Government websites live in an alternate customer experience universe
I filed my state refund about 45 days ago and checked on the status of it today via the North Carolina Department of Revenue website. Here's the message I received after entering my social security number and refund amount:
Consumer-friendly messaging, right?
Aside from the visual design of the site, it's the vague message that has my eyes rolling. Basically, this website exists to tell you your tax refund status, but the Department of Revenue cannot provide specific estimates on when individuals will receive their refunds. But alas, everyone who is due a refund will receive a refund! I guess that makes it all better, right?
Imagine if you placed an order for a product, it's been weeks and you haven't received your shipment. You call the retailer only to hear them say "we can't provide you with a status of your order but rest assured, you will receive your shipment."
Voice of the taxpayer online
I would love to see a government site use OpinionLab or ForeSee Results on their sites. Taxpayers should then be able to see the aggregated feedback ratings & scores. Government website operators could then focus on ease of use and helpful tools online. Messages like above only insult taxpayer intelligence and further throw gas on the fire.
Blog by Eric Long
I'm an experienced online marketer, information architect, digital strategist, and social media enthusiast. I'm passionate about providing outstanding cross-channel experiences for considered purchases (with a focus on mass customization).
About Eric Long
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April 22nd, 2010 - 02:29
Eric, Great post. The good news is many Government websites do utilize ForeSee Results to measure citizen satisfaction. Over 200 sites in fact, mostly Federal Government although some States are starting to participate. Unfortunately North Carolina is not as of yet (but we will work on that). If you are interested, here is a link (http://bit.ly/9BCKaR ) to our most recent research and results from our E-Government Index. It is available on our websitehttp://www.ForeSeeResults.com. As a customer you can also access the research data on our portal. Please let me know if you have any questions (@larryfreed or larry.freed@ForeSeeResults.com).