Community members across Australia have spoken – they want their local councils to place more value on a customer portal – and now is the perfect time to listen. 

ReadyTech’s Customer Centricity Report 2024, based on surveys of both local governments in Australia and the community members they serve, reveals a clear disconnect between what councils believe are priorities for their communities and what community members actually consider important. 

In particular, the report found that more than two-thirds (69%) of community respondents said their council should invest in an online customer page or portal. In contrast, providing a customer portal was the least valued digital service by local government respondents (8%). 

This presents local councils with an opportunity to recalibrate and align with their communities ahead of the coming financial year. 

“People are becoming accustomed to being able to manage all their interactions with a service provider in the one place. This is a user experience that’s standard in a lot of industries, but not in local government,” said ReadyTech’s Chief Executive of Government and Justice, Daniel Wyner. 

“There is an opportunity for councils to invest in digital services that are valued by customers and that will enable the council to better engage with and serve its community.” 

Local government lags behind 

Local government lags behind many other industries when it comes to delivering a seamless and integrated customer experience. As outlined in KPMG’s The Future of Local Government report, local councils should aim to emulate the customer experience provided in the private sector such as in retail, banking, travel, and beyond.  

These industries have led the way in adopting AI, automation, and omni-channel strategies to create personalised and efficient customer interactions. In contrast, local councils are often still reliant on fragmented and outdated systems, which can result in slow response times, disjointed services, and an overall frustrating experience for residents. 

The Customer Centricity Report (2023) highlighted that more than 50% of local government leaders surveyed don’t think their council engages well with the community via digital and online platforms; and the majority (75%) don’t think they’re succeeding in providing a digital customer-centric approach for their community compared to other councils. 

This was again reflected in the Customer Centricity Report (2024), where community respondents voted the online/customer portal experience was the most in need of improvement. 

Specifically, they flagged that councils needed to provide a customer portal that was personalised rather than generic, with a less clunky design that offers users more information. 

This disconnect, compounded by budget and resource limitations, means councils often struggle to meet the rising expectations of their communities, especially when it comes to providing services through a single, easy-to-use portal.  

Better serve your community with a Customer CX Portal 

A customer portal should feature in every council’s digital transformation plan. It allows local governments to connect with their community, any time, from anywhere, and meet their evolving needs. 

By providing an enhanced service offering, a customer portal can: 

• Empower community self-service 

• Improve data quality, process efficiency and timelines 

• Drive a customer-centric approach 

“Councils need to be proactive about strengthening their digital services to keep pace with community expectations,” Mr Wyner said. 

“There is a significant generational change happening and a large cohort of digital natives are becoming ratepayers and reaching a stage in their lives where they are engaging with their council. 

“Our research showed councils face some challenges in delivering effective digital services, including cost, outdated systems and software, and staffing. This highlights the need for strategy and investment in technology that improves community connections and interactions. 

“The purpose of councils is to serve their communities and investing in digital transformation will enable them to do this better. By providing positive user experiences in areas that matter to customers, councils can create more connected, engaged and satisfied communities.” 

ReadyTech’s Customer Experience Portal is designed to allow councils and government agencies to provide unparalleled community service. With its intuitive design, user-friendly interface, and feature-rich functionality, the portal can allow councils to bridge the gap between themselves and the community they serve.