UK Public Demand More Online Government Services After Lockdown Experience, But Humanising Them Will Be Key, Finds Infosys Research
84% of the UK public think more government services should be available online, and half want more streamlined access through one central sign-in across Government services
LONDON, Oct. 14, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The pandemic has significantly changed how UK residents engage with online public sector services according to new research from Infosys (NSE: INFY) (BSE: INFY) (NYSE: INFY), a global leader in next-generation digital services and consulting. The research has revealed that online accessibility, convenient single sign-on and human-centricity will be key to the long-term success of public sector digital services.
The survey of 1,500 people living in the UK revealed that 8 in 10 people accessed government online services since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Respondents highlighted their appreciation of how inclusive and convenient it is for government services, previously only available in person by visiting local council offices, to be available online and at any time. Yet, while more than a third (34%) of people in the UK used mainly digital services, they still had to use some in-person or phone services not yet available digitally.
While digital engagement has increased during the pandemic, more than a quarter of people (28%) that used mostly digital services still prefer human interaction and are likely to return to in person services when they can.
If local councils and government want the public to benefit from the efficiencies of offering digital services and focus their 'in-person' services on the most digitally excluded, the research highlighted areas where improvements could be made.
While most (90%) people believe security is the same or better than the private sector, more than one in five (22%) people struggle to remember the multiple passwords required. In fact, over half (53%) want a single sign-in process for public sector services.
"The UK Government's National Data strategy deliverables, 'driving better delivery of policy and public services' and 'creating a fairer society for all', hinge on the continual development of digital public services and on more people adopting an online approach for the long-term. With more than 40 million adults engaging with local and national government during lockdown and 18 million people now accessing these services primarily online, experience and inclusivity should be the key focus of government's digital transformation," said Mohit Joshi, President, Infosys.
Inclusion and accessibility
The research revealed an overwhelming expectation that digital services should be a catalyst to increase inclusion. More than four in five people (85%) think public sector digital services should be more inclusive to disabled people, think better access should be given to people in remote areas (86%) and believe that more can be done to appeal to people with low digital skills (83%).
With increasingly ethnically diverse populations, local authorities also face the challenge of offering services in many languages. More than 3 in 5 people (63%) think public sector digital services should be available in more languages. This rises to nearly three quarters (72%) of people born overseas or for whom English is not their native language. Technology has the potential to shrink the digital exclusion gap, providing a greater range of services in multiple languages.
The human experience
Despite people accessing public sector digital services more frequently as a result of lockdown, human interaction is still favoured, whether in council or government offices or over the phone for all ages. What's more, half (51%) of respondents said it was important for their digital experiences to feel human and show empathy.
This is where technology such as chatbots can bridge the human divide. 71% of respondents stated they appreciate a more interactive approach to digital experiences, and technologies such as chatbots that can show empathy through AI could be of great benefit when encouraging more people to use digital services.
"The UK is built on diversity, and this must be reflected in the services and experiences that citizens access. Our research has really shone a spotlight on the importance of streamlining public sector digital experiences online, humanising those experiences, and bridging the digital divide to ensure equitable access for all. In doing so, in-person and human interactions will be more available to the most vulnerable who need them most," concludes Mohit Joshi.
Explore this Infosys research report - What's Next for UK Public Sector Digital Services here.
Methodology
Infosys commissioned independent market research conducted by Pollfish in early 2021, surveying 1,500 UK residents aged 18 and over.
About Infosys Ltd.
Infosys is a global leader in next-generation digital services and consulting. We enable clients in more than 50 countries to navigate their digital transformation. With over four decades of experience in managing the systems and workings of global enterprises, we expertly steer our clients through their digital journey. We do it by enabling the enterprise with an AI-powered core that helps prioritize the execution of change. We also empower the business with agile digital at scale to deliver unprecedented levels of performance and customer delight. Our always-on learning agenda drives their continuous improvement through building and transferring digital skills, expertise, and ideas from our innovation ecosystem.
Visit www.infosys.com to see how Infosys (NSE, BSE, NYSE: INFY) can help your enterprise navigate your next.
Safe Harbor
Certain statements in this release concerning our future growth prospects, financial expectations and plans for navigating the COVID-19 impact on our employees, clients and stakeholders are forward-looking statements intended to qualify for the 'safe harbor' under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, which involve a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in such forward-looking statements. The risks and uncertainties relating to these statements include, but are not limited to, risks and uncertainties regarding COVID-19 and the effects of government and other measures seeking to contain its spread, risks related to an economic downturn or recession in India, the United States and other countries around the world, changes in political, business, and economic conditions, fluctuations in earnings, fluctuations in foreign exchange rates, our ability to manage growth, intense competition in IT services including those factors which may affect our cost advantage, wage increases in India, our ability to attract and retain highly skilled professionals, time and cost overruns on fixed-price, fixed-time frame contracts, client concentration, restrictions on immigration, industry segment concentration, our ability to manage our international operations, reduced demand for technology in our key focus areas, disruptions in telecommunication networks or system failures, our ability to successfully complete and integrate potential acquisitions, liability for damages on our service contracts, the success of the companies in which Infosys has made strategic investments, withdrawal or expiration of governmental fiscal incentives, political instability and regional conflicts, legal restrictions on raising capital or acquiring companies outside India, unauthorized use of our intellectual property and general economic conditions affecting our industry and the outcome of pending litigation and government investigation. Additional risks that could affect our future operating results are more fully described in our United States Securities and Exchange Commission filings including our Annual Report on Form 20-F for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2021. These filings are available at www.sec.gov. Infosys may, from time to time, make additional written and oral forward-looking statements, including statements contained in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission and our reports to shareholders. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statements that may be made from time to time by or on behalf of the Company unless it is required by law.
For more information, please contact:
Dena Tahmasebi
Head of Communications EMEA
Infosys
Dena.Tahmasebi@infosys.com
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