For the better part of the last decade, federal agencies have been taking cues from the private sector to respond to the evolution of service delivery to meet rising citizen expectations. From contact center technology that replaces long hold times with convenient callback options to omnichannel experiences and user-friendly apps, citizens expect the same high-quality, seamless service delivery experiences regardless of whether they’re booking a vacation or applying for their passports.
Improving experiences for citizens and streamlining service delivery for effectiveness and efficiency inspires MaryAnn Monroe, who is Vice President of the Customer Experience Accelerator at Maximus. “We support many federal agencies in their journey to transforming service delivery by providing the next generation of solutions,” she shared in a recent conversation. “This includes proactive, personalized options like appointment reminders, automated scheduling, and generating medical history summaries.”
For federal agencies, taking the next step in advancing their service delivery means tapping into the wealth of information they have on-hand about their stakeholders. “Because of all the services that federal agencies provide to citizens, there is a lot of relevant information that can be put to work,” explained Monroe. “With the right safeguards in place for data privacy and security, agencies can make data interoperable, not just within agencies but also between agencies enabling them to meet citizen’s needs and also avoiding duplication of activities or the creation of redundant processes by other agencies.”
Like all advancements today, AI is driving these changes. “While agencies are at different places in their AI adoption journeys, the new guidance from the White House and Office of Management and Budget on accelerating the use of AI throughout government is moving agencies along at speed,” Monroe noted. Agencies that are embracing AI are seeing faster responses, faster resolutions, and are improving not only the constituent’s experience but also that of agency employees who are seeing backlogs of work eliminated and tedium replaced with fulfilling mission-focused work.
“In speaking recently on a panel with James McCament, the Chief Digital Transformation Officer for Customs and Border Patrol (CBP), he described how they are enabling CBP officers to increase productivity dramatically with AI, and delivering personalized service,” Monroe shared. “For example, the digitization and automation of the Vessel Entrance and Clearance System has saved the agency over 300,000-man hours for the agency, as well as streamlining activities for importers. Being able to automate paper process like the Vessel Entrance and Clearance System using AI and data the agency already has and having a knowledgeable human in the loop to handle anomalies or other issues has vastly improved a core function for the agency and all its stakeholders.”
Interoperable data, predictive analytics, and AI are just the tip of the technology iceberg when it comes to improving citizen experience and streamlining service delivery. “While we’re actively integrating agentic AI capabilities into our solutions, we’re also testing how digital twin technology can drive the future of service delivery. By simulating real world experiences, we can help agencies move from insights to actions faster as we practice and test scenarios in simulations, testing changes and improvements before implementing them in the real world.”
Citizen expectations, technological capabilities, and mandates like the Government Service Delivery Improvement Act are drivers pushing federal agencies forward to improved service delivery that is personalized and supports mission success. For Monroe, while the drivers might change and technology advances rapidly, the importance of designing and delivering effective services always begins with understanding the people who use them, along with understanding the end-to-end technology that is integrated into the service journey. We are laser-focused on delivering user-centric experiences that preserve the integrity and security of citizen data. “What we’ve learned in our service delivery journeys is that starting with the mission and the people the agency serves at the center of all decision making is a non-negotiable,” she concluded. “Add to this clean data sets and a well thought out data governance model that facilitates data interoperability and you’ve set your agency up for greater progress, whether that’s with today’s agentic AI or tomorrow’s Digital Twins.”