The study, "Leadership in Customer Service: New Expectations, New Experiences" which surveyed 9,000 adults in 22 countries, revealed that all countries experienced a drop from previous years' overall e-government maturity scores. The average score, which measures how well governments are delivering services across multiple channels, was just 39 percent. Only Canada scored more than 50 percent. Countries that fared worse tended to be those with an emphasis on solely the e-government aspects of service delivery.
"What is left are incremental improvements," said Martin Cole, chief executive of Accenture's government group, which recently conducted its annual customer survey.
This is according to Accenture's sixth annual global report on government service delivery, entitled “Leadership in Customer Service: New Expectations, New Experiences”.
The study was a leadership assessment of the overall service maturity of 22 national governments in North America, Europe and Asia based on the breadth and depth of the e-government services they offer, as well as leadership assessments along several key categories. The company also surveyed 9,000 adults in the same 22 countries to uncover their perceptions and customer experiences interacting with their government online, in person or via phone.
Read more: Study: Citizens not using e-gov, prefer telephone
For the United States -- or any country -- to achieve and maintain leadership in customer satisfaction, efficient multichannel service is essential, said Martin Cole, group chief executive of government for Accenture, during a morning keynote at Fose. That means doing more than throwing services online.
Read more: E-Gov Alone Doesn't Cut It, Accenture Survey Says