5 reasons to encourage Customer Feedback in Public Services

5 reasons to encourage Customer Feedback in Public Services

Anna Oom |September 4 2019 5 min

For public services, customer feedback is often feared as much as it’s appreciated, usually because feedback is only supplied if a visitor has a negative experience, with the vast majority of visitors not bothering to leave feedback at all.

However, customer feedback is not something to be feared, it should be actively encouraged. With a good supply of relevant comments and opinions, both positive and negative, public service institutions can take the steps required to improve their overall citizen experience for the future. Here’s five ways it can help.

Get a first-hand account of hold-ups

Taking informed decisions to improve the overall citizen journey is much easier if you have the information you need to back it up. With a strong supply of relevant data, made possible through easily accessed customer feedback systems, you can quickly identify trends and patterns that might have otherwise been missed. What’s more, using this data helps to show people that you care what they say and are motivated to make things better for them.

Meet changing demands

With 72% of decision-makers seeing increased demand for the use of apps and social media for bookings, it’s clear that standards and expectations are changing across the board. In the past, people might have accepted that they’ll have to phone up to book an appointment and then queue upon arrival, but that’s no longer good enough. By providing ready-to-use mobile solutions, you can free up your staff and make every visitor that bit more satisfied.

Relieve the pressures

Queues, delays and disappointed citizens aren’t just a problem for an organisation as a whole, they’re also a serious issue for individual members of staff, who will see increases in stress and time pressures as they try to handle logjams and hold-ups. With the right solution, based off customer feedback, it’s possible to reduce queues and staff demands using digital solutions, so those staff are free to support the people who need their help the most.

Ensure money isn’t wasted

Budgetary restraints are a major barrier to investment for public service institutions; in fact, 61% of public sector decision-makers believe budgetary restraints and cost reduction targets to be the biggest challenges. However, the right solution, coupled with a willingness to listen to customer feedback, can result in a solid ROI, along with an effectively future-proofed system for citizen journey management.

Make every citizen happier

Happier customers are the end-goal of any customer journey or experience mission. That’s why 94% of public service decision-makers say it’s important they provide a good citizen experience. Happier people have a better time themselves and make the day significantly easier for staff. What’s more, a happy person will be more likely to make a return trip as required, without hesitation or searching for alternatives.

It’s time to stop fearing customer feedback. By coupling up with the right partner who provides the level of software and support you need, you can really see focus areas for the customer journey. Effectively employing this insight will take the pressure off staff and give power to the people, making you more efficient and your customers happier – whilst also ensuring you’re set up for the digital future.

 

Qmatic offer all the expertise mentioned above, and more. To read more about how you can significantly increase efficiency and support digitization, download this guide: How to choose a Customer Journey Management Solution for Public Agencies.

Download the Guide and Checklist

 

Anna Oom

Anna Oom

Global Content Marketing Manager.

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