Future Service Delivery Preferences
- 9.1 Introduction
- 9.2 Preference for E-Government Service Delivery Channels
- 9.3 Suggestions for Improvements When Contacting Government Online
- 9.4 Future Options for Receiving Communications from Government
Overview
The position of the internet as the preferred means of accessing government services is well established.
- Preference for the internet when contacting government has increased each year since 2004–05. Over two in five (45%) people now prefer to contact government this way.
- Preference for contacting government in person has steadily declined to the point where only half as many people (17%) now nominate this as their preference compared with 2004–05 (33%).
- The proportion of people who prefer the telephone has consistently been around a third throughout the study’s history.
Given a choice, most people would prefer to use an e‑government channel to access a government service.
- Overall, four in five (78%) people would prefer to use the internet, telephone or mobile phone to contact government.
- Those who make contact in person are the least likely to prefer to use an e‑government channel.
A person’s preference for a particular service delivery channel is influenced by the reason for the contact, location, and whether they have a broadband connection.
- Those who only sought information were much more likely to prefer internet communication (53% compared to 30% who prefer phone contact). Over two in five (43%) of those who provided information prefer the internet while three in ten (31%) prefer the telephone.
- Whether or not an internet user has a broadband connection has a strong influence on their preferred service delivery channel.
- Those living in metropolitan and rural/remote areas are more likely to prefer to use the internet to contact government (49% and 40% respectively) than residents of regional areas (37%).
9.1 Introduction
Four in five (78%) people would prefer to use an e‑government service delivery channel to contact government: the internet (45%), telephone (32%), or mobile phone (1%).
Preference for the internet for contact with government remains at similar levels to 2008, which has increased from previous studies (from 31% in 2004–05 to 45% in 2009). Preference for contact in person with government was also similar to 2008, a decrease from previous studies (from 33% in 2004–05 to 17% in 2009). Preference for the telephone remains stable at one in three (32%).
Figure 54 Preferred method of contacting government
Text description of Figure 54 Preferred method of contacting government
Q11. If you could access government services by landline telephone, over the internet, by mail, in‑person, by mobile phone, or by some other method, what would be your preferred way of doing it?
Base: All respondents (n=3667)
Note: Percentages do not add up to exactly 100% because of other responses given by respondents including fax, mobile phone, SMS, using the mobile to access the internet (3G third generation wireless networks), ‘it depends on the situation’, ‘direct debit’, ‘some other method’, and ‘refused/can’t say’. The proportions of responses covered by these responses are approximately 2% in 2004–05, 4% in 2006, 3% in 2007, 3% in 2008 and 4% in 2009. 1% of responses in 2009 were a preference for mobile phone.
Each study has shown that more people would prefer to contact government by internet than actually do so. In 2009 the gap between preference and actual use was seven percentage points, consistent with 2008 findings which were half those of 2007 (six percentage points compared to 12 percentage points).
Figure 55 Internet—preferred use compared with actual use
Text description of Figure 55 Internet—preferred use compared with actual use
Q4. Thinking of this most recent contact, did you do this...?
Q11. If you could access government services by landline telephone, over the internet, by mail, in‑person, by mobile phone or by some other method, what would be your preferred way of doing it?
Base: All respondents (n=3667)
The main reasons internet users who would have preferred to use the internet to contact government used some other channel were similar to those in 2008, however the order of frequency has changed. The main reasons were:
- a preference for speaking to a ‘real’ person (18%)
- contact had to be with a person (14%)
- the option was not available or it was not possible to undertake the transaction by internet (13%)
- a lack of awareness that it was an option (7%).
The gap between preference for using a telephone to access government and actual use is minimal, at two percentage points in 2009. This is consistent with previous years.
Figure 56 Telephone—preferred use compared with actual use
Text description of Figure 56 Telephone—preferred use compared with actual use
Q4. Thinking of this most recent contact, did you do this...?
Q11. If you could access government services by landline telephone, over the internet, by mail, in‑person, by mobile phone or by some other method, what would be your preferred way of doing it?
Base: All respondents (n=3667)
Unlike the trend observed with the internet, where both preference for and use are increasing, preference for and use of in‑person contact are both decreasing. Consistent with 2008 findings, in 2009 the gap between preference for contact in person and actual in‑person contact is 15 percentage points. This difference has been consistent since 2006.
Figure 57 In-person contact—preferred use compared with actual use
Text description of Figure 57 In-person contact—preferred use compared with actual use
Q4. Thinking of this most recent contact, did you do this...?
Q11. If you could access government services by landline telephone, over the internet, by mail, in‑person, by mobile phone or by some other method, what would be your preferred way of doing it?
Base: All respondents (n=3667)
9.2 Preference for E-Government Service Delivery Channels
Given a choice, a strong preference for e‑government (internet and telephone) services among the users of each of the main service delivery channels is again evident in 2009:
- Internet users—Nine in ten (88%) would prefer to use an e‑government service: internet (73%), telephone (15%).
- Telephone users—Most (84%) would prefer to use an e‑government service: internet (27%), telephone (57%).
- In‑person users—Three in five (58%) would prefer to use an e‑government service: internet (31%), telephone (27%).
- Mail users—Three‑quarters (71%) would prefer to use an e‑government service: internet (38%), telephone (33%).
Figure 58 Preferred way of contacting government compared with method actually used
Q4. Thinking of this most recent contact, did you do this...?
Q11. If you could access government services by landline telephone, over the internet, by mail, in‑person, by mobile phone or by some other method, what would be your preferred way of doing it?
Base: Respondents whose last contact with government was by internet (n=1336); telephone (n=1082); in‑person (n=1254); mail (n=316)
Note: Percentages may not add up to 100% because respondents were able to nominate a preferred method of contact other than those summarised above.
Whether an internet user has a broadband connection has a strong influence on the preferred service delivery channel. Those who have a broadband connection are three times more likely to prefer to contact government by internet (54% compared with 16%). While just over a quarter (27%) of those who have a broadband connection would prefer contact by telephone, this rises to half (48%) among those without broadband. Those without a broadband connection are also more likely to prefer in‑person contact (30%) than those with broadband (13%).
Figure 59 Preferred service delivery channel and broadband connection
Text description of Figure 59 Preferred service delivery channel and broadband connection
Q2A. Do you have a broadband connection?
Q11. If you could access government services by landline telephone, over the internet, by mail, in‑person, by mobile phone or by some other method, what would be your preferred way of doing it?
Base: All respondents (n=3667)
9.3 Suggestions for Improvements When Contacting Government Online
Just half (49%) of those who have used the internet in the previous twelve months did not have a suggestion for what else they would like to be able to do or find out when contacting government online (response was either ‘can’t say’ or ‘nothing else’). This is down from just over two‑thirds (70%) of respondents with these traits in 2008. This would appear to be consistent with the high satisfaction ratings provided by those who contact government by internet (91%).
Of the suggestions provided, one in six (17%) suggested they would like to have more functionality, including addressing problems with website design, usability or the difficulty with finding things.
Focus groups revealed that a large barrier to contacting the government online was the difficulty associated with finding the necessary information. Participants noted that improving search engines and quick links would improve government website usability and encourage them to use online resources. Many participants also agreed that it would be good to have real time interactive help online, for example forums monitored by customer service agents. They also felt that getting more feedback from online queries and updating content more frequently would be beneficial.
‘Maybe if they set it out in the way they do with the phone calls where it goes press one for this, press two for this, if they did in that style maybe, I think maybe it would be a bit easier, quite easier to work through, instead of having all those…’
‘...something they could learn from the private sector is that constant monitoring of their own website, having someone to help out and to navigate the website with you’
‘Some people do, some people will endeavour to get back to you within forty‑eight hours, but it would be good to have that as a blanket across government departments so that if you did contact them, you know that somebody’s received it, you know they’re looking at it and you know within what timeframe it will be for them to get back to you.’
9.4 Future Options for Receiving Communications from Government
Internet users were asked if they would be happy to receive communications from government by email or SMS. Seven in ten (71%) would like to receive email from government, but one in five (21%) would like to receive an SMS (up from 14% in 2008).
A quarter (23%) did not want to be or were undecided about either option, with the main reasons the same as those cited in 2008, being:
- they were not interested in or did not want this form of communication from government (21%)
- they already receive enough emails and did not want to overload their systems (19%)
- they would prefer to receive communications from government by mail in order to have a written copy (18%)
- they don’t want to receive junk email or spam (10%).
Other reasons were that they don’t check their messages that often (9%) or that they prefer to seek information themselves rather than have government send it to them in these ways (9%).
Focus group participants had mixed views about using newer technologies such as SMS to communicate with government. There was an overwhelming feeling from the focus groups that receiving SMS from government would not be appreciated except for in some circumstances, for example in emergencies.
‘My mobile number would be very private and to receive SMSs I would find that really intrusive.’
‘I got one for the fire. Which I don’t mind, that is a question of safety.’
It was recognised that receiving email from government might also be quite intrusive but to a lesser extent than SMS. Again, there were also situations when participants would like to receive an email, such as to confirm that their inquiries are being considered.
‘I just filled in a form… I had to choose what form of contact and SMS was there and I didn’t tick it. I ticked email because I think… it is more personal, [SMS] you’re getting it on your phone rather email you just check it, delete it, keep it, do whatever you want.’
Participants noted that they would not like to receive spam mail and so information sent to them would need to be specific to their needs and interests.
‘...because I'd get flooded with e‑mails with things I don’t need’
Overall it was felt that direct communication via email or SMS was invading the participant’s personal space. The general feeling was that the government should not be intruding unless there was a specific reason to do so.
‘It flashed into my mind years ago during one of the state elections here there was an elderly woman walking along High Street in Northcote and I mean not she was elderly but she was one of the old school, couple of shopping bags going home with a feed for the family sort of thing and TV crew asked her question, I won’t actually say what it was and all that sort of stuff, but she just turned around and said “Now look, the Government just needs to get out of our daily lives” and I think they should bear that in mind…Also incidentally I would like to remind you all that SMSs are not guaranteed to arrive.’
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