Government CX: Where Do You Find the Right Foundational Metrics?

Stephanie Thum at Digital Gov: “Customer service. Customer satisfaction. Improving the customer experience.
These buzzwords have become well-trodden territory among government strategists as a new wave of agencies attempt to ignite—or reignite—a focus on customers.
Of course, putting customers first is a worthy goal. But what, exactly, do we mean when we use words like “service” and “satisfaction”? These terms are easily understood in the abstract; however, precisely because of their broad, abstract nature, they can also become roadblocks for pinpointing the specific metrics—and sparking the right strategic conversations—that lead to true customer-oriented improvements.
To find the right foundational customer metrics, begin by looking at your agency’s strategic plan. Examine the publicly-stated goals that guide the entire organization. At Export-Import Bank (Ex-Im Bank), for example, one of our strategic goals is to improve the ease of doing business for customers. Because of this, the Customer Effort Score has become a key external measurement for the Bank in determining customers’ perceptions about our performance toward that goal. Our surveys ask customers: “How much effort did you personally have to put forth to complete your transaction with Ex-Im Bank?” Results are then shared, along with other, supplementary, survey results, within the Bank….”