How federal agencies can leverage service design tools and leading technologies to improve both employee and customer experience

This article is the third in a three-part series on the link between employee and customer experience at federal agencies, and approaches to improving both. Read parts one and two.

In the first two installments of this series, we explored the critical link between employee and customer experience (EX and CX). We also examined how design thinking approaches and tools can help federal organizations improve employee satisfaction and performance, ultimately driving improvements in CX. Let’s wrap up our exploration with more practical applications of service design tools, and discuss how leading technologies are key to the process of improving EX and CX.

Apply service design to improve EX and CX with key actions 

Service design and design thinking approaches offer federal teams a phased path and highly applicable tools for identifying areas to optimize employee engagement and customer outcomes. Teams can leverage these tools to take key actions toward EX and CX improvement, including:

• Understand employee and customer needs  
  Conduct research using interviews, focus groups, and other employee feedback mechanisms to understand needs, pain points, and opportunities within their experience and how these might impact CX. Leverage Voice of the Customer (VoC), and customer interaction data to gather additional insights from the public perspective, and use this information to build out personas for employees and the customers they serve. These insights include feedback, behavior, sentiment, needs, and expectations. 
• Map the employee and customer journeys   
  Map employee processes within the federal agency and with the people the organization serves. Then identify moments that matter or points of friction within their processes and interactions with customers.  
• Collaborate with employees   
  Co-create new processes that can improve their experience and the service they provide to the public. These conversations can take place in the form of workshops, focus groups, or individual interviews.  
• Create a culture of ideation and innovation   
  Prototype and blueprint new services and processes, creating opportunities for teams to spark creativity and innovation as they tackle challenges.  
• Solicit and listen to feedback  
  Create a pathway for feedback among leadership and service teams to ensure that everyone’s voice is heard within the ideation process.  
• Prioritize friction reduction   
  Employees may struggle with complex processes that are built for customer efficiency, but do not allow for employee efficiency. Document and address these points.  
• Define and measure success and impact  
  Design success metrics to increase employee satisfaction and effectiveness, efficiency, and innovation.  

Leverage leading technologies to improve both EX and CX

Digital-first technologies play a crucial role in successfully identifying needs and challenges, as well as developing new or enhanced services and processes. They help federal agencies align modern capabilities with public service delivery to accelerate meaningful mission outcomes. Federal agencies working with trusted technology integration partners will be positioned to identify and deploy modular, flexible, scalable technology platforms with industry-leading solutions and forward-thinking methodologies.

These technologies help agencies provide a holistic, total experience approach across employees, customers, and everyone involved in the path to successful government service delivery. This approach integrates traditionally siloed considerations for EX and CX with tools that deliver exceptional experiences to address today’s challenges – and tomorrow’s opportunities. Key to this approach are technologies that provide:

• Dynamic, tailored capabilities
  Each agency’s unique mission requires a tailored CX strategy. Work with trusted technology integration partners to select customizable solutions that evolve with your organization’s needs, ensuring every interaction is meaningful and personalized.
• Multi-channel connectivity
  Connect with your customers across their preferred channels—phone, chat, text, and beyond. With expertly integrated solutions, federal agencies can elevate customer interactions beyond traditional contact centers, ensuring every touchpoint delivers consistent communication to drive positive customer outcomes.
• Data-driven insights
  Secure technology solutions that harness the power of AI, data, and analytics will help federal agencies understand customers on a level never before possible, enabling informed decisions and delivering exceptional service. Data-based insights drive understanding, iteration, and innovation for continuous improvement. 

By leveraging thoughtful service design tools and unlocking a total experience approach with impactful technology platforms, agencies can holistically modernize federal services and programs with digital capabilities that elevate the experiences of employees, customers, and all end users.

Learn more 

Maximus can help your teams improve CX by prioritizing EX and implement tailored, human-centered design approaches and technology solutions that support your goals. Visit maximus.com/txm-solution to learn more. 

Thoughtful service design whitepaper

Download the white paper to discover how federal agencies can use service design tools and leading technologies to enhance both employee and customer experiences (EX and CX). Learn practical strategies to empower employees, streamline operations, and deliver seamless, innovative public services.