As populations grow across the world, so does the pressure on public services. Authorities are always looking for ways to save money and improve efficiency. One way they're doing this is by implementing multichannel communication strategies.
Multichannel communication allows government entities to reach more people with less effort. By using multiple channels (e.g. SMS, WhatsApp, email, etc.), service providers can save time and money while still providing more and quicker services.
There are many benefits of using multichannel communication in the public sector. Let's take a look at some of the most important ones.
Automate Services to Drive Efficiency
With multi-channel engagement, you can interact with your clients on their preferred channel - be it SMS, WhatsApp, Voice, and more. This not only helps you build a better relationship with them but also drives efficiency by giving users access to government services through the devices they use every day, rather than having to queue up in government service centres.
What's more, you can automate many of the interactions to save time and money. For example, you can set up automated reminders for appointments or payments, and allow for important documents to be shared and updated. This way, you can focus on providing a high-quality service without having to worry about the administrative side of things.
24/7 Government Services
Another benefit of multichannel communication is that it allows you to be available to your users 24/7. This is especially important in the public sector where people often need assistance outside of normal business hours.
By being available on their favorite channels at any time of the day or night, you can build trust with users and show that you're dedicated to providing a high level of service. You can also set up dedicated hotlines for specific services or use chatbots to deal with common questions and processes.
Access Government Services Remotely
The traditional way to access government services (vehicle licencing, visa processing, tax services etc) has been through in-person interactions. Often involving lots of queuing, waiting, and carrying physical paperwork. With the intelligent use of multichannel communications, many services can be provided electronically and busy citizens can avoid a time-consuming visit to a service centre. This also benefits the service provider because they have to cater for less foot traffic through their premises.
Keep Citizen Data Safe
Another important benefit of using multichannel communication is that it helps you keep your clients protected. With features like OTP (one-time password) and 2FA (two-factor authentication), you can ensures that only authorized users have access to sensitive information. Proper verification also allows the service provider to offer more services, since the user’s identity has been established and more info can be shared between parties.
Using international standards and security protocols like ISO 27001 and SOC 2 frameworks ensure that citizen and government data is secure and that the necessary controls are in place to protect all users.
Close the Loop on Feedback
Last but not least, multichannel communication helps you close the loop on feedback. By using citizen surveys and NPS (net promoter score) platforms, you can collect feedback on your services.
Service providers can use this feedback to improve services and make sure that citizens' needs are met. In addition, you can use the feedback to identify preferred channels and make sure that you're using them effectively.
Conclusion
In conclusion, we can see that through the proper use of the opportunities that new multichannel technologies can provide, government service providers can help ease the pressure on public services. By using multiple channels to communicate and interact with users, governments can save time and money while at the same time, providing a higher level of service.
What's more, multichannel communication can help you automate engagement, be available to clients 24/7 in any location, keep your clients protected, and close the loop on feedback. These technologies can help build a more efficient and effective public sector.
