Help from government contact centers is growing on customers. What does this mean for the private sector?
Customer satisfaction with government agencies rose about 2% to 66.9% in the past year, according to the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI), a quarterly gauge of overall customer satisfaction just released.
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It’s still about five points below the lowest private sector scores, said Claes Fornell, ACSI founder. Departments and agencies that deliver services – such as the National Weather Service and Small Business Administration – score higher than regulatory agencies – such as the IRS.
Still, because customers are experiencing better service from government agencies, they’ll likely expect better from private sector contact centers.
One key: As agencies offer more online help, satisfaction increases. For instance, the ACSI score for taxpayers who file electronically is 78, compared to 57 for those who file on paper.
So, now might be a good time to improve your online service for those who want to use it. Caveat: Don’t push customers who prefer the phone to online help.
