Federal Agencies Work with ForeSee to Improve Websites

ANN ARBOR, Mich., Jan. 5, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- ForeSee, the pioneer in customer experience analytics, has today announced that it is proud to support the .gov Reform Effort to Improve Federal Websites.

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Since 2003, data collected from ForeSee surveys has been used to create the quarterly American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) E-Government Satisfaction Index, which serves as a benchmark for government websites and has been adopted as the federal government's standard metric for measuring citizen satisfaction online. ForeSee also works closely with hundreds of federal agencies to measure customer satisfaction and deliver critical insights on where agencies can prioritize improvements for maximum impact.

In April 2011, President Obama issued Executive Order 13571, "Streamlining Service Delivery and Improving Customer Service," part of the Campaign to Cut Waste, which requires federal agencies to save taxpayers money and time by eliminating or consolidating redundant websites and improving outdated, difficult to use, or poorly maintained sites.

Based on lessons learned from actions outlined in Executive Order 13571, each federal agency was directed to develop a comprehensive Web Improvement Plan to help streamline their web operations and improve customer service.

The plans clearly show that many federal agencies use insights gleaned from ForeSee analytics to help them to improve the user experience and meet the requirements of the .gov Reform Effort.

• "Improving the web experience for users is a top priority of the web strategy project that is underway. To establish a baseline, we have implemented the ForeSee survey . . . both internally and externally, to assess how well our websites meet user expectations and needs. We use those results to guide our improvements to the customer experience." – Department of Transportation Web Improvement Plan
• "GSA.gov, USA.gov and GobiernoUSA.gov customers are surveyed on the websites using the ACSI survey to benchmark satisfaction on our sites against other government and commercial sites." – General Services Administration Web Improvement Plan
• "SBA utilizes the ACSI Customer Satisfaction Survey and regularly analyzes the results and areas for further analysis to enhance the online experience across key elements, including search, functionality, navigation, look-and-feel, content, etc."  – Small Business Administration Web Improvement Plan
• "Commerce operating units use a variety of tools to measure customer satisfaction  . . . We also employ tools that follow the American Customer Satisfaction Index methodology for surveys such as ForeSee." – Department of Commerce Web Improvement Plan
• "The NRC uses a web measurement survey to enable site visitors to share feedback regarding their experience with our site, in a manner consistent with the American Customer Satisfaction Index. This standardized approach allows the NRC's site performance to be objectively benchmarked against that of other federal agencies and private industry. We use this feedback to assess and inform our continuous incremental improvements." – Nuclear Regulatory Commission Web Improvement Plan
• "SSA uses the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) surveys to measure customer/users satisfaction, and to predict future behaviors and trends. ACSI uses a proven, scientific methodology to measure online satisfaction. The data is analyzed and used to help drive decisions on how to improve SSA's online services." – Social Security Administration Web Improvement Plan

"If citizens find using federal websites comfortable, easy, and convenient, it cuts costs through reduced paperwork, call-center overhead, fees, facilities, and time," said Larry Freed, president and CEO of ForeSee. "Federal agencies clearly recognize the value that citizen feedback can provide when it comes to improving websites. The citizen experience should not be the only factor when deciding how to consolidate or eliminate federal website content, but it should certainly be one of several."

User satisfaction, as measured using the ACSI methodology, is proven to have a direct impact on behavior. ForeSee's research has shown that citizens who are highly satisfied with a federal government website rate their trust in the agency 58% higher and are 47% more likely to participate in government than citizens who are less satisfied. Satisfaction also increases the likelihood that the citizen will recommend the site to others, return to it, or use it as a primary resource as opposed to utilizing more costly channels. For these very important reasons, citizen satisfaction with federal websites is crucial, and ForeSee is proud to support the .gov Reform Effort to Improve Federal Websites.

About ForeSee

As a pioneer in customer experience analytics, ForeSee continuously measures satisfaction across customer touch points and delivers critical insights on where to prioritize improvements for maximum impact. Because ForeSee's superior technology and proven methodology connect the customer experience to the bottom line, executives and managers are able to drive future success by confidently optimizing the efforts that will achieve business and brand objectives. The result is better business for companies and a better experience for consumers. Visit us at www.foresee.com for customer experience solutions and original research.

About ACSI

The American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) is the only uniform, national, cross-industry measure of satisfaction with the quality of goods and services available in the United States. In 1999, the federal government selected the ACSI to be a standard metric for measuring citizen satisfaction. Over 100 federal government agencies have used the ACSI to measure citizen satisfaction with more than 200 services and programs.  The Index was founded at the University of Michigan's Ross School of Business and is produced by ACSI, LLC. ForeSee sponsors the E-Government Satisfaction Index.

FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Sarah Allen-Short, 734-327-3852
[email protected]

SOURCE ForeSee