At BusinessUSA, we have found success emulating the private-sector customer experience approach in developing and deploying new technology. Consistency, integrating customer service channels, and meeting the customers where they are have gone a long way in improving the user experience of businesses and entrepreneurs alike. 

Through our multi-channel customer service approach, individuals can access government resources via a web portal, which is our primary customer service channel. Users also can speak directly to an agent by calling our customer contact center, or may submit an online ticket or email and receive a response. 

In addition, the Commerce Department is one of the first federal agencies to pilot the use of online chat to address user needs in real time. We also remain active and available on social media to respond to customer inquiries. Through this seamless integration of several interactive channels, we are able to meet the customers where they feel most comfortable interacting. Our shared knowledge base ensures that no matter where users choose to connect with us, they are receiving consistent information. 

Business-sector sites strive to create a personalized user experience, and we have taken steps in that direction by emulating commercial sites by suggesting similar programs that might be helpful when users search for something specific. For example, if a user searches business.usa.gov for a loan product, after they have clicked on the particular agency product that is of most interest to them, we will provide similar or complementary products and services offered by other agencies in the search results. We also allow users to input their zip code so they can identify the closest federal service providers to their location as well as local training and events of interest. 

Going forward, we hope to aggregate more state and local resources into the federal content on our site to assist businesses with such items as permits and licensing, as well as continue enhancing our mobile experience.  We have seen a 20 percent increase in mobile usage over the past two years and recently launched a new mobile app available on iTunes and Google Play. 

Bottom line: BusinessUSA remains open to learning from the private sector. We want to know how to best assist customers needing service in the federal sphere. 

Has your agency integrated business sector best practices into your federal program activities? How has it affected your customer satisfaction?