The public sector is the largest service provider. Any incremental improvement in public services positively impacts the people.
One common challenge faced by every organisation is how to service its customers better.
The need for innovative service delivery models is also driven by the public sector’s obligation to service a varied range of consumers, but not having choice over who it serves.
The public sector needs to figure out how to deliver services more effectively and efficiently.
This entails delivering value for money by cutting expenses associated with providing such services while also raising the quality of service (accessibility for everyone and satisfying customer experiences and outcomes).
The public sector is being forced to reinterpret its position, bolster its customer focus, and develop integrated service delivery models as a result of these shifting expectations. These models need to be centred on satisfying consumer demands more effectively and efficiently if they are to provide the intended benefits.
Almost all organisations have hierarchical structures.
Within these structures, independent vertical units or ‘silos’ are a common feature, necessary for administrative purposes.
Removing agency silos, and creating connected government, does not necessarily imply wholesale government restructuring.
It does, however, call for the alignment of a common customer-centric vision with objectives, outcomes, information and process flows.
Numerous efforts now in progress show how the complementing skills and cultures of the public and private sectors can be combined to create successful public service delivery models under the correct conditions.
Technology can also be a crucial enabler.
Customer insight, a holistic approach to customers’ needs and wants, the ability to discern between means and ends, an emphasis on better customer journeys and quantifiable benefits, and an awareness of the strategic risks connected to different service delivery models are all necessary for the development of customer-centric models.
