Introduction
Gilbert provides samples of frequent practices that result in unfavorable conditions for performance. For the instrumentation cell of the BEM, designing tools in a vacuum without input from users will negatively impact performance. Organizations can consider this example as they try to manage delivery of services through multiple electronic and non-electronic channels.
Article
Posada, E., Gagnon, Y., & Bourgault, M. (2009). Variables associated with effective management of multi-channel delivery of public services. The Business Review, Cambridge, 12(2), 206-211.
Background
The authors recognized the modern-day strategic challenge of trying to manage delivery of services via multiple channels, such as in-person, mail, telephone, Internet, text, television, etc. They sought to understand how multi-channel service delivery processes were developed and what variables had to be managed in order to meet users’ needs in the most cost effective way possible. This understanding would help them create a model for guiding management of multi-channel delivery systems.
Preliminary investigation showed that a number of countries rely on multi-channel delivery in an attempt to make government services accessible to most, if not all, of their citizens. The increased power and reach of technology has advanced this goal somewhat, but not without problems. One of the biggest issues concerns integration and intelligent delivery services across different government sectors and levels. Sheer volume alone poses a significant barrier – the authors mention the 87,000 government units in the United States (Yang and Rho, 2007) as an example.
Technological logistics are not the only concern. Government agencies especially tend to function as “silos”, each with its own culture, structure, and procedures. These self-imposed boundaries must be overcome to successfully integrate delivery systems for intelligent dissemination of services and information to clientele. In addition, the authors mention previous findings showing clientele preferences regarding mode of service delivery do not always align with what government considers most cost-efficient. If high client satisfaction is the desired performance outcome, it would appear that working toward consistent execution of services through all delivery modes is necessary to achieve that goal. Substituting electronic delivery of services for all other modes is likely to be counterproductive.
Research Design
The authors designed their research to better understand what considerations (back-end and front-end) come into play for organizations seeking to improve integration, interoperation, and interoperability of multi-channel delivery systems. They planned on using this understanding to inform development of a model that could be used to design intelligent delivery of services using different delivery modes.
The authors found little in the existing literature specific to multi-channel service delivery systems, which led them to determine that their inquiry would best be served by conducting case studies.
They studied three organizations in Canada that were offering public service using various delivery channels and that were recognized as leaders in multi-channel service delivery. They selected two governmental organizations from the public sector and also included one financial company from the private sector since multi-channel service delivery was initiated by financial institutions.
Research consisted of reviewing organization documents pertaining to delivery of services using a content-analysis technique, and conducting interviews with key players at each organization responsible for development of its service delivery systems. Data gathered in the interviews included a description of each player’s position and role in the organization; data on the organization itself; the organization’s service delivery system development process; resulting back-office changes resulting from implementing multi-channel service delivery systems; and evaluations of actions taken as well as prospective actions.
A total of 46 interviews were conducted by two-person teams in an effort to ensure reliability and validity of data. Inter-rater validity checks were implemented to address inconsistencies in interview reports. This process was repeated during inter-case analysis of interview results.
Findings
Based on the results of the data analyzed, the authors developed a model that can assist the development and management of multi-channel delivery of public services. The authors concluded that the following variables play a significant role in the efficacy of multi-channel service delivery systems:
- Culture within the organization — as it relates to customer orientation and habit of cooperation across elements and levels.
- Clientele attributes — specifically, consumer characteristics, habits, and expectations of service delivery systems.
- Personnel who provide public services — their skills, training, task versatility, and how their work is organized.
- Technology — particularly the compatibility of applications, support for those applications, expertise in adopting cutting-edge technologies, ability to adapt to client needs, and the level of investment required to maintain and develop technology to meet those needs.
- Regulation of the electronic channels for service delivery — authentication, security, and confidentiality regarding the privacy of sensitive client information.
- Cooperation within and beyond organizational elements in reducing redundancy and conflicts of service delivery systems and in establishing a single point of service for users.
- Vision — having a clear and comprehensive sense of the desired end state concerning multi-channel service delivery.
Of all the variables, the authors feel that the last, vision, has the greatest bearing on the efficiency and success of multi-channel service delivery. Organizations with no central vision end with a piece-meal assemblage of channels that lack cohesion and unity of purpose. Establishing the scope of the service, defining and regulating relationships across agencies/organizational elements, and managing user expectations are key. Their analyses support the contention that presenting a vision comprised of realistic expectations leads to greater user satisfaction.
Questions for IPT-N Members
Are you working in an organization that provides multi-channel delivery services to the public, and if so, which one(s) of the seven variables do you find to be associated with effective or ineffective management of the multi-channel delivery services provided by your organization?
Consider the study’s findings in the context of other sectors engaged in service delivery via multiple channels (e.g. academia, publishing/media). Do the authors’ findings hold for these sectors as well?
Workplace Oriented Research Central (WORC)
Prepared by OPWL Graduate Assistant, Susan Virgilio
Directed by OPWL Professor, Yonnie Chyung
Posted on September 18, 2012