PORTLAND, OR – October 12, 2023 – A new Springbrook Research Institute national consumer survey found a staggering 98% of over 1000 randomly selected households recommended that local government prioritize the adoption of top-tier user experiences and invest in security. Out of those surveyed, 74% expressed that their interactions with local government websites ranged from somewhat user-unfriendly to not user-friendly at all, with 34% specifically urging government agencies to update and enhance the visual and functional aspects of their online customer portals.

When asked about the technologies that local government should prioritize, billing and payment solutions and AI-powered chatbots emerged as the leading preferences. They were closely followed by citizen portals and online customer service. These choices mirror the discontent among citizens with existing technologies, as evidenced by their demands for enhanced access to account data (46%) and more user-friendly navigation (45%).

The Springbrook survey also revealed that over 65% of all respondents made online payments for utilities, submitted service requests through online channels, and utilized mobile devices for these interactions. This indicates an increase compared to a March 2020 survey published in GovTech, which reported 61% of national consumer households utilizing online services.

A noteworthy contrast emerges when these findings are juxtaposed with a Springbrook Software cybersecurity survey conducted earlier in 2023, which revealed that 34% of municipalities depend on software solutions that are a decade old or older.

“We’ve observed that the standard for consumer interactions has been elevated as the online experience is now benchmarked by tier one technology providers. The era of outdated, cumbersome interfaces is swiftly fading into obsolescence. Both consumers and agencies share apprehensions about the security of their data and the efficiency of their processes, and old software simply cannot provide the level of safety and the extensive benefits that modern cloud solutions offer,” stated Robert Bonavito, CEO of Springbrook Software.

Complete results of this survey will be addressed on a December 6, 2023 Springbrook webinar: National survey analysis on citizen expectations of government agencies: Register here.