Canada leads the world in the online delivery of government services for the fifth straight year, says a report released yesterday.
But it could still do better, noted the report by international consulting firm Accenture, which reviewed the quality of e-government services in 22 countries, including Canada and the United States. Canada ranked first out of countries surveyed in North America, Europe and Asia followed by the United States, Denmark, Singapore, and Australia.
The sixth annual global report, however, found that despite having invested billions of dollars to move services and information resources online, governments, including Canada's, are still struggling to meet citizens' growing expectations for better service.
While government electronic services across the board are well advanced, all countries have room for improvement, it said.
In fact, the average customer service score was just 39 per cent, it said. Canada's score was 60 per cent, the only country to have a passing grade, with the U.S. placing second with a 49.
"Canada continues to set the bar in government service delivery for the rest of the world," said Alden Cuddihey, with Accenture's Canadian government operating group.
"Despite being a leader, there are still lessons to be learned from the rest of the world, areas for advancement, and opportunities to reach even more Canadians through e-government services," Mr. Cuddihey said.
Globally, the study found that while most citizens prefer a number of different methods of communicating with governments, they continue to rely on more traditional, offline methods, especially the telephone.
Over the past 12 months, 57 per cent of those surveyed had used the phone to contact their government, as opposed to only 22 per cent who had used the Internet, it said, adding that's despite their view that the telephone is the least easy way to communicate with government.
This year's study also revealed that in terms of an online presence all countries scored more poorly than last year.
The study, conducted early this year, included an assessment of the websites of national government agencies to determine the breadth of services, the level at which citizens could interact with government and an evaluation of other capabilities, including the extent and sophistication of governments' efforts to reach out and educate citizens about their e-services.
The overall results of the survey of at least 400 adults in each of the 22 countries are considered accurate within 1.03 percentage points 19 times out of 20.
Canada ranked No. 1 in three of the four areas of customer service.
While Canada's online accomplishments are "impressive," Canadians, being the "most connected people in the world," have high expectations and are demanding more and better online services from their government, it said.
"Only 41 per cent of Canadians felt that government services and departments were effective at working together," it said.
Autor: Eric Beauchesne
Quelle: Canada.com, 07.04.2005
