• Federal Student Aid Information Center, U.S. Department of Education
• TV Converter Box Coupon Program, National Telecommunications and Information Administration, Department of Commerce
• Child Welfare Information Gateway, Administration on Children, Youth and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
• Honorable Mention:  Washington State Department of Social and Health Services

We would also like to congratulate GovBenefits and the Department of Homeland Security for getting the most participation on the blog.  As of the March 12 deadline, your award applications had received the most comments.

In the spirit of open government, OCS will leave this blog up and continue to moderate any comments that come in. 

Again, thanks to the judges and all who applied.  The caliber of the nominations was excellent – almost all received an average score in the 80s or 90s.

Question 2: Social Security has used the American Customer Satisfaction Index surveys for its online services for several years. SSA took the top three spots in the Q2/09 ACSI report card, with the iClaim application second overall with a score of 90 second only to SSA’s Retirement estimator.

Social Security received its 2 millionth online application during the week of June 5, 2009, a testament to the widespread popularity of the revamped iClaim officially launched one year ago. The achievement is especially remarkable given that it took the agency more than 7 years to receive the first 1 million online claims and with the help of iClaim, it took less than 2 years to achieve the second million.

To promote the online application, SSA implemented a national marketing strategy with Patty Duke from the Patty Duke show as the spokesperson. Patty starred in television commercials and print adds to promote the iClaim application. The Commissioner of SSA also made several radio and television appearances to promote online filing.

The agency is now looking into more outreach and marketing to increase the number of claims filed online and to promote the new Medicare Only iClaim application. This application will allow claimants to file for Medicare Only, excluding cash benefits. This time, Patty Duke and her family will be starring in commercials and making appearances to promote the application.

Question 3: The Agency Strategic Plan target goals for fiscal year 2009 with the new iClaim were to have 18 percent of disability applicants and 26 percent of retirement applicants filing online for benefits. iClaim exceeded these goals with 2009 online filing numbers showing 20.4 percent for disability and 31.2 percent for retirement. During FY2009, the overall claims volume has increased by 950,000 when compared to FY2008, with iClaim absorbing 83 percent of the increase via the internet. For Retirement claims alone, 98 percent has been absorbed by iClaim.

There is also a positive impact on our staff as well. iClaim introduced policy simplification and streamlined adjudication which has had significant workload savings for our claims technicians. For example, the utility within iClaim that automates the proof of age determination eliminated the need to develop for proof of age in over 80 percent of claims. This simplification for proof-of-age will save an estimated $34 million per year and has reduced employee workloads by decreasing claims development time an average of 12 minutes for Retirement claims and 25 minutes for Disability Claims.

The application has significantly decreased filing time for the public. The previous online application took an average of 45 minutes to complete. The new iClaim can be completed in as little as 15 minutes. Using the Department of Labor’s citizen minute value of $0.31, the estimated reduction of 15 minutes in filing time, and the estimated 1 million iClaims expected to be filed in 2009, the savings to the public could be in the neighborhood of $4.65 million a year.

Question 4: The Ready Retirement initiative continues to monitor the iClaim application and the feedback received from users to improve our application and service delivery. Every year we conduct a study of our field offices and our immediate claims taking units to determine our reasons for contacting claims and to get an understanding of how well claimants understand the questions and more information links contained within the iClaim. Ready Retirement continues to work with our Financial Literacy Advisory Group (FLAG), who is responsible for creating a plan to educate the public regarding their SSA benefits and how these benefits relate to their long term financial security. Through financial literacy, we released a new factsheet, When to Start Receiving Retirement Benefits, that was made available to the public. We also created new inserts for the Personal Benefit Estimates Statement that is mailed to the public every year. One insert was designed for those who are age 55 and above and the other was for age 25-35. The purpose of the factsheets was to promote a better understanding of SSA retirement benefits and for future planning.

Question 2: CMS uses a variety of techniques to obtain feedback from Medicare beneficiaries about their satisfaction with the services provided by the various 800 MEDICARE channels of communication. One significant CMS initiative in 2009 was a redesign of the MyMedicare.Gov portal. This interactive tool now more effectively focuses on assisting beneficiaries in proactively managing their health needs and their Medicare claims. One of the new features is an On the Go Report which includes a customized preventive services calendar with eligibility dates for preventative services and a list of the beneficiary’s prescription information. This report is intended to be taken to future doctor appointments to assist the beneficiary in improving communication with their medical provider. An additional planned enhancement is a plan to streamline some of the decision support tools located on the Medicare.Gov website. These proposed changes are already undergoing extensive focus group testing.

CMS also made several specific service enhancements to the BCC based on results from focus groups held with CSRs:
Outbound E-mail: Many questions handled by BCC CSRs require complex answers that are not easily provided over the phone. In 2009, CMS used CSR feedback to design and implement an outbound e-mail service that allows beneficiaries to receive selected information in writing following their calls.
Dropped Calls: The BCC occasionally experiences dropped calls due to poor telephone connections or interruptions experienced by the caller. In 2009, the BCC conducted a test to determine whether beneficiaries would benefit from having the original CSR call them back as soon as the calls disconnects. Callers were elated that an organization such as Medicare called them back after the dropped call.
ARC Callback: The BCC’s Advanced Resolution Center, which is responsible for researching and resolving complex issues, found that it was unable to reach approximately 19% of callers whose problems were escalated to them. To keep callers from going into a continuous loop in which they called the BCC, only to be called back again, the ARC introduced a process by which a beneficiary with an open escalation could be routed from the IVR directly to an ARC agent. Informal surveys conducted with beneficiaries following implementation revealed that the new process was greatly appreciated.
CSR Test Center: In 2009. CMS implemented a “CSR Test Center” to establish a disciplined process to test and provide input on various new initiatives, including infrastructure enhancements, training and content materials, and deployment of new or revised website tool changes. By formalizing this testing and obtaining feedback from these specialized CSRs, we are better able to collect real time feedback on processes that work best for the Medicare beneficiaries. The BCC is constantly evolving to meet the needs of a changing beneficiary demographic. The test center was also established to provide a structure for testing new services or approaches in a contained environment and making necessary adjustments before rolling out the changes to the CSRs across the virtual call centers locations.

Question 3: In support of the proclaimed 2009 Year of Quality, CMS led several initiatives that improved contact center efficiency and effectiveness. These included:
Reinforcing a culture of performance management – CMS continued to drive performance improvement by supporting a culture in which performance is both measured and managed. In 2009, the BCC continued to refine its performance management scorecard to provide data for key performance indicators by site, manager, team and CSR. CMS was able to drive significant improvement across the BCC by promoting the availability of performance information. This included a 21% increase in schedule adherence between 2008 and 2009. Both CSRs and call center managers welcomed and appreciated knowing and being able to track their individual performance against the CMS established performance measures. This awareness has enhanced the CSR’s interaction with the callers.
Aligning CSR Work Shifts to Incoming Call Volume Patterns – To ensure that the BCC staffs the number of CSRs necessary for effective coverage of the various work shifts required by a 24 x 7 operation, CMS trended the gaps in telephone coverage. Based on the findings, the BCC found it needed to realign staff to correspond to incoming call patterns which led to a shift bid for the CSRs. The new CSR tours now more closely align with the demands of incoming calls. As a result of this initiative, there has been a 23% improvement in the average time it takes for callers to reach a CSR and a corresponding 30% improvement in call abandonment rates.
Supporting CSRs – The BCC changed the process for identifying CSRs eligible for advancement by establishing a structured career path, and introducing a nesting program to give CSRs who recently completed training additional support. These programs led to a 28% reduction in call transfer rates between 2008 and 2009 which had a very positive impact on caller satisfaction and a 12.6% reduction in average handle time.
Introducing Innovations in Analytics – In 2009, CMS worked with its partners to implement eLoyalty’s Behavioral Analytics module which provides innovative analytics and 100% call recording. This service combines the features of call recording and speech analytics with behavioral science to focus improvements on personality-driven expectations of customer service. The tool segments calls by type or by indicators such as long hold times or customer distress, which facilitates identification of emerging trends or adverse behaviors. It also introduces a behavioral model that allows CSRs to target soft skills according to personality-driven expectations of customer service. For example, through this model, a CSR learns when a caller wants to hear soft language such as “I’m sorry” or just wants a factual response to a question. The tool also offers business monitoring services that allows the BCC to effectively target coaching and training opportunities as needed for CSRs. This innovative tool is already yielding benefits. In December 2009 alone, non-interaction time, or the time that callers are placed on hold, was down 8.4 seconds, a 10 percent improvement in productive time which directly impacts the cost per call.

Question 4: To improve transactions CMS implemented a behavioral analytics tool in August 2009 that promotes communication strategies that reduce repeat callers and increase beneficiary satisfaction. CSRs receive training to help understand the traits for different types of callers and how to manage the calls accordingly. 100% of calls are recorded. CSRs listen to their own calls to better understand how to improve their quality and time management for future calls. Simultaneously CMS worked with the BCC and independent vendors to improve the process of monitoring and coaching CSRs. CMS uses various tools to ensure consistency and quality of the Medicare program. Quality monitoring standards are applied across all channels of BCC communication and to ensure compliance CMS routinely leads calibration sessions with CSRs. The introduction of eLoyalty raises quality standards to a greater level by identifying variations in key performance indicators (such as talk time or non-interaction time) so that improvements can be effectively targeted. CMS consistently promotes the availability and use of performance data throughout the BCC by holding managers accountable for using available data to manage quality indicators and provide Medicare beneficiaries the highest service. Several refinements were made to the balanced scorecard which highlights key performance indicators by site, team, manager and CSR. Based on results from focus groups, CMS implemented an outbound e-mail process to support the beneficiary’s understanding of complex or confusing topics discussed on the telephone. Areas were identified where sending written materials via e-mail to beneficiaries would result in better comprehension for callers.

Question 2: FDA reaches out to the public in many ways. Our first foray into new media was a monthly podcast that gave the agency’s viewpoint on a variety of health topics.  While it communicated FDA’s thoughts, it did not allow for input from the public. FDA discontinued the podcast and instituted a blog on transparency (http://fdatransparencyblog.fda.gov/) following the HHS best practices for a blog written and supported by agency senior leadership. The blog addresses the current Administration’s call to be collaborative and seek the public’s input, especially with regard to how FDA can improve transparency about its work and decision-making. The blog was recently selected as one of the five best government blogs (http://www.executivegov.com/2010/01/the-five-best-government-blogs-and-the-six-reasons-why-they-work/).
FDA already had RSS feeds (http://www.fda.gov/AboutFDA/ContactFDA/StayInformed/RSSFeeds/default.htm) and an email service. (http://www.fda.gov/AboutFDA/ContactFDA/StayInformed/GetEmailUpdates/default.htm)

FDA realized that it needed to further expand outreach. FDA began tweeting recalls, developing widgets (for topics such as fraudulent H1N1 products (http://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/PublicHealthFocus/ucm186340.htm), and exploring other social media venues. Because of the growing interest in FDA to expand into other channels, FDA developed self-governing councils for policies, best practices, and pilot programs before rolling them out to wider audiences.

FDA realizes that the public needed to tell us how we are doing. While FDA provides a means for users to contact the agency via email and phone, often the more candid comments are provided anonymously. FDA reinstated satisfaction survey data collection using the methodology of the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) through ForeSee Results. FDA is also participating in the transparency initiative that ForeSee Results rolled out to agencies and is learning much as the agency reviews the data and works to improve the site.

One topic that came up was that the public had difficulty understanding the breadth of FDA’s activities. So, FDA Basics (http://www.fda.gov/AboutFDA/Basics/default.htm) was launched to provide basic information about FDA. On a monthly basis, FDA hosts webinars and invite bloggers to join in and help promote the topic to their readers.

As expected, FDA also learned that search and navigation on the FDA.gov site needed improvement. As FDA learned from working with the public in the past, the site did not have a consistent look and feel, content was siloed, and information was not easy to find. FDA has rearchitected the site and implemented a Web content management system, all in the effort to bring FDA.gov under one look and feel and to consolidate content.

FDA recently conducted extensive rounds of testing to refine the home page as it learned from usability testing that there were a lot of links on the home page that were overwhelming. As FDA is a regulatory agency, it must serve several major stakeholders, but it was underserving them, too.

The redesign will show a streamlined home page with more visual interest and a more contemporary look and feel. The public should feel more confident that they are being directed to information that will serve their needs and be easier to find. The new design will also incorporate more new media features.

Question 3: During 2009, FDA launched its Transparency Initiative, which will make FDA much more transparent to the American public. As part of the initiative, the agency established a public docket and launched an online blog (http://fdatransparencyblog.fda.gov/). In addition, FDA held two public meetings to solicit public input on improving agency transparency. At the first public meeting, the Task Force invited speakers to present remarks related to how the agency could improve transparency. Over 30 speakers delivered up to five minutes of prepared remarks and fielded questions from the panel of Task Force members. At the second public meeting, the Task Force solicited in-depth and detailed comments on three specific issues related to transparency.

Based on hundreds of comments from stakeholders, the Task Force decided to proceed with its recommendations in three phases. The first phase of the Transparency Initiative is a web-based resource to make information about the agency more easily available. Called FDA Basics (http://www.fda.gov/fdabasics/), this resource provides information about the agency and how it does its work. It is easily accessible and in a user-friendly web-based format that includes over 100 frequently asked questions about the agency and the products that the agency regulates; seven short videos that explain various agency activities; and seven video conversations with agency personnel about the work of their offices. The initial content on the site was based on questions and comments the agency frequently receives from the public. FDA will continue to add information about agency activities to this site in a user-friendly, accessible manner. The public is also given the opportunity to rate the answers and to suggest additional questions. This information is used to update the site. In the first week alone, the feedback submitted provided over 500 responses for review.

In addition to suggestions, the agency received numerous positive reactions to FDA Basics. For example, one blogger wrote, “It is really well put together, clear and works quite well. The site is not only supportive of transparency, but is highly instructive and educational.” Another blogger wrote, “The initiative can go a long way toward educating the public about what FDA does and how and also provide industry with real-time answers to their daily challenges, ultimately improving product quality and patient safety.” The next two phases of the agency’s transparency efforts are well underway, and involve much better communication with the public and industry about FDA actions and the basis for FDA decisions.

Question 4: FDA uses the ACSI methodology to evaluate the online experience of its Web site visitors and to collect anecdotal feedback from citizens. By collecting survey responses at random, FDA is able to scientifically measure citizen perceptions of the quality and accuracy of information as well as the ease of navigating the website, the search functionality, and other topics. Based on the results of the data and site improvements made in 2009, FDA has seen a continuous, statistically significant improvement in citizen satisfaction with the site. In addition, FDA has been able to monitor and evaluate hundreds of citizen comments and suggestions about ways to improve the Web site experience.

The FDA Basics resource also asks visitors to rate the helpfulness of information provided on the site and suggest additional questions. This information is used to update the resource. To date, FDA has received more than 1800 comments and suggestions from the public that are being reviewed for use in updating the site.

In addition, FDA is a participant in the first-ever quantitative assessment of online open government, and the results of that study (http://www.foreseeresults.com/Form_Egov_Transparency_Q42009.html), which asks citizens how thoroughly the sites disclose information about the agency activities, how quickly the information is made available, and the accessibility of the information, demonstrate a clear relationship between online transparency and trust in government.

Question 2: Job termination can result in a loss of health and retirement benefits. However, employees and their families may have rights under Federal law (COBRA, HIPAA and ERISA) that can help protect benefits when employment changes. For many employees and their families, continuing health coverage is particularly important or people can experience serious financial and physical implications. Given the importance of making sure that employees and their families are aware of the Federal law that can help, some of which require timely action by employees, Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA) posted the toolkit. The toolkit includes a wide array of materials to provide information on the rights and responsibilities of employees (and their families) and employers under the law. The materials included publications (both in-depth and overviews), FAQs, videos, posters, and flyers. Most publications are available in Spanish as well as English. The Agency also made the application for DOL’s expedited review of denials of the COBRA subsidy, as provided for under the Recovery Act, available for filing either online or in hard copy via fax or mail (per the employee’s preference). The webpage includes links to the law, legislative history and websites of the other Agencies with related resources.

EBSA worked quickly to create awareness of the toolkit and engage the public given the time sensitive nature of the information provided, especially related to helping dislocated workers continue health coverage for themselves and their families.

The Agency reached out to a broad audience using a variety of sources. Outreach included a large number of stakeholder organizations whose members are the target audience, working with other DOL agencies such as the Employment and Training Administration to reach the 3,000 One Stop Centers, as well as working with the media. There was great media interest in helping dislocated workers, so the web links were provided to a very wide audience through major print, television and internet media, such as a posting on Oprah’s website. The impact has been visible with almost 2.5 million visitors to the site since it was posted a year ago – almost as many visitors as the entire EBSA website had the prior fiscal year. The Agency also acted promptly to provide assistance to employers in complying with the new provisions, some of which had short timeframes for action. The Agency quickly scheduled and promoted webcasts, working with the IRS and the Department of the Treasury to allow visitors to hear from all of the regulators at once and to cover the key issues of interest. The webcasts were well attended, and with the archives, have had more than 20,000 visitors. Compliance assistance was also provided through live seminars and workshops held across the country. The Agency reviewed the feedback from the evaluations of the webcasts, seminars and workshops as well as comments from stakeholders and website visitors and made improvements to materials and presentation to provide the information more clearly and visibly. EBSA also used a subscription service for the web page and encouraged visitors to subscribe to receive notice of updates to the website. This was critical and very effective, given the need to get information out to the public quickly and the time involved in developing materials on the newly enacted Recovery Act. It later was used to address transition questions that were of great concern to the public as the original provisions approached the end of the effective date and Congress was considering a possible extension. The webpage has over 58,000 subscribers after a year.

Question 3: Posting this information on the website, using webcasts, and developing videos of our presentation to dislocated workers for use where we could not travel to an event, did save printing, distribution and travel costs as well as allowing us to get the information out to the public much more quickly.

Question 4: Given the importance of the information to Americans facing job loss (and their families) and the often short timeframes for them to act and exercise their rights under the law as well as the often critical need for continued health coverage, it was critical for the Agency to provide accurate information in a timely manner. The Agency developed the toolkit to assist dislocated workers and following the enactment of the Recovery Act, worked to get information to dislocated workers and employers quickly. Within two days of enactment, information was posted on the dedicated website. Since it was new law, the Agency was continuously working to develop additional guidance for the public and posted it as soon as it was available. The Agency also utilized posters, flyers and videos as tools to help spread the word and create awareness of the new law and where to go for questions and more information. Visitors to the website were encouraged to subscribe to the website to get notice of updates, whether new materials or additions to existing information, such as new FAQs to provide further clarification. Webcast, seminar, and workshop registration materials were posted on the webpage and stakeholders and subscribers were notified of the upcoming events. They were also added to the DOL web events calendar. To help employees request DOL’s expedited review as provided for under the Recovery Act, the Agency provided an application that could be completed and filed online or by mail or fax if that was the preference.

Question 2: This year marked a dramatic step forward in enhancing our ability to better serve the public through the adoption of new technologies as well as the creation of a new Office of Public Engagement. This new office has the responsibility for maintaining open channels of communication with the public and works alongside the Office of Public Affairs to underscore an emphasis on customer service for the rest of the Department.

The Secretary made this service emphasis explicit when she conducted personal web chats to roll out our budget and regulatory agenda. Traditionally these announcements have been made at an invitation only event in Washington, which attracted representatives from local stakeholder groups. With a web-based announcement, we were able to connect with a national audience and greatly expand our reach to more than 8500 online users.

Our weekly newsletter allows us to share the human stories of our work in a way that helps the public better understand our mission. As an unexpected byproduct, the newsletter has also enhanced employee understanding of the breadth of work that takes place within the Department, but outside of their office or agency.

Our Twitter feed (@USDOL), features the latest statistics, news, and event updates from across the Department. We shared a number of American Recovery and Reinvestment Act grant announcements on Twitter, which allowed us to see their full impact. In many cases grant recipients re-tweeted these messages to their own followers, who provided personal messages highlighting how the grants led to individual success stories. The Secretary of Labor also has her own Twitter feed (@HildaSolisDOL), which she uses to relay stories from visits around the country, allowing the public to see her vision for the Department in a very personal way. She has received and responded to a number of personal messages via Twitter.

The Department also launched Facebook and YouTube pages, which have been extremely useful in sharing information with the public and gathering important feedback. We use Facebook to promote events that the public can attend, and encourage comments on out posts. Based on feedback from Facebook users confused over the various extensions for Unemployment Insurance and Cobra Subsidies, we modified the way this information was presented on our website and created FAQs which were featured prominently.

Our Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) used YouTube to post instructional videos that explain the importance of respirators, which are used – and misused – by millions of employees across the country. These videos, posted in both English and Spanish, have been viewed nearly 25,000 times, and a number of users have reported positive feedback. While these videos are also available on OSHA’s web site, having this information available on a consumer oriented site like YouTube has lead to increased exposure. As a result, we are in the process of producing similar instructional videos.

DOL also made our first foray into crowd-sourcing, utilizing the IdeaScale platform to conduct the Tools for America’s Seeker’s Challenge. Organizations and entrepreneurs were given the opportunity to add their job search and career development web sites to the platform, and the public then voted on their favorites. More than 16000 people participated on the site, casting more than 32000 votes. The leaders in each category are now featured at our Career One Stop centers around the country, and this compilation of more than 600 job search sites will live on as a resource for those looking for employment. The use of this new technology enables employees to take on this project at a fraction of the cost of a similar effort to survey the landscape of jobs available.

Question 3: When we measure the success of these new outreach mechanisms, we do so with an eye on the balance between expanding the reach of our engagement efforts and minimizing the use of additional resources. Our Office of Public Affairs staff have assumed some additional responsibility in monitoring and responding to public comments on our social media and public engagement sites, but have utilized exiting workflows to streamline this process. Content for our social media sites comes directly from existing, approved materials, which allows us to post information quickly. Public inquiries are handled much like media requests, routed to the appropriate subject matter experts, and handled promptly. We also route routine online information requests through our National Contact Center representatives. These trained experts are then able to utilize their knowledge database – initially designed for phone inquiries – to respond with the correct information.

In May 2009, the Department of Labor took the unprecedented step of rolling out its annual budget package with an on-demand video introduction by the Secretary of Labor and live Web chats with the public. The event was a success, but the processes and software necessary to repeat this success were not in place and the initial implementation of these technologies was inefficient and costly in personnel time.

On December 7, 2009, the Department unveiled its regulatory agenda with six on-demand videos and eight hours of live Web chat with the Secretary and other agency heads. By this time the Department had streamlined the online publishing portion of video production to a routine activity, requiring 50% less time to prepare each video for the Web than was required for the May 2009 event. Furthermore, the Department replaced the inefficient web chat tool that was developed in house with a free commercial product that requires only a few minutes to configure and requires fewer personnel to operate. Cost savings for this activity aren’t evident because the number of videos and the amount of web chats has increased, but the cost avoidance is extensive. This model was used again for the February 2010 web chat, and we will be scaling this approach to enable monthly web chats with Secretary Solis beginning in Spring 2010.

The process of engaging the public in these conversations has also changed the way that we present information on our web sites. When we re-designed the site in September, we added a People are Asking feature, which represents the most asked for resources. When numerous requests for similar information come in over Facebook or through our web chats, we are able to provide direct access to these resources through this section of the page.

Question 4: Our internal process for routing and responding to public inquiries is built on the best practices of our previous workflow. Establishing content moderation teams that cut across internal silos and content delivery areas and integrating the knowledge management database from the National Contact Center ensures that the information we share online is accurate and consistent. This reflects our commitment to a multi-channel approach to sharing information and receiving feedback. We believe strongly that citizens should be able to interact with the Department of Labor and our resources in the way that they feel most comfortable.

Question 2: The DOL-NCC serves as the initial point of contact for a large portion of the US citizens who need labor related information. Information and referrals are made to appropriate DOL offices with either telephone numbers, transfers and/or websites.

The DOL-NCC provides the Secretary of Labor and other DOL officials with a simple method for distributing one telephone number for all issues regardless of the news medium used (television, radio or print).
In addition the DOL-NCC provides support for Webinars which the Secretary (and various Assistant Secretaries) began in the spring of 2009. In addition to information on accessing the webinar, technical assistance, and leveraging Twitter to participate, the contact center also serves as the location for individuals to submit questions for participants who do not have access to the web.

To manage the ever changing content, the call center leverages a customer relationship management (CRM) knowledgebase of agency cleared information and referrals to DOL Web-based information resources. Currently there are over 3,600 active topics, each with appropriate local, state and federal office referrals in the knowledgebase. The CRM knowledgebase currently supports seven toll-free and three agency email programs at the contact center. This CRM knowledgebase is continually updated to improve efficiencies for operations, development, maintenance, content management, and user training.

Question 3: During 2009, the DOL-NCC added services for the Employee Compensation Appeals Board (ECAB). These services removed the need for ECAB employees to constantly answer inquires from customers asking for the status of their claims with the Board.

Due to the financial crisis in 2009, many states faced severe economic and budget issues. When Pennsylvania was faced with a budget crisis its solution was to stop paying the state employees but require them to continue working. When the DOL-NCC learned of this plan, an assessment was made of the impact this would have on call volume into the NCC. With 30,000 employees impacted by this decision the number of calls into the Dept. of Labor to determine options could have crippled the center. As the calls began to come into the center, the DOL-NCC notified the Wage and Hour division of the issue and then implemented an automated Interactive Voice Recognition (IVR) solution to announce a WHD investigation which had been launched covering all Pennsylvania employees.

Question 4: The DOL-NCC uses a variety of quality monitoring and calibrating techniques to ensure CSRs provide quality customer service, and that the entire program support team is providing a consistent level of QC management. The program addresses all venues of communication, calls, emails, and TDD/TTY, in over 170+ languages. Two percent of all calls and ten percent of all emails are be monitored daily by various teams (Operations Supervisors, Subject Matter Experts, Training, and QA) to ensure all of DOL’s quality requirements are met.

Calls and emails can be monitored either side-by-side or remotely. Remote monitors provide not just the voice portion of the call but also the screen information to ensure the Customer Service Representative is providing accurate information, demonstrating exceptional customer service, and informing customers in an efficiently fashion.

Regularly scheduled calibration meetings ensure consistency in the monitoring of personnel and evaluate the customer experience throughout the customer interaction. These sessions, with members from other teams, are held weekly as a training method to ensure all monitored contacts are evaluated using the same techniques and criteria as well as identifying any opportunity to hone the customer experience.

All calls are recorded to ensure legal and regulatory compliance, DOL-NCC advises callers their calls may be recorded and/or monitored for QA purposes. Quality Metrics tracked by the DOL-NCC include: Accuracy of Information Provided, Accuracy of Information Recorded, Accuracy of Referral and Customer Service Accuracy.

Question 2: GovBenefits.gov is dedicated to citizen engagement, monitoring customer satisfaction, and creating and implementing solutions that will enhance the user experience. Using a variety of tools to connect with users and assess their needs, we are able to easily inform them of necessary site content updates.

GovBenefits.gov utilizes ForeSee Results, an online survey tool, to measure customer satisfaction, and identify user needs. With ForeSee, GovBenefits.gov collects survey data rating site content, functionality, look and feel, navigation, search, performance, overall satisfaction, and whether users would return or recommend the site. Users can also provide more detailed feedback, suggest improvements, explain their needs, or voice frustrations by answering open ended questions. Through comprehensive analysis of survey responses and user feedback, GovBenefits.gov is able to appropriately address user needs, formulate and implement site improvements, and better manage user expectations. Most recently, in response to user inquiries regarding the availability of “free money,” GovBenefits.gov created a new FAQ explaining that “free money” as a cash handout is not available but that certain benefit programs do provide personal assistance.

Furthermore, GovBenefits.gov enlisted ForeSee’s expertise in performing a site Usability Audit. This produced valuable recommendations on managing the user experience and providing more clarity around search functions. GovBenefits.gov incorporated these recommendations into site requirements and enhancement measures.

GovBenefits.gov uses GovDelivery, an email subscription tool that allows citizens to receive custom email updates when benefit program details and eligibility criteria change. In FY 09 alone, over 12 million emails were distributed, up from 428,657 the previous year, connecting citizens to the most accurate and timely benefit information. Users can also subscribe to our quarterly eNewsletter, Connection, which includes articles, GovBenefits.gov news, and navigation tips. Currently, more than 43,000 subscribers receive our eNewsletter.

GovBenefits.gov is always looking for innovative ways to inform citizens of its valuable resources, while reaching new users and providing new communication outlets for current users. In April 2009, GovBenefits.gov became one of the first government agencies to launch a Twitter account, delving into the world of social media, broadening outreach efforts and amassing over 5,000 followers in FY 09. This medium facilitates interactive, quick, concise communication with users, allowing GovBenefits.gov to tweet messages regarding current events, program updates and tips, ensuring that citizens are aware of crucial information. This tool was particularly effective when updating users on Presidentially declared disasters, such as the flooding in Kansas and Georgia. GovBenefits.gov immediately tweeted available forms of assistance for disaster survivors, linking users to pertinent information not only on GovBenefits.gov, but also on our partner site, DisasterAssistance.gov. Continued engagement of users guarantees that GovBenefits.gov content remains accessible to users from various backgrounds and age groups.

To better connect with and inform citizens, GovBenefits.gov redesigned its promotional materials. Following careful analysis of current graphics and written content of our previous brochures and posters, the team devised a new approach for introducing GovBenefits.gov to citizens. Our new brochure serves as a step by step guide to prospective users, explaining what they can expect to find on the site, various site search methods, how they can get involved in the GovBenefits.gov community and frequently asked questions, while incorporating site graphics to establish a connection between the brochure and site. These new promotional materials provide both a recognition point and a starting point for new users, ensuring easy navigation of the site while managing user expectations of GovBenefits.gov.

Question 3: GovBenefits.gov is one of the original 24 cross-agency E-Government initiatives established to increase the efficiency and effectiveness with which citizens obtain Federal assistance. Prior to GovBenefits.gov, internet-using citizens were forced to search through a complicated maze of web pages, spending an average of 30 minutes searching for information on a single benefit. Not only did no effective benefit search-agent exist, people familiar with a particular program were often confused about which agency or call center to contact. Unable to determine which benefits they may qualify for, citizens wasted precious time applying for programs they were ineligible to receive, resulting in government agencies expending time and resources reviewing applications that did not meet the criteria. There was a dire need for a new solution.

GovBenefits.gov was that solution. Its core function is a dynamic eligibility-prescreening questionnaire, composed of conditional questions that probe visitors’ circumstances without collecting personally identifiable information, such as names or social security numbers. The system cross-references user responses against the program eligibility database producing a customized list of programs matching the visitors’ specific needs. In addition to helping citizens quickly access the assistance they need, this service significantly reduces the time a citizen may spend researching unsuitable programs and decreases the number of potentially ineligible applications to agencies. The result is a significant cost savings to GovBenefits.gov’s 17 Federal funding partners.

GovBenefits.gov developed the concept of a citizen minute to express the dollar value of the time citizens save by using the site to locate benefit information. This time savings represents value to the citizens, and GovBenefits.gov conservatively estimates that users save 20 minutes on average finding relevant benefits on the site, as opposed to conducting an unstructured search across the internet or through alternative channels. To calculate citizen value, this time savings is multiplied by the number of information transactions citizens perform on GovBenefits.gov. When taken together, the value generated by the GovBenefits.gov program for citizens and government operations in fiscal year 2008 is estimated at over $89 million, nearly 20 times the cost to fund it.

To reduce redundancy across government, GovBenefits.gov shares its prescreening technology via Customized Connections, creating content under the agency’s brand for their customers, improving citizen-government communication and reducing government redundancy. In April 2008, the Social Security Administration website’s Benefit Eligibility Screening Tool (SSA BEST) became the first successful example of GovBenefits.gov functionality reuse. FEMA’s Customized Connection, DisasterAssistance.gov, launched in December 2008, saves FEMA a projected $3 million annually and provides disaster victims with a one-stop site to locate and apply for programs. GovBenefits.gov’s expert system accommodates new functionality, including the service created to integrate FEMA’s existing application system with the new DisasterAssistance.gov website, allowing users to instantly apply for various programs with one online application. Mr. Turner mandates the product be flexible to manage future requests, increasing the return on investment for government and taxpayers.

Question 4: GovBenefits.gov puts the citizen at the core of each decision, from ensuring accuracy to improving the customer experience. By deploying an External Content Management System (ECMS) and training agency program content managers, GovBenefits.gov enabled agencies to manage their program content in real-time. Prior to production, all new content must pass the quality assurance test, which is completed in a staging environment. To further guarantee accuracy GovBenefits.gov incorporated “Next Steps” on benefit detail pages to better guide users to benefit application information and added a page where users can review their questionnaire answers to ensure more accurate results.

Call center professionals are available to answer the over 200 citizen email inquiries GovBenefits.gov receives per month. GovBenefits.gov contracts out Tier-1 inquiries to GSA’s Ofc. of Citizen Services, the leading customer service call center for the U.S. Government. General questions are quickly answered with standard templates created by GovBenefits.gov, while inquiries requiring a custom response are directed to a dedicated, trained operator who tailors responses with specific guidance. If further evaluation is needed, a GovBenefits.gov team member directly contacts the user to resolve any outstanding questions. This system ensures that every citizen inquiry is answered and receives the attention it deserves.

Through informational materials, homepage articles, eNewsletters, Tweets and GovDelivery bulletins, GovBenefits.gov supports consistent and interconnected communication to citizens. Each synced effort conveys the value and purpose of GovBenefits.gov, providing key details and navigation tips, ensuring users receive accurate information.

Question 2: While the FAFSA is well known to students and parents, the Department of Education has launched an outreach campaign for the simplified 2010 FAFSA. In addition to press releases, high-profile events have raised awareness. On January 5, 2010, U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan held an event at Banneker Senior High School, Washington, DC to showcase the new simplified FAFSA. The FAFSA has fewer questions, friendlier navigation, more information for planning, and less duplication. Students told the Secretary that it was taking them just 20 minutes to complete the application online. The Secretary said that he hopes that the new FAFSA will encourage more students to apply. The numbers so far spell success: record numbers of students are applying. Through January 29, 2010, more than 1.3 million 2010 FAFSAs have been processed, 20 percent more than in the comparable period in 2009.

http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2010/01/05/a-streamlined-fafsa

On January 2009, Federal Student Aid introduced a national public service campaign (PSA) called “I’m Going,” in which students tell their real life stories about how federal student aid helped them go to college and achieve dreams that they once thought were impossible. In calendar year 2009, the PSAs were played/shown on TV, radio, You Tube, and bus/rail displays across the country, and were estimated to have over 1.4 billion audience viewings.

http://www.youtube.com/user/FederalStudentAid

These PSAs leads users to College.gov, a Website created to inspire and engage citizens with interactive features and information on planning and paying for college. The site boasts a non-government look-and-feel by allowing users to display user-generated content on the homepage in the form of pictures and motivational statements about attending college. The College.gov fan page on Facebook is also seeing a huge rise in user engagement by an exponentially increasing number of “fans” and comments on FSA’s bi-weekly posts. FSA can begin to alter service delivery for our customers by paying attention to posts that are more popular with users or information that garners more comments and questions.

http://www.college.gov/wps/portal
http://www.facebook.com/pages/collegegov/24764754645

Sources of enhancement ideas for the new FAFSA included the direct voice of the customer via focus groups, usability studies, and of course customer satisfaction surveys. Our FSAIC IVRU with its automated speech recognition functionality features a survey that’s quick and easy to use. In 2009 on average, 1,280 customers participated in the survey weekly, versus 811 in 2008. Nearly 70% of participants who begin the survey complete it. When customers rate us low on the satisfaction scale, we invite them to leave a recorded comment to give context to the rating. These verbatim comments (as we call them), have been invaluable for complaint management and in providing actionable data and ideas for improvement.

Every quarter, we look at overall satisfaction as a benchmark for progress and continuous improvement. Our key indicator is the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI). FAFSA on the Web consistently has received ACSI ratings in the mid-80 percent range. For the last quarter in 2009, we saw a significant increase that resulted from the improvements we made to the FAFSA and the customer service model in 2009, including the expansion of Live Help. During this quarter, more than 250,000 citizens surveyed gave federal Web sites an average satisfaction rating of 75.2 out of 100 points. The FAFSA site came in third, earning 88 points on the satisfaction index. NextGov.com reports that “The three top-rated federal Web sites meet or exceed the private sector’s highest score of 88 points.” We are very proud that FAFSA has received such recognition.

http://www.nextgov.com/nextgov/ng_20100126_3700.php?oref=search

Question 3: Our customers include students, parents, guardians, and financial aid administrators; each with their own communication preferences. They are mobile, technically-savvy end users who readily adapt to new communication channels. Their preferred channel may shift given their particular needs, time of day, location, and their point-in-process. Whether it is via the internet or over the phone, e-mail, snail mail, or web chat, it’s all about customer choice and satisfaction!

In 2009, an expansion of our Live Help channel (commonly known as Web Chat) enabled Federal Student Aid to reach more customers. We upgraded our platform so that it is accessible via a wide range of operating systems and browsers, providing customers a greater range of choice and enabling even higher numbers of people to apply for aid on the web and to get immediate, real-time help with their application experience.

Live Help is a preferred channel for our customer demographic – high school and college age students who have lived their whole lives in the internet age. We knew this channel would afford the most immediate and satisfying means of customer support. We are helping customers from a wide variety of operating systems and browsers, including of course Windows and Macs, Internet Explorer, Firefox, Google Chrome, and Safari. In addition, we can also help our customers via some gaming consoles (Playstation and Wiis) and Smartphone devices (e.g. iPhone, Google Android, Windows Mobile, etc). Live Help allows our customers to get assistance via their choice of device and software. Prior to deploying the upgrade, we averaged several hundred Live Help sessions per day. Since the deployment, peak days may bring more than 10,000. For 2009, FSAIC received 675,424 live help sessions compared to 42,840 in 2008.

Live Help allows customers to get served quickly by being able to interact securely and in real-time, rather than having to write, send an e-mail and wait for response, or even make a phone call which can be cumbersome for someone who is attempting online data entry while juggling the phone. This can be especially disruptive to those who share internet connections with phone service. These customers do not have to spend their phone minutes getting help now when they can do a real-time chat interaction.

Question 4: For FAFSA on the Web, fewer errors mean a better citizen experience. Student and parent data is matched against multiple agency databases to ensure accuracy of identifier data and eligibility for federal funds. As of January 28, 2010, customers have access to a new feature: they can import their required income and tax data directly from the IRS, greatly improving accuracy and processing time.

For our customer service operations (FSAIC), accurate and consistent answers are required. We monitor a minimum of one percent of all interactions per month, across all channels. Of those interactions monitored, 95 percent must be error-free. We engage in an ongoing calibration exercise, collaborating between agency and contractor, to ensure all stakeholders align on what constitutes accurate responses. We also use feedback from customers to indicate when changes at FSAIC are warranted. Each channel is monitored for quality through several methods such as monitoring CSR’s telephone calls, using side by side or direct observation over the phone. The FSAIC also incorporates technology through the use of the WITNESS product to record and score a CSR’s call. One of the benefits of this system is that during feedback sessions the CSRs can hear their own voices as the customers would hear them. In addition, e-mail and chat transcripts are also monitored and reviewed with the CSRs for consistency, accuracy, clarity, and customer service. Written interactions such as chat and e-mail use standard responses, providing a consistent and high quality service.

Question 2: Surveys and interviews were conducted with 599 clients in 25 Community Service offices at the beginning of the Service Delivery Review. The customer feedback showed that clients would like a choice of when and how they interviewed, that they would like timely access to case-related questions and that they would prefer to get their business done all in one day. As a result, the Agency instituted “first-contact” service, where a client needs no appointment to have an interview – interviews are handled via walk-in and call-in clients, and interviews are typically conducted within 30-45 minutes of the application. The agency also moved away from the case management model, where one person knows the client and their case, to process management, where anybody can help the client. As a result, clients can now get their case-related questions answered within 10-15 minutes Vs. the possibility of weeks when it was tied to an individual worker. Business is now typically completed same day, unless the case must pend for inadequate documentation. But the Agency has multiple ways for the customer to return the information. The first way is for the agency to get the information on their own, sparing the clients extra trips and effort. As a result of the customer input, clients now have a fast and efficient way to receive their benefits, while the agency has a way to keep up with the 30% case increases that they have experienced over the past year. The DSHS Internet website also has a place for customers to provide comments regarding the services they are receiving.

Question 3: When people seek the assistance of this agency, they are desperate to provide something critical to their family – food, cash, healthcare. Through the Service Delivery Review, the Agency has reduced client wait times for an interview from 3-4 weeks down to under 45 minutes, 99.7%. The average time for a person in Washington to feed their family has gone from 16 days down to less than 6 days, a 65% reduction in time. The agency has absorbed a 30% caseload increase without having to add new staff. As a matter of fact, they are surviving with less staff, as a result of hiring freezes and budget issues. On the “soft side,” clients have been seen crying in the lobbies, not out of sadness, but out of the sheer relief that they are going to get to feed their family that day. Advocates are happy with the wonderful service their clients are receiving. Staff are happier. They’ve been relieved of the caseload burden, which would now be in excess of 1,000 had they not changed their model. Staff can now take a couple of days off without feeling guilty that they are letting clients down. Happy clients equal happy staff equal happy clients….and so on.

Question 4: With this initiative, all processes are being standardized, which means clients receive the same service and message no matter where they are doing business with the agency. The agency has an online application, which is allowing over 30% of applicants to apply without visiting an office, and they plan to continue enhancing it’s user-friendliness with tools that will assist applicants through the process. The agency has also been pursuing many partnerships with its community-based partners to reach customers where they are at – in the food banks, etc. In short, this agency has done amazing things to better serve the most vulnerable citizens of Washington.