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State CAO as experience leader

August 15, 2022 5-MINUTE READ

RESEARCH REPORT

In brief

  • Chief Administrative Officers (CAOs) oversee numerous services that keep the wheels of state government operations turning.
  • While efficiency and effectiveness remain crucial goals, another “e” is increasingly important to the CAO: experience.
  • New research articulates citizen expectations and reveals exciting opportunities for CAOs to play a larger role in improving customer experience.
  • Explore four ways CAOs can become experience leaders.

The expanding role of state CAOs

State Chief Administrative Officers (CAOs) oversee numerous services that keep the wheels of government operations turning. In fulfilling this role, CAOs must orchestrate a host of resources and serve a variety of agency customers.

While efficiency and effectiveness remain crucial goals for any CAO, there’s another “e” that is increasingly important: experience.

New research from the National Association of State Chief Administrators (NASCA) and Accenture helps articulate what today’s citizens expect of state governments. It also reveals exciting opportunities for CAOs to play an expanded role in improving customer experience within their states:

  • Experience must be an enterprise priority, and the CAO is often well positioned to support it.
  • Hybrid work arrangements and hybrid service delivery are critical to meeting employee and citizen expectations.
  • The CAO can become a role model, educating and inspiring through the experience their office delivers to agency “customers.”
  • By increasing focus and deploying resources to support agencies’ backend work, the CAO can free up time for agencies to focus on the front-end experience they deliver.

Just 55% of citizen respondents said they know where to start when they need help from a state agency. 13 of the 23 CAOs surveyed echoed that finding, citing “knowing where to begin” as the most challenging step in accessing state services.

Why every impression matters

Accenture and NASCA surveyed 1,500 citizens across the country and found that 81% interact with government less than once a month. Infrequent interactions mean state governments have limited opportunities to deliver good customer service.

11 in 23

CAOs who indicated the perception of government services became more positive or significantly more positive during the pandemic

36%

citizens whose level of trust in government declined during the pandemic

Channeling state government services

In our survey, citizens were generally positive about their digital interactions with state government. However, some still prefer to engage via traditional channels.

51%

respondents who indicated digital encounters were “good” or “very good”

31%

respondents who said they still prefer to interact with government in person or via phone

100%

CAOs who said there are “more” or “significantly more” digital channels today than two years ago

Four opportunities for CAOs to lead experience

Given the diversity and infrequency of service encounters, no single state agency can move the meter on citizen experience. An enterprise strategy is essential—and the CAO is well positioned to help in crafting and executing it.

Accenture and NASCA have identified four opportunities for state CAOs to make a greater impact on employee and citizen experience.

Contribute to and coordinate enterprise vision

Improving experience is not a problem for any single department or program; it’s a whole-of-government opportunity. Every CAO has a role to play in driving this enterprise focus.

Enhance hybrid service delivery and work models

Strategically deployed digital approaches can improve some customer experiences, but a good in-person presence remains critical. CAOs can help navigate the shift to hybrid work and service delivery, including examining these opportunities through an equity lens.

Be a customer experience role model

CAOs have countless opportunities to model excellent service. That can include deploying new or enhanced digital tools, but it can also include “low-tech” yet worthwhile investments like listening, empathizing with and responding to agencies’ needs and challenges.

Help agencies so they can help citizens

This is where CAOs can shine. By streamlining and simplifying back-office administration, CAOs can free up capacity for agencies to enhance their front offices.

Advance the journey to better citizen experience

As CAOs work to address the four opportunities, Accenture and NASCA recommend they consider these solutions.

Invest in upfront and continuous insights and planning

  • Invest to continuously understand citizens’ evolving mindset and needs. This may include the use of design thinking workshops.
  • Create a baseline assessment of each agency’s/function’s current customer service maturity level. Use knowledge of gaps to identify a plan for change.
  • Explore customer evaluations of service.

Reimagine the hybrid experience through space and technology

  • Reexamine and consider which employee functions can be remote and which need to be in person.
  • Determine where to strategically deploy digital solutions, allowing for hybrid service delivery.

Provide leadership and commitment

  • Provide time and training to focus on customer experience.
  • Identify ways to incorporate customer service as a performance measurement for employee performance reviews.

Ride the COVID era

  • Consider how your state can use pandemic experiences to further shift people, places and processes for more simplicity and greater digitization.

Other collaboration with NASCA

In November 2020, Accenture and the National Association of State Chief Administrators (NASCA) surveyed 32 Chief Administrative Officers (CAOs) to better understand their views on the future of remote work, the importance of diversity, equity and inclusion, and their own role in driving innovation. Learn more below.

About the Authors

Kelly Rogers

Senior Manager – Public Service, North America

Jenny Brodie

Senior Manager – Health & Public Service, Research

Jamie Rodgers

Consultant – Public Service, North America

Pam Goins

Executive Director – National Association of State Chief Administrators

GAINES BROWN III

Research Manager

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