instead of routine transactions, staff can spend more time on complex, high-touch cases that enables both more effective and efficient services.
Yet, looking around in New Zealand, it seems that we’ve barely scratched the surface. In many ways, the potential from government’s online services to benefit both people and government lies untapped. Looking overseas, for example the Australian Excellence in e-Government Award, the breadth and usefulness of online services introduced each year seems impressive.
Can we do better?
One of the first steps is to get a better assessment of where we are. In the past, there have been some qualitative studies done by the State Services Commission as well as the New Zealanders Experience Research programme, which includes Kiwis Count. However, a missing piece has been a more quantitative understanding of online services at an all-of-government level.
Late last year the State Services Commission therefore undertook such a study and has today published the results online- Kiwis & Government Online Survey (2008). This survey provides an indication of respondents’ satisfaction with government’s online services, in particular those that are comfortable using the Internet to access government’s services.
The survey also looks at respondents’ perceptions of various other aspects of online services, including channel preference and their ideas on better promoting government’s online services.
There are numerous insights in the survey but there are two that stood out for me.
First, the most important aspect for respondents transacting with government online is that their privacy is protected. At the same time, it is also the aspect that they most agreed with as being true about their perceptions of transacting online with government. This means that protection of privacy when transacting online with government represents a congruence of importance and perceptions- a very good result for both people and government.
Second, for slightly more than half the respondents (54%), emails were the preferred way for agencies to get in touch with them routinely. While emails to contact an agency are clearly not a preference, getting emails from agencies seems to be favoured by many.
There are many more interesting findings. Have a look at the survey and let us know what you think.
