Life as we know it has rapidly evolved. And this is in no small measure attributed to the Covid pandemic. However, amid all the negativities, the pandemic fast-tracked the digitalization of so many processes. Companies had to allow employees to work from home to stay in business. The pressure to digitize work processes hasn’t only been felt by the private sector, but also by government agencies. The pandemic instantly made some your government agency and services critical to survival.
The pandemic also challenged and compelled government agencies to speed up digital transformation. Not only to deliver these services but also at a level similar to private agencies. Government organizations have a different approach to budget creation and work processes. Your Government Agency are built to serve the people’s interests, while private businesses are built to profit.
Businesses invest in work processes with the aim that, over time, the tools will pay for themselves. This difference in their setup will reasonably affect their approach and investment in the digitalization of their work processes. It is difficult making such a case for government agencies. But with the limited budget and resources, here’s how to modernize your government agency.
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Unifying Communications
Unified communications (UC) help organizations save valuable time and resources. Rather than having staff use different applications to keep up with communication and collaboration, UC helps you access all tools on one platform. Most public agencies work independently and barely communicate with each other, leaving valuable data that could improve productivity untapped. Unified communications help eliminate working in silos and improve collaboration among departments and agencies.
Unified communication incorporates texts, voice and conference calls, file sharing, and integrated applications. Government agencies can leverage enterprise telephony and improve real-time collaboration through emails and instant messaging. Rather than using on-premise systems for communication, government agencies can take advantage of VoIP. This way, they can keep in touch from anywhere.
Virtual voicemail systems like RingCentral can help government agencies stay in constant communication. Seeing how public servants are expected to have their contacts in the public space, virtual voicemail can help them control how and when they can be reached. You can customize voicemail greetings and leave specific instructions for callers to follow. Virtual voicemail also allows you to preview messages as a text or email, helping you to scan messages for important information.
Automate Manual Processes
Some tasks done manually are repetitive and require no creativity. Repetitive tasks increase the probability of errors, waste time, and contribute to unproductivity. Automating tasks lead to higher efficiency and better quality. Automating manual tasks allows employees more time to take on high-value assignments.
A good example of automation improving productivity is web portals. Web portals are an integrated gateway into the state government and provide external constituents and internal personnel with a single point of contact. Instead of people being responsible for providing information and resources in a paper-based system, which can be laborious, portals can serve as an online repository. This way, physical storage, documents security, and high damage risks will be worries of the past.
Design for Mobile Devices
Another way to modernize your agency is by optimizing the websites to be mobile-friendly. Research shows that mobile devices account for about half of the government websites visited. Even tech giant Google recognizes the impact of traffic from mobile devices and is looking to optimize accordingly. Your website must have the user in mind, have a clear information hierarchy, and be mobile-friendly.
For smaller communities or hard-to-reach populations, mobile devices might be their best bet of reaching out. When government services are accessible via mobile phones, more people can benefit. It is fast, easy, and improves the user experience. Therefore, public agencies’ websites must be designed and optimized for phone users.
Use Cloud Securely
Cloud computing helps eliminate challenges associated with paper-based management systems. You can back up and restore your data that will be otherwise lost if damage occurs to papers. Accessing files within a cloud system won’t take minutes compared to searching a large room of documents for a single file. Cloud storage offers unlimited space at cheaper rates.
When you switch to cloud systems, the host secures your data. Ensure your cloud host offers data encryption, good data governance, and service reliability. With cloud storage, you know who to hold accountable for any breach. Data is also encrypted when transferred through networks and less accessible to hackers.
Map Out and Implement
With the limited budget government agencies have to work with, it becomes necessary to prioritize certain areas. Some areas might not be cost-intensive but need proper strategy and planning. The key is to pick the most critical area and implement the change. Remember, the longer it takes, the faster technology advances.