President Biden has proposed more than $500 million of spening to improve customer experience across the Federal government in his fiscal year (FY) 2024 budget plan released today.
The investment into customer experience President Biden proposes in his FY 2024 budget plan shows a continued commitment by the Biden-Harris administration to improve customer experience across the Federal government.
During his first year in office, President Biden signed an Executive Order directing a whole-of-government effort to design and deliver an equitable, effective, and accountable Government that delivers results for all Americans. Delivering excellent, equitable, and secure Federal services and customer experience is one of three major priorities in the Office of Management and Budget’s (OMB) Presidential Management Agenda.
The FY 2024 budget blueprint proposes funding to advance efforts to modernize services, reduce administrative burdens, pilot new online tools and technologies, and improve agency capacity to improve service delivery.
Specifically, the proposed budget plan allocates:
- $119 million to support the General Services Administration (GSA) in continuing its work implementing priority programs such as the US Web Design System, Digital Analytics Program, Digital.gov, Search.gov, and Touchpoints/Feedback Analytics.
- $2.7 million for the Transportation Security Agency (TSA) to pilot a Customer Experience Manager model at four airports focused on streamlining passenger screening, easy-to-understand signage, and better collection and review of customer feedback.
- $6.6 million for the Office of Personnel Management to help reduce processing times and improve customer satisfaction, expand a pilot for online retirement applications, and begin to fund additional IT modernization initiatives akin to a case management system.
- $163 million for the Department of State to revamp the delivery of Passport Services so the public can access core services online.
- Investing funds into improving access to Social Security Services – including decreasing customer wait times, simplifying the Supplemental Security Income application processes, and increasing outreach to people who are difficult to reach.
- Investing in the Social Security Administration’s (SSA) effort to modernize its information technology systems to make more services available online and improve 800 Number access for those who call.
- $1 million for the United States Forest Service to pilot increased access to digital maps of Federal lands on Recreation.gov, as part of implementing directives in the Modernizing Access to our Public Land Act.
- $642 million to improve the taxpayer experience and expand customer service outreach to underserved communities and the entire taxpaying public.
Advance Life Experience Pilot Projects
The FY24 budget also proposes providing funding for interagency teams to simplify the process of accessing government services as part of the Life Experience pilot projects.
The Life Experience pilot projects – which the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) announced last week – include nine separate pilots aimed to positively impact the customer experience of the American people during critical moments.
These projects push Federal agencies to leverage technology to help streamline service delivery by the Federal government. Five of OMB’s nine pilot projects include technological provisions – like data and digital solutions – to help customers access what they need from the government seamlessly and efficiently.
Specifically, the funding will support cross-agency, life-experience pilots, including:
- $11 million for the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) – with cross-agency partners like SSA, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Housing and Urban Development, and the GSA – to improve Federal data services for benefits delivery.
- $15 million for the Administration for Children and Families – with partner agencies – to help states streamline access to benefits.
- $9 million for HHS and SSA to jointly pilot efforts to improve the Medicare enrollment experience.
- $40 million to expand the “Healthy Start Benefits Bundle” pilots at the Health Resources and Services Administration to connect low-income families welcoming a new baby with information about a bundle of supportive services through convenient, personalized case management.
Expand, Stand Up Customer Experience
President Biden’s proposal would help Federal agencies build out their capacity to improve customer experience with additional hires targeted for that purpose.
Specifically, the budget proposes the USDA, Homeland Security, Interior, Labor, Treasury, Veterans Affairs, the Small Business Administration, the SSA, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, and Census Bureau hire more than 120 new full-time employees with the customer experience and digital product delivery experience.
According to the White House, these new hires will support cross-agency life experience projects, customer research, and service improvement activities at agencies considered High Impact Service Providers.
