Accenture Global Taxpayers Survey 2014 - Transforming revenue agencies
Explore the results of Accenture’s global survey that examines taxpayers’ current perception of their digital experience and expectations for the future.
Overview
Digital is all over
the place,
changing the way we live and creating new consumption behaviors and expectation from citizens. It has opened new doors to private organizations racing to get the most from digital technologies to entice their customers. Those customers are now expecting a similar level of innovation and quality services from their revenue agencies.
The Accenture Global
Taxpayers Survey 2014
examines the digital maturity of national revenue agencies in nine countries (Australia, France, Germany, Indonesia, New Zealand, Singapore, Sweden, the United Kingdom and the United States) and assesses the extent to which they are fulfilling the digital demands of their taxpayers and delivering public service for the future. It reveals digital security is no longer the primary concern of citizens and that digital is their preferred method of interaction with revenue agencies.
Background
CITIZENS want digital, anywhere,
anytime, on any device.
Whether they need it to access their online banking services or to contact their public services organization, this triple A has become part of their daily lives.
However, surprisingly, more than half of the taxpayers surveyed were contacted by revenue agencies only via non-digital channels. The level of digital offering from many revenue agencies simply isn’t broad or sophisticated enough to match taxpayer needs.
TAXPAYERS’ EXPECTATION
Taxpayers want much more than basic digital services such as interaction via email. They believe that today’s revenue agencies have to o ffer online services and apps in the same way that banks do, and expressed frustration with those failing to deliver this.
The taxpayer - revenue agency digital divide
Top 4 channels used by taxpayers
Taxpayers using digital
channels to contact tax
authority
Taxpayers using only
non-digital channels to
contact tax authority
I spoke to them
over the phone
I completed an
online form
I filled and posted
a paper form
I sent an email
TAXPAYERS’ ENGAGEMENT
PERSONALIZED messages and a strong online presence are key drivers to elevate the customer relationship and improve tax compliance.
Yet revenue agencies online services should not stop there. To improve taxpayers’ engagement and voluntary compliance, revenue agencies need to provide a new user centric approach and a seamless communication experience. This will avoid citizens having to go through a combination of online channel and phone calls which seems to be the standard today in all the countries surveyed.
MOVING forward, revenue agencies should not be shy in embracing digital solutions.
Taxpayers are keen on an improved experience and are open to a variety of solutions as long as they remain simple and easy to use, which is ranked by citizens as the top first priority, surprisingly, before security matters.
Recommendations
Taxpayers around the world possess the appetite, readiness and trust required to become truly digital customers of revenue agencies. In response, revenue agencies need to bridge the digital maturity gap with their citizens to improve tax compliance and delivering public service for the future, by adopting the following key steps:
Understand citizen preferences.
Taxpayers want digital services not only to contact their revenue agencies but also to be contacted through them instead of traditional modes of communication.
Seamless and simple service.
For taxpayers, the most important characteristic of digital services is simplicity.
Rethink taxpayer interaction with a digital mindset.
Taxpayers want revenue agencies online to act as a central digital hub for both accessing information and contact.
Authors
David Regan
Managing Director
Health & Public Service, Revenue Industry Lead
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