3 Reasons To Pursue Local Government Digital Transformation in 2024

At ClearPoint Strategy, we talk to local government employees every day, all of whom are doing their best to anticipate and plan for the future of their towns and cities. Whether or not they already have a documented strategic plan in place, nearly all of them have expressed the desire to be more efficient as an organization and more effective in serving the public good.

Many for-profit organizations have the same aspirations (with regard to serving their customers), and some have already begun adopting new technologies and workflows to improve in these areas. The outcomes they’re seeing, including better customer experiences and new insights gained from consolidating company data, make a strong case for what’s being referred to as digital transformation.

ClearPoint Strategy provides an advanced platform to facilitate this transformation, enabling governments to streamline their strategic planning, performance tracking, and data management processes. With ClearPoint, local governments can automate reporting, enhance communication, and better serve their communities.

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What Is Government Digital Transformation?

Government digital transformation is fundamentally changing processes and services by adopting and integrating new technology.

Digital transformation focuses on integrating advanced technologies to streamline processes. It's about providing citizen-centric online services, enhancing decision-making with data analytics, ensuring cybersecurity, and promoting transparency and accountability.

It also emphasizes innovation and collaboration with the private sector and improving operational efficiency through automation. This transformation aims to create a more efficient, transparent, and responsive government.

How Technology Can Have an Impact in the Public Sector

Absolutely. As a software company that serves both for-profit and nonprofit organizations, we’ve seen many local governments improve their services as a result of redefining processes and practices. (For many governments, COVID-19 has accelerated the need for more strategic thinking around how services are provided.)

If you’re still unsure about what a government digital transformation can do for your town or city, take a look at the three benefits we see most commonly listed below.

3 Reasons To Pursue Government Digital Transformation

1. Improve Your Quality of Service

It can be a challenge for local governments to meet public expectations for customer experience, considering many of the top-notch interactions customers have regularly with for-profit companies.

Government agencies struggle with inconsistent experiences, complex processes, lack of transparency, and failing or buggy technology, which can lead to negative experiences and poor impressions on agencies’ effectiveness.

Choosing and implementing the appropriate technologies can go a long way toward providing smoother service and greater transparency. For example:

• To enhance public safety and convenience, move common processes online rather than requiring in-person visits. Automating simple forms and processes—for instance, basic car registration renewals—frees government employees to focus on high-value tasks. In the case of car registrations, an automation solution can handle standard renewals while your employees assist residents in resolving more complex issues, like transferring a car registration to a different county and then selling the vehicle to a family member.
• Creating digital communication channels for your residents will also greatly increase your quality of service. An increasing number of people would prefer to email or text problems and questions rather than wait in line to ask someone. Staffing for digital responses will greatly increase your perceived quality of service, and, using resources available online, you can create automated responses that point people in the right direction. 311 systems, some of which are now being upgraded, allow citizens to ask questions and report issues using technology. That’s just one example of the kinds of solutions that are now making it easier for residents to interact with their city and county governments.

2. Save Time on Internal Processes

If your town or city is growing, the systems you use should grow, too. You can’t expect to continue doing things the same way for years and still remain efficient. While sticking with your manual processes—re-entering data in multiple systems multiple times, for example, or running basic calculations—might seem like the best option, outdated processes and systems actually consume a considerable amount of time and effort, and present more opportunities for mistakes.

Many manual processes can—and should—be automated for efficiency. Automation reduces the cost per transaction, increases productivity, and improves response time.

For example, when one government agency implemented a new transportation management system that automatically emailed companies for documentation signatures, overall processing time went from one month to just 14 days.

There are tools that allow you to leverage workflows digitally so paperwork isn’t sitting in literal boxes waiting for the next step; it is sent digitally to the next department for the next process. If your organization has lean or Six Sigma teams, have them focus on areas where small technology investments might reap great rewards in efficiency.

Claim your FREE eBook on 142 important KPIs for local governments here

3. Promote Strategy Planning and Execution

Governments tend to be compartmentalized, and they do a lot of reporting.

Many reports use the same baseline data (or denominator), such as the number of citizens or number of employees to track ratios, combined with specific departmental data for purposes of the report. (How are you tracking residents: taxpayers, families, families with children, commuters, retirees, or something else?)

They also have to track budgets, projects, accreditation standards and performance data—information that lives all over the organization.

Between emailing departments, formulating responses, adjusting calculations, and transferring everything from email and spreadsheets into a reporting environment, no wonder it takes upwards of 40 hours to produce a quality monthly report.

Rinse, wash, and repeat every month—for every department and every type of report—and you have a lot of time wasted, and few insights that can actually help your government improve.

Digital transformation in the public sector is just as beneficial for strategy planning and execution as it is for private businesses.

Unified software systems can integrate data from various sources and platforms, giving leaders and department managers access to bigger-picture insights about how departments are functioning as part of the whole. Imagine leveraging common source data with calculations and evaluations built in.

When diffuse information is more accessible by everyone across an organization, it promotes collaboration and communication, as well as more meaningful participation in pursuing organizational goals. Investments in automating your reporting process can have immediate paybacks regarding time saved, while also increasing the quality of reports and speeding the execution of strategy.

Going digital also allows you to report on strategic progress to your residents, who want to be informed about the steps you’re taking to improve. Now it’s easier than ever to make information about government goals and activities available to the public with an online dashboard.

For example, if you had a goal to expand bicycle routes throughout the city, how much have you accomplished as of this month? Your dashboard can automatically update based on the latest data. Being open about your progress shows you’re taking accountability and builds trust.

Download your FREE 41-page Strategy Execution Toolkit for enhanced strategic performance

How Do I Create Value With Technology in Local Governments?

Simply buying lots of new technology won’t do much to change your organization other than create more complications. Government digital transformation is really about rethinking your business processes and searching for opportunities to improve.

At ClearPoint, we’ve helped numerous local governments to modernize and streamline their strategy planning and execution processes. Here’s how a few are using our software to become more efficient and effective public service organizations:

• Durham, North Carolina uses it to support a robust strategic plan that has enhanced communication and collaboration between the city and county, and improved communication with residents. It has in recent years been named a “Citizen Engaged Community” for its use of technology to engage residents.
• Fort Collins, Colorado uses it to align programs and services with its strategic objectives, and track meaningful metrics. Its efforts have ensured that they continue to achieve steady progress toward goals.
• Germantown, Tennessee uses it to plan and execute its vision for the future, and stay accountable to residents. It created a public-facing dashboard (updated automatically by ClearPoint) allowing residents to see how well the city is progressing toward its goals.

Drive Innovation in Your Municipality with ClearPoint Strategy Software

Ready to bring efficiency, transparency, and innovation to your local government? ClearPoint Strategy is here to help.

Our comprehensive software solutions are designed to streamline your processes, enhance communication, and empower you to serve your community better. Don’t wait to start your digital transformation journey—experience the benefits firsthand by booking a personalized demo session with us today.

Book your FREE 1-on-1 DEMO with ClearPoint Strategy

FAQ:

What are the key benefits of government digital transformation?

The key benefits of government digital transformation include:

- Improved Efficiency: Streamlines processes, reduces paperwork, and speeds up service delivery.
- Enhanced Accessibility: Provides citizens with easier access to services and information through digital channels.
- Cost Savings: Reduces operational costs by automating processes and utilizing digital tools.
- Increased Transparency: Enhances transparency and accountability by making data and services more accessible.
- Better Citizen Engagement: Enables more effective communication and engagement with citizens through digital platforms.
- Data-Driven Decision Making: Facilitates informed decision-making by leveraging data analytics and insights.

How can government agencies overcome the challenges of digital transformation?

Government agencies can overcome the challenges of digital transformation by:

- Strong Leadership: Ensuring commitment and support from top leadership to drive the transformation process.
- Clear Strategy: Developing a clear and comprehensive digital transformation strategy.
- Skill Development: Investing in training and development to equip employees with necessary digital skills.
- Collaboration: Promoting collaboration across departments and with external stakeholders.
- Incremental Approach: Implementing changes in phases to manage risks and ensure smooth transitions.
- Change Management: Addressing resistance to change through effective communication and engagement with employees.

What are some real-world examples of successful government digital transformation initiatives?

Some real-world examples of successful government digital transformation initiatives include:

- Estonia’s e-Residency Program: Allows global citizens to establish and manage businesses online, providing digital identification and access to e-services.
- Singapore’s Smart Nation Initiative: Utilizes data and digital technologies to improve urban living, healthcare, and public services.
- UK’s Government Digital Service (GDS): Centralized digital platform for government services, making them more accessible and user-friendly.
- India’s Aadhaar Program: Biometric identification system that provides citizens with a unique ID for accessing government services and subsidies.
- Dubai’s Smart Dubai Initiative: Aims to transform Dubai into a smart city by leveraging digital technologies to improve quality of life and public services.

What are the potential risks of government digital transformation?

The potential risks of government digital transformation include:

- Cybersecurity Threats: Increased risk of data breaches and cyberattacks as more services go online.
- Privacy Concerns: Challenges in protecting citizens’ personal data and ensuring privacy.
- Digital Divide: Risk of excluding citizens who lack access to digital technologies or skills.
- Implementation Challenges: Potential difficulties in integrating new technologies with existing systems and processes.
- Resistance to Change: Resistance from employees and citizens who are accustomed to traditional methods.
- Budget Constraints: Financial limitations that may hinder the implementation of comprehensive digital transformation initiatives.

How can citizens participate in government digital transformation?

Citizens can participate in government digital transformation by:

- Providing Feedback: Sharing their experiences and suggestions to help improve digital services.
- Engaging in Digital Literacy Programs: Participating in training programs to enhance their digital skills.
- Using Digital Services: Actively using online government services and platforms.
- Participating in Public Consultations: Engaging in public consultations and discussions on digital initiatives.
- Advocating for Inclusivity: Supporting efforts to ensure that digital transformation benefits all segments of society.
- Reporting Issues: Reporting any issues or challenges faced while using digital services to help authorities address them.