For several years, in the wake of the pandemic, public administrations have focused their efforts on providing better and modern services to citizens. that’s why they are increase investment in these departmentsboth in personnel and technology.

In fact, during the first quarter of 2022 they have exceeded 1.033 million euros in technology investment, 34.85% more than in the same period the previous year, according to the report. The barometer of ICT investment in Public Administration in Spain was created by Ajudicaciones TIC. Thus, the communications sector became one of the most profitable, as it grew by 31% compared to the same cycle last year.

However, apart from investing, it is advisable to have a good investment strategy. modernization services and channels to offer the best citizen service experience.

To strengthen these services, convergent communication solution providers reach He proposed four lines to work with.

Implement a cloud contact center platform to streamline processes and reduce costs

Last month, the Government of Spain has launched Cloud Service Strategy for Public Administrationwhich aims to provide better services through technology sovereignty.

In this sense, when the contact center software is in the cloud, there are many advantages: the agent only needs an internet connection and the provider offering the service is only in charge of managing the hardware and databases. You can also be in charge of security, and this will reduce costs.

On the other hand, it is very easy to integrate it into the everyday life of the people who make up the civic services department and, moreover, it facilitates a hybrid working model between them. It also offers the possibility to add new channels and applications which increase work efficiency.

Include omnichannel so citizens are served on the channel of their choice

It is very positive to provide multiple channels so that citizens can communicate with the public centers they want to access, but it is very important that today they are integrated into the same platform so that the process does not become a difficult and frustrating activity. sometimes they initiate the interaction via email, and if they haven’t received a response within a few days, they go to the phone.

This way, if no single interface includes all the information simultaneously, the official won’t have all the information and it will take longer to resolve the incident.

The most optimal tool for Public Administration is intelligent routing, which consists of appointing citizens to the most qualified agents to solve their problems through Artificial Intelligence; intelligent workforce management tool or unified helpdesk to access all information at a glance.

Optimize self-service

A well-designed self-service system meets citizens’ needs and reduces congestion at telephone switchboards. To facilitate them, citizen services departments should include tools such as Interactive Voice Response (IVR), which uses Natural Language Processing (NLP) and asks citizens to use keywords to direct them to the department they wish to speak to when initiating a call.

Thus, the routing will be much wider. Likewise, the inclusion of bots through Artificial Intelligence (AI) in websites, applications and messaging systems helps respond to users who may need additional information. Similarly, these virtual agents (bots) predict follow-up questions and, therefore, predict the answers the user needs at that moment or will need some time in the future.

Integrating civil servants who serve citizens in digital transformation

In addition to equipping them with the technologies described above, public administrations should implement ongoing training for civil servants serving citizens, as this is a constantly updating sector, where technology varies and adapts to our times.

It should also be noted that workers are more productive and happier if they feel it is a gamble to promote their talents through teaching, as confirmed by a study by the University of Warwick, in England, which concluded that happy employees are 12% more productive.

“Public administration customer service faces questions from residents every day and in the midst of the digital era demands to be able to communicate in any way. That’s why they have to invest in the latest technology, and the investment doesn’t end here, but officials need to be kept up to date at the level of training because users are more demanding than ever and are used to receiving personalized treatment from the private sector. sector,” he explained. Sergio MorenoEnreach Spain director of operations & technology de reach.