Transcription
Customer Experience ServicesEvaluation and Buying GuideCXOFFICE OFCustomerExperienceVersion 1.0 April 2020
GSA Office of Customer ExperienceCustomer-first mindsetThe Federal Government is transforming how agencies improveservice delivery by putting people at the center of those efforts.A new paradigm for this movement is considering the publicas customers. Some agencies are developing how they dobusiness to intentionally take on a customer-first mindset. Inaddition, new agendas and policies require agencies to measureand improve customer experience (CX). You may represent anagency that is already meeting those requirements and have athorough understanding of your customers’ journeys and needs.Alternatively, your agency may be just getting started, or youmay simply be curious about the topic. This guide should beinformative for all of these entry points.Many businesses provide services that they claim are used tounderstand customer experiences and improve them. Some ofthese claims are reliable and some may not be. The purposeof this guide is to give evaluation recommendations to representatives of federal agencies as they shop amongst thoseproviders. We provide a dual lens of what to seek and whatto be cautious of. The guide orients to leading practices inindustry and government, and the Office of Management andBudget’s (OMB) annual budget guidance as context for seekingHuman-centered Design (HCD) services to understand andimprove customer experience.2Customer Experience Services Evaluation and Buying Guide Version 1.0
GSA Office of Customer ExperienceCustomer Experience Services Evaluation and Buying Guide Version 1.0CX in governmentA note on the termʻcustomerʼYou may be new to CX. If so,welcome. The word customerin CX implies a businesstransaction, which it can be.However, your customer maybe a different stakeholder, aperson for whom you’re seekingto design a better experiencethat is not transactional. Thisperson may be an employee ormember of the general public.It’s important to be clear aboutwhich customer segment youʼresupporting at a given time.Customer Experience is an individual’s perception of theircollective interactions with an organization or a brand. It’s nota new concept. As long as people have purchased goods orhired services, businesses and providers have sought to deliverquality experiences. Today, in the private sector, the mostsuccessful brands are highly attuned to customer needs andintentionally design experiences to meet and exceed thoseneeds. The Federal Government is taking the cue. Agencies arelooking differently at the public they serve. There is renewed attention on what people need from federal services. Furthermore,agencies are showing a commitment to identify service painpoints so they can improve them for the customer.The business of the Federal Government is to serve the Americanpeople.1 The President’s Management Agenda (PMA) is theOffice of Management and Budget’s plan for how the government should transform to deliver on this promise. One of the goalsof the PMA is to provide a modern, streamlined, and responsivecustomer experience across government that is comparableto leading private-sector organizations. The PMA identified 25High-Impact Service Providers (HISPs) who have numerous andkey interactions with taxpayers. These HISPs were tasked to createa CX plan for their program and strategize the best ways to helptheir customers. OMB, in its annual budget guidance, definedwhat is required of agencies in a new section titled: “ManagingCustomer Experience and Improving Service agement/pma/Office of Management and Budget, Circular A-11, Section 2018/06/s280.pdfThere is a lot to interpret and understand in order to act onit. Many of the HISPs were new to CX and recognized a needfor support in order to meet requirements. But there was noguidebook on how to do it. Agencies new to CX have askedfundamental questions, such as: Who are our key customers in the CX framework? Which services or interactions should we focus on? What can and should we try to do in-house versus hiringstaff or contractors to help with? What qualifications, skills, and experience are we looking for? What will they do when they get here? Where do we start?As federal agencies mature in their CX practices, the followingCX Roadmap offers an overview and guidance on what agenciesshould consider as they buy CX services. This guide also providesmore specific guidance around the procurement of HCD services,questions to ask, and other factors to look out for when reviewingvendor submissions.
GSA Office of Customer ExperienceCustomer Experience Services Evaluation and Buying Guide Version 1.0CX RoadmapFocus will concentrate momentum. Workwith leaders and existing data to identifyan agreed-upon pain point, then leveragecontracts to bring speed and expertise tosolve it.Identify your needsand ask for help.Start with an inspiringvision for change.Focus on a persistentcustomer need.Find the people within and outside theorganization whom you can partner with.The CX Cross Agency Priority Goal teamand other agency CX professionals canhelp guide you through this process.Look forward and think of the story youwant to tell others after the initial prioritywork is done. Then look backward andbuild a plan to realize that vision.Think about how you will measurethe impact of your CX efforts.What is youragency’s CXpriority?AGENCYPRIORITYPhase 1Identify & Define Needs4What projectshould youprioritize now?PROJECTPRIORITIESStart talking to customers to ensure thatyou’re solving the right problems for theright people.Share your insights relentlessly withcustomers. Always keep them in the loopand they will be your biggest advocates.Engage stakeholders as partners andco-creators versus clients or direct reports.Stretch beyond the status quo. Envisionwhat this service could look like in 5 yearsand aim to do that in 1 year.PhasesShare your researchin the open.Integrate periodic briefings to internalleaders within contracting agreementsto share insights, choose pilots, anddemonstrate results.Shape contractor relationships so theybuild the capacity of your program andagency (e.g., processes, training, templates,hiring guidance) while solving CX challenges.How shouldyou engagewith vendors?REQUIREMENTSPhase 2Explore & Set StrategyWho should youselect to help dothe work?How can you getwhat you needfrom the contract?CONTRACTADMINISTRATIONCONTRACTPhase 3Implement & Track1ASet CX vision and goals2AEvaluate options to address needs3AExecute strategy1BAssess support needs using the five maturitydomains from OMB’s Circular A11, Section 2802BSelect best path forward3BTrack progress and adjust as necessary1CPrioritize and define needs2CBuild a strategy3CCapture lessons learned
GSA Office of Customer ExperiencePhase 1Identify & Define Needs1A1BSet CX vision and goalsCustomer Experience Services Evaluation and Buying Guide Version 1.0Phase 2Explore & Set Strategy2AEvaluate options to address needsStart by creating an aspirational description of thecustomer experience that your organization wantsto provide.Consider the options for taking on priority projectsand advancing the CX maturity of your organization.Key questions for you to ask: How might we leverage existing resources? What are our options (beyond the existingresources)? For each option, what are the pros and cons,and what kind of return on investment mightwe expect? What does great CX look like for our organization? What are the biggest CX challenges that wewant to focus on? What should our goals be to meet thosechallenges; how will we measure progress?Assess support needs using thefive A-11 domains2BSelect the best path forwardAfter taking a hard look at each option, recommendyour best path forward to decision makers. Have you engaged with key stakeholders inevaluating your options and selecting yourbest path forward?1CWhat projects should we take on to addressour biggest challenges and advance our CXmaturity? What is the estimated cost and level of effortto implement your recommendations? What are the expected benefits of yourselected option?What are the CX capacity and skill gaps that weneed to fill to effectively take on those keyprojects and advance our CX maturity?Prioritize and define needsConsider how your CX vision and goals align withthose of your agency and leadership priorities.Key questions for you to ask:5 What are the projects that we should focuson first? What resources will we need to take on ourpriority projects? How might we best describe those resourceneeds?2CExecute strategyEnsure that you have the in-house CX skills andcapacity needed to effectively execute youracquisition strategy. Consider partnering withother federal CX professionals.Key questions for you to ask:3B Is there a pool of strong CX services vendors,vetted via market research or other means? Are all of the key ingredients for a solidacquisition in place (timeline, funds, PerformanceWork Statement (PWS)/Statement of Objectives(SOO), Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan(QASP), source selection plan, etc.)?Track progress and adjust asnecessaryAs you onboard a CX services contractor, you’llwant to communicate expectations and how youwill partner to take on priority projects andadvance the CX maturity of your organization.Key questions for you to ask:Key questions for you to ask: 3AKey questions for you to ask:Determine your greatest CX support needs. Frameyour assessment around the A-11 CX maturitydomains: Measurement, Governance, Organization& Culture, Customer Research, Service Design. Phase 3Implement & TrackKey questions for you to ask: Do you have a contract administration plan? Do you have a consistent cadence ofcommunications and progress reportingactivities in place? Have you engaged with all key stakeholdersalong the way and do you have a process inplace to gather their feedback?Build a strategyCircle back to Phase 1 and create a strategy thatlinks your selected path with the vision, goals, andneeds that you defined. Your partnership withacquisition staff is crucial at this stage.3CCapture lessons learnedKey questions for you to ask:As you learn what works/does not work, you’llwant to capture those lessons. This is key tocontinuously improving your CX program. What work should remain in-house vs. whatshould be contracted?Key questions for you to ask: For contracted work, what is your acquisitionstrategy? How will you measure success? Do we have a consistent process in placefor capturing and sharing lessons learned? Is our CX program improving based onlessons learned?
GSA Office of Customer ExperienceCustomer Experience Services Evaluation and Buying Guide Version 1.0Principles for evaluating Evaluation criteria ofCX service providersindustry partners5 CX principlesThe firms which you considershould be able to address eachof these principles in their casestudies and responses.1. Start with empathyfor the customer2. Use HCD practices tounderstand customerjourneys and needs3. Involve customers in servicedesign improvements4. Create, test, and refineideas and solutions5. Measure efforts againstoutcomes that point totangible improvementsin customer experienceThe rise in attention on CX in government has brought aninflux of articles, reports, books, and guides, which vary inemphasis and orientation. Most include putting the customerat the center of service evaluation and improvement. For thisguide, we’ve surfaced five CX principles pertinent to evaluatingservice providers.The evaluation criteria shared in this guide is synthesized from108 responses to a Request for Information (RFI) completedby businesses on their capabilities to provide HCD servicesin the context of CX. GSA’s Office of Customer Experience(OCE) initiated the RFI, reviewed the responses, and authoredthis guide. If you’re more interested in the RFI and how OCEconducted the study, please skip to page 9.If you’re new to this approach, you may wonder what Humancentered Design has to do with customer experience. HCD is amethod that service providers use to understand real customerneeds and to design or improve service delivery based on thatunderstanding. A firm may not use the term HCD; however, CXwork will always center on the customer from start to finish.What to seek A clear description of the firm’s Human-centered Designmethodology and how it has been applied in practice (seecase study reference below) Fluency in applying customer experience principles andpractices At least one in-depth case study that includes: A clear focus on a customer experience project A description of the firm’s role, the scope of their work,and how they worked with the client and customers The activities taken to understand customer needs andchallenges across touchpoints An explanation for how the firm and client focused onthe domain for the project. Did the client hire the firmto execute tasks or to help frame the problem to besolved? A description of the solution and how they arrived at it Artifacts from the project, such as research materials,maps, diagrams, or prototypes A summary of the impact that the firm had on helping theclient achieve customer-centered outcomes Relevant examples, details, and artifacts which demonstratean understanding of all five OMB Circular A11, Section 280domains (Measurement, Governance and Strategy, Cultureand Organization, Customer Research, and Service Design)6
GSA Office of Customer ExperienceShortlist ofresponsibilitiesSample evaluation criteriafor full-time staff or contractsupport: Lead and manage complexprojects from discovery anddesign to technical development and implementation Utilize HCD methods, tools,and approaches, such as:design thinking, servicedesign, content design,product design, behavioralscience, ethnographicresearch, usability research,or accessibility assessment Develop research plans withan understanding of howdisparate systems functionand change over time withmultiple user groups Execute research that helpsprograms better understandstakeholder needs to informimprovements to products,services, policies, andprocesses Produce user needs specs. &experience goals, personas,journey maps, storyboards,scenarios, flowcharts, anddesign prototypes Make findings relevant andimpactful for design andaction through a variety offormats such as insights,stories, videos, experiencesand exhibits Design product and serviceideas with low and high fidelitymockups using methods likesketching, wireframing, and/or prototyping Plan, manage, and executeon an idea from concept tolaunch to meet key milestonesand real customer needs7Customer Experience Services Evaluation and Buying Guide Version 1.0What to seek (continued)What to be cautious of Appropriate tools and approaches have been utilized forspecific needs (e.g., personas for customer segmentation) Lack of specificity and quality of the response overall,such as generic sales pitches Applied customer insights and evidence to set strategicdesign direction for projects Long list of certifications that are not relevant toyour requirements Expertise using a variety of quantitative and qualitativecustomer feedback collection methods and tools Heavy on methods, services, and details about the firmwhile lightly covering case study details Approach and examples of the firm collaborating withclients throughout projects, including evidence of teachingor training on HCD methods Emphasis on the design and deployment of complextechnology solutions; may look like narrow focus on digitaltools or touchpoints Experience working with multiple stakeholders across adelivery system and organization chart Lack of understanding of the differences between HCD,Agile, and Lean methodologies. For example, a vendormay describe a client project that followed the steps ofan Agile development process as a sample of their HCDexperience. Moreover, scout for businesses that deliberately mislabel or mischaracterize work to fit RFI criteria Quality design artifacts including: journey maps, serviceblueprints, personas, prototypes, wireframes, data visualizations, and customer stories. Don’t be afraid to ask forthese and other relevant examples in your engagementswith industry Experience and/or familiarity working with systems,processes, policies, and regulations Ability to work efficiently and effectively moving throughHCD processes Work that spans and integrates multiple channels (e.g.,website or kiosk) and touchpoints (e.g. login or call forsupport) to improve CX Competent project management including: scoping,planning, staffing, using the right methods, meetingmilestones, evaluation, reporting accomplishments,and staying on budget Pitching a pre-packaged solution vs. a tailored approachthat is based on client’s real customer needs Insufficient explanation of root cause analysis, customerunderstanding, and problem/opportunity framing Lack of relevant experience, examples, or evidence todemonstrate fluency with subject matter or ability toperform HCD work in service of CX projects Within a case study or project, there is no clear indicationof how the firm’s work has contributed to a measurableoutcome Length of HCD projects: they typically are short term(weeks to months). Be skeptical of open-ended maintenance projects that last for years, without defined goals Lack of demonstrated competence in assessing andmeasuring customer experience
GSA Office of Customer ExperienceQuestions for framingCX efforts and HCDservices acquisitionIn building a plan for acquiring HCD support services, thereare a number of questions you’ll want to address, such as: What support services do you need, e.g., initial discoveryresearch, customer journey mapping, service design,establishing CX measures, CX capacity building? Are there specific CX challenges and opportunities thatyou want to take on? How might you leverage existing resources? What are your options (beyond working with the existingresources)? Have you engaged with key stakeholders in evaluatingyour options? What is the estimated cost/level of effort and benefitsfor each option? What work should remain in-house vs. what shouldbe contracted? How will you measure success?8Customer Experience Services Evaluation and Buying Guide Version 1.0How might you engagewith vendorsIn an effort to improve awareness of how to engage withvendors, the White House published business strategiesfor departments and agencies to use. Visit this link to learnmore about great ways to engage the vendor e-Business-Practices.pdfOnce you have an acquisition plan to fulfill your HCD serviceneeds, there are a number of ways to procure those services.GSA offers acquisition vehicles. Visit this site for more information: es/professional-servicesWe also advise partnering with your agency’s procurementservices organization to explore your options for procuringHCD services.Reference the Periodic Table of Acquisition Innovation:https://www.fai.gov/periodic-table/
GSA Office of Customer ExperienceThe RFIWhat is an RFI ingovernment?A Request for Information (RFI) isa step in a procurement processthat allows the government togather information from serviceproviders and stakeholdersto define the goals toward adesired result. This is a collaborative step, one that createsa shared vision for successand leads to a more effectiveRequest for human-services-contracting/GSA’s Office of Customer Experience (OCE) is the first agency-wideorganization to focus solely on improving customer experienceand fostering a customer-first mentality. The team assistedwith many CX efforts under the PMA. In seeing that manyHISPs don’t have in-house expertise to perform HCD methods,OCE wanted to make it easier for them to find partners outsideof the government. OCE sent a Request for Information (RFI) toindustry using GSA’s Market Research as a Service. The intentof the RFI was to provide HISPs and the rest of the governmenta base from which to start their search for partnerships.The RFI asked firms to provide the following information:discovery to design to measurement. The RFI required themto submit one to three examples and to limit their submissionto three pages. Of note for the reader, the following dataincludes vendors who currently offer HCD and CX servicesthrough GSA contracts and some who currently do not.Data on RFI responsesOCE received a total of 108 submissions. The following arethe small-business designations: 74 identifying as small-business 11 8(a) 10 Woman Owned Small Business (WOSB) 8 Small Disadvantaged Business Currently held government contracts 6 HubZone Business size 6 Woman-Owned Business Socio-economic category 4 Economically Disadvantaged WOSB NAICS codeThe RFI also asked respondents to answer questions onwhether they had relevant experience providing certain typesof services listed in the five domains of OMB’s Circular A11,Section 280, Managing Customer Experience and ImprovingService Delivery: Measurement9Customer Experience Services Evaluation and Buying Guide Version 1.0 6 Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned 4 Veteran Owned Small BusinessHere are the number of respondents who heldgovernment contracts through GSA: 76 Schedule 70 40 00CORP Governance 14 Stars 2 Customer Research 10 Alliant 2 Organization & Culture 11 OASIS Unrestricted Service Design 1 OASIS Small BusinessLastly, the RFI asked respondents to share a CX projectwith a medium to large client that spans the full-range from 34 Other GSA Contracts 8 No GSA contract
GSA Office of Customer ExperienceCustomer Experience Services Evaluation and Buying Guide Version 1.0Where to go foradditional informationThere are great resources available to federal agencieslooking to advance CX and HCD at their organizations. Hereare a selection sources that we recommend learning from: The CX Cross-Agency Priority Goal: https://www.performance.gov/CAP/cx/ The Lab at the Office Of Personnel Management: https://lab.opm.gov/ The GSA OCE: f-customer-experience The GSA CX Center of Excellence: https://coe.gsa.gov/coe/customer-experience.html The U.S. Digital Service: https://www.usds.gov/ Defense Digital Service https://dds.mil/ 18F https://18f.gsa.gov/, https://methods.18f.gov/ Veterans Experience Office https://www.va.gov/ve/ Digital.gov’s Customer Experience Toolkit toolkit/ Paperwork Reduction Act: https://pra.digital.govThis is the first version of this guide. You may have questionsor concerns that are not addressed here. We welcome yourfeedback and comments to inform future versions.Please let us know what you think of this. We want to makethis valuable for any federal employee trying to make a bettercitizen experience. If you have any questions or comments,please email CustomerExperience@gsa.gov10V E TE RANSEXPE RIENCEOFFICEOFFICE OFCustomerExperience
.: IJe of Customer _WerienJe Customer Experience ervices Evaluation and Buying Guide ersion 1.0 2 Customer-first mindset The Federal Government is transforming how agencies improve service delivery by putting people at the center of those efforts. A new paradigm
