Balancing the Generational Divide in UK Public Sector Communications
To deliver citizen experiences that align with a wide range of expectations, governments are under immense pressure to accelerate digital transformation. In a recent study by the 8×8 Industry Insights research team, we found that only one in three UK public sector professionals believe that they have the right support systems for communicating on Gen Z’s preferred channels. That’s despite the fact that 55% already have more communication applications now compared to pre-pandemic times.
What’s more, only 53% indicate that their current communication systems make it easy to provide excellent experiences. The main culprit? Lack of integration. Sixty percent of the public sector currently uses multiple separate applications to manage their engagement channels, which makes onboarding and training harder, maintenance more expensive, and compliance more complex. It also hinders organisation-wide collaboration when teams and channels are operating in silos.
Without a more consolidated, organised way to manage the complexities of multi-channel engagement, providing meaningful, personalized and seamless citizen experiences—especially in hybrid work environments—will prove to be an uphill battle for public sector professionals.
The challenges of modern public communications
There’s also a clear generational divide when it comes to citizen communication preferences. Based on experience, public sector professionals indicated that:
- 59% of Gen Z prefer to use chat apps like WhatsApp to communicate, compared to only 1% of Boomers
- 82% of Boomers prefer phone calls, compared to only 21% of Gen Z
- Gen Z and Millennials are generally comfortable (26% and 18% respectively) using website or in-app chatbots to engage with the government, whereas Gen X and Boomers are not (5% and 0% respectively)
Meeting every citizen’s request to communicate on the channels they’re most comfortable with is one of the biggest challenges governments face today. This is especially the case when 50% of professionals indicate that their current system does not provide support for more modern channels like chat apps.
Then there are the operational challenges. Enabling remote work and delivering better citizen and staff experiences are top goals for government organisations who are undergoing digital transformation. But that is tempered by cost concerns, budget constraints, and worries about the compatibility of legacy systems and software with new solutions.
The role of evaluating and purchasing new communications technology is also still predominantly under the purview of the IT team, with communications, operations, and digital transformation teams participating less than 35% of the time. That’s certainly not ideal, as communication systems now have organisation-wide significance and purchasing decisions should be evaluated by the multiple stakeholders that will benefit from these new technologies.
Take charge of citizen engagement with communication APIs
When asked about their wish list of communications systems upgrades, most public sector professionals cited easy implementation (77%), organisation-wide accessibility (69%), and integration of multiple channels on a single platform (66%) as their top requirements.
Highly compatible, simple to integrate, and fully customizable, communication APIs are a multi-pronged solution for streamlining the citizen engagement experience, both internally and externally. With multiple business benefits, communication APIs also bring greater efficiency, personalisation, and satisfaction to public sector communications.
Here’s how to build better citizen relationships and deliver more delightful experiences across multiple channels, all managed from a single platform.
Automated alerts and improved security with SMS
SMS remains one of the most consistently reliable channels for notifications, communications, and one-time passwords (OTPs). While it’s already a staple in current communications strategies, the key is to scale its use through automation and reimagine its role throughout the citizen journey.
8×8 SMS APIs offer simplified messaging workflows with customisable fields, delivery receipts, and a reporting and analytics dashboard for you to track performance and expenditure. Add-ons even allow you to increase the quality of citizen engagement through two-way SMS, surveys, forms, and QR codes.
Two-way and media-rich communications with chat apps
WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger are the most-used chat apps in the UK today, but toggling between multiple apps is inefficient, especially when trying to deliver connected experiences. With a single 8×8 Chat Apps API, you’ll be able to access up to seven channels, including WhatsApp Business, to send appointment confirmations or schedule reminders, and conduct media-rich, two-way conversations using a verified display name.
Human touch from a distance with video
Deliver personalised experiences and strengthen citizen relationships with the help of a high-quality, highly affordable, GDPR-compliant video conferencing platform like 8×8’s Jitsi as a Service (JaaS).
By allowing citizens to chat with their public sector service providers face-to-face over video, governments can extend service access to citizens who may not be able to physically visit city hall or the relevant public institutions. This makes them better able to build trust across all generations of citizens.
Better privacy and inclusiveness with voice
Compared to traditional phone calls, Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) calls are conducted over the internet. As a majority of Gen X and Boomers already prefer engaging over the phone, all that’s required is a working internet connection. VoIP calls offer added value by providing another layer of privacy protection: call masking.
8×8’s Voice APIs can also be used to send text-to-speech (TTS) voice messages for better tech inclusion, especially for neuroatypical, visually impaired, or illiterate people who may not be able to read and respond over text.
Modern citizens want a modern government
Digital transformation of government services, especially in front-facing public sector communications, is now critical for meeting the expectations of a diverse, modern citizenry. While organisations have definitely stepped up and made great strides in modernizing their channels, there is clearly a gap in the capabilities of current communication systems.
Communication APIs offer what governments need to deliver more efficient and cost-effective engagement, while improving data analysis and organisation-wide collaboration for enhanced citizen experiences. Combined with a communications management platform like 8×8 Connect, public sector professionals have everything they need to build a strong foundation for their multichannel and omnichannel communication strategies.
Contact us at hello-cpaas@8×8.com to schedule a demo or learn more about transforming your citizen engagement workflows with the help of communication APIs.
