A new survey from Accenture found that while most users of government digital services across several countries are satisfied and want government to make them easier to access, most American respondents don’t use them at all.
The survey, which reached 5,000 people in the U.S., the U.K., Australia, Germany, and Singapore, found that 55 percent of the roughly 1,000 American survey respondents didn’t use or know about government digital services – a high percentage compared to other countries and the survey average of 31 percent. In Singapore, for example, only eight percent of respondents didn’t use or know about digital services.
However, those who do use government digital services have a positive opinion of them. Across all countries, the survey found 61 percent of respondents are satisfied with their experience, and 59 percent want government to offer more “proactive” content, using data on demographics and location.
To increase the usage of digital services, the main factor governments should take into consideration is ease of access. The survey found 67 percent consider ease of interaction important to the appeal of digital services, and 51 percent would increase their usage if services were in a single portal.
“One of the first steps governments can take to create a better public perception is to simply bring services online and to promote the services currently available on a digital platform,” said Mark Lyons, head of Accenture’s Global Public Service business.
The survey also asked respondents about the government’s use of artificial intelligence (AI), finding that 41 percent believe government should make greater use of AI. In specific use cases, 58 percent would increase their usage of digital services if government used AI for cybersecurity, while 50 percent would increase their usage if AI was used for more efficient and faster services.