Federal agencies’ ambitions to transform operations are forward-thinking and focused on driving citizen expectations, streamlining complexity, and lowering costs. Yet these efforts are often hampered by fragmented, complex contractor relationships (often with overlapping responsibilities) as well as legacy systems and massive operational scale. The challenge is particularly notable in high-volume operations like contact centers, where contracts can exceed half a billion dollars over their terms and where improving customer experience (CX) while reducing costs is crucial to mission outcomes.
Agencies can make significant progress by deploying industry-leading technologies, demonstrating measurable results, scaling those solutions across contact centers, and prioritizing change management to make sure results stick. Here, we look at strategic approaches that address technology, people, and processes to overcome fragmentation and drive improved federal contact center performance.
Deploy modular, FedRAMP-authorized technology platforms
Successful contact center modernization efforts rely on technology solutions that integrate seamlessly with existing infrastructure while maintaining security compliance. With an approach like Maximus Total Experience Management (TXM), agencies can deploy an integrated suite of technology solutions hosted on a secure-by-design FedRAMP-authorized platform. TXM helps reduce contact center infrastructure fragmentation by enabling:
- Seamless integration across disparate systems without full system overhauls
- Modularity and reduced complexity while maintaining regulatory compliance
- Accelerated, reduced-risk contact center deployments that ensure new technologies meet federal security standards
- Ongoing capability upgrades as technology advances and mission requirements evolve, enabling continuous CX innovation
The result is a contact center approach that streamlines complexity by bridging legacy systems with modern capabilities without compromising service continuity.
Consider consolidated contact center pilots within existing programs
Addressing technology is one part of the fragmentation equation, but distributed contact centers across disparate contractor relationships present additional challenges for streamlining services. Pilot programs for consolidated contact centers offer a risk-reducing approach that enables agencies to demonstrate value and feasibility within a limited, controlled rollout as an initial step toward large-scale transformation.
For example, consider a four-week standup of consolidated contact centers providing related services, such as combined Passport and Visa application processing. This approach:
- Demonstrates value rapidly and reduces risk by minimizing disruption to existing programs
- Provides rapid metrics to demonstrate return on investment (ROI) and operational improvements
- Lays a foundation for scaling proven results across other contact centers
By starting with related services that share common processes and customer touchpoints, agencies can validate consolidation strategies and refine approaches before expanding to more complex integrations.
Prioritize change management to make people and processes more effective
Contact center modernization relies on transformation not only of technology implementation, but of the people and processes that support innovative efforts. Training and supporting staff through transitions is crucial to improving customer experience, whether changes involve rollout of new technology platforms or consolidation of contact centers. Effective change management:
- Ensures agents have advanced tools to handle complex interactions more effectively
- Optimizes workforce size as new technologies are deployed to maximize cost savings
- Prioritizes synergy between human agents and automation
- Requires investment in training and upskilling to optimize employee experience, which has a direct impact on CX
By deploying modular, secure technology platforms, validating approaches through strategic pilots, and prioritizing people-centered change management, federal agencies can overcome fragmentation challenges to drive mission outcomes.
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