When was the last time you tried to get something done at your local, state or federal government agency? Did you look forward to it? Was it easy?
More likely, I bet that you did not look forward to having to deal with the government agency. The thought of trying to work with the government to receive a program benefit, secure a required business license or file an application might be enough to provoke dread – the dread of having to pay a considerable time tax just to get something done.
Paperwork and onerous processes as punishment and deterrent
Government agencies are known for their bureaucracy and red tape. The hidden cost of dealing with countless forms, confusing procedures, lack of customer support and lost files makes citizens angry and leaves customer service employees unhappy.
At some point, the aggravation can become so great – and the requirements so onerous – that many people give up. The result? Government programs and benefits go unused.
Reducing process friction
But there is hope. There’s another way forward in which public sector and government agencies can streamline business processes for citizens and revive underutilized programs. This could apply to many uses, from applying for a passport or obtaining a permit to securing a new business license or driver’s license or submitting planning applications for buildings.
Completing a process requires unstructured content
All of these processes for citizen services are similar. They all need unstructured content as an integral part of the business processes.
Unstructured content is not data or numbers in a field, row or column. Examples of unstructured content include invoices, shipping notes, technical documents, contracts, applications filled in by hand, emails, blueprints, photos or other graphic images.
Government processes are governed by legislation
For example, securing a valid passport requires documentation that is governed by current regulations. That documentation might include a birth certificate, an affidavit, other physical evidence of citizenship, a Consular Report of Birth Abroad or a Certificate of Naturalization, along with proper passport photos.
In some countries, you might also need to submit biometric identifiers such as fingerprints, voiceprints or eye scans.
The need to protect citizen information
All of this unstructured content from citizens must be properly secured, managed and governed. It also needs to be available in a workspace that’s accessible to the government personnel who must handle or process this information.
Security protections for citizens’ documents and content must comply with evolving data protection laws, such as the GDPR laws in Europe, privacy protection laws in the United States and data privacy laws in Asia.
For happier citizens, eliminate the time tax and streamline processes
OpenText™ can help your government agency become more effective and make it easier for citizens to take advantage of your programs and benefits. Learn how OpenText can protect content and automate processes by integrating unstructured content with government processes to increase citizen satisfaction.
