Every element of the public sector had to respond dramatically to the COVID-19 pandemic – but arguably, Local Government throughout the UK had to enact one of the most comprehensive responses.
Due to the number of different services Local Government provides, and the fact that ‘lockdown’ restrictions meant an increased focus on local communities, the ways in which Local Government interacts with citizens and service users had to be thoroughly considered. In addition, these changes take place against an ongoing process of technological advancements and changes in customer behaviour that affect the ways in which citizens and service users contact public sector organisations.
In this climate, it is more important than ever that organisations are able to demonstrate empathy in their ‘customer service.’ Empathy means helping citizens and service users feel that their concerns are heard and understood – even where these cannot always be fully met.
The ways in which citizens’ interactions with the public sector have changed since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, and how public sector organisations have changed in their responses, are the key focus of the ‘Experience as a Service’ survey 2021, produced by GovNewsDirect in partnership with Genesys. In this supplement to the ‘Experience as a Service’ survey 2021 report, we examine the survey responses specifically from workers in Local Government, and examine the key issues the findings highlight for those working in Local Government.
