Government agencies are always working to serve their constituents. Often, however, these agencies are working to improve constituent engagement with limited resources and budgets. There's one tool that can help: a CRM, or customer relationship management system, helps companies, including government agencies, manage relationships with their customers or constituents. How? These systems easily store and maintain a single source of information, automate workflows, integrate with other systems, increase customer and constituent satisfaction, and come with user-friendly mobile applications.
Although the benefits of CRM systems might seem similar for any organization, the public sector and private sector are radically different, so technology companies must work within that understanding. For starters, CRM systems in the private sector are leveraged to attract, nurture, and upsell customers. In the public sector, however, CRM systems are more important because government agencies are not dealing with customers; they are dealing with constituents. Constituents depend on government services for safety, wellness, education, economic resilience, justice, clean air and water, recreation, and much more.
Government agencies must collaborate with other agencies. For example, the state education department heavily collaborates with local education authorities to ensure a high-quality and safe learning experience for students. A CRM system is crucially important for smooth collaboration between state entities and local communities to ultimately help the constituents. An interruption in service in the public sector has crucial consequences for agencies and the public, so it's important for agencies to understand the benefits of a CRM and evaluate systems properly. The Kyra Solutions team believes CRM technology in government could play an important role in effectively serving constituents' needs while also making government employees' jobs easier.
Let's talk about why it's important for agencies to understand CRM software for government and the appropriate criteria for evaluating it.
The Benefits of CRM Systems for Government Agencies
One of the biggest benefits of CRM systems is that it helps companies and government entities focus on relationships with individuals. For the public sector, this instills confidence in government services and increases public support. That's why government agencies should use CRMs in government technology.
Improving customer service in government starts with managing technology effectively, but more importantly, a holistic approach to digital transformation and reframing risks must be considered. Cloud-based systems can help reduce costs and the overall efficiency of a government agency. However, federal agencies only spend around $2 billion on cloud computing out of the $80 billion that's spent on IT in total, which means we have a long way to go in prioritizing the adoption of cloud computing.
How would a "digital government agency" perform better? There are plenty of examples. First, governments can customize their apps through CRM tools to help people in their precise area. Next, government CRMs provide agencies with case management tools to quickly and effectively resolve cases with individuals. Additionally, CRM technology enables governments to gain valuable insights that help them solve problems before they escalate.
Criteria for an Effective Government CRM
While government agencies still have a long way to go in making digital transformations, government CRM usage is climbing, specifically with cloud-based technology, to improve infrastructure, data storage, and more. As governments uncover the benefits of CRMs, these systems must meet the needs of specific government entities. Here are the criteria you should look for in CRM software for government:
Additionally, your agency should consider a platform that has built-in workflows, case management, contact center functionality, AI, bots, mobile-readiness, dashboard functionality, and features reporting. Other important requirements include low-code development, which reduces the amount of hand-coding necessary to run applications and customize them. This is especially important for when you need to make app changes as regulations and laws change. The majority of people prefer simple CRMs over complex ones, so keep this in mind in your evaluation.
As a government agency, your No. 1 priority is to serve your constituents. By now, you know that the best way to do so is to invest in a CRM and enjoy the benefits within. CRMs can serve virtually all businesses, but they aren't one-size-fits-all — especially for the public sector. Before making a decision, it is imperative to identify your needs and evaluate CRMs based on relevant criteria.
Kyra Solutions is partnering with Salesforce to bring CRM and many more low-code solutions to the public sector. Kyra government experts are able to leverage extensive knowledge on government processes to create digital solutions that fit the unique requirements of government agencies. To learn more about how Kyra Solutions is helping digitalize government processes with Salesforce solutions, read our latest case studies on our "Insights" page.