Summary of recent Service Advisory Committee meetings

Location: Virtual

Presentation on the application for the Canada Disability Benefit (CDB) and deep dive session to seek feedback on the application

Objective: To discuss the accessibility of the CDB application. Discussion included the online portal, written communications, and the automated voice system

Key themes from the discussion

• The importance of understanding your audience and how they complete the benefit application process
• It is important to think about and remove barriers that might make it harder for some people to complete the application. This applies especially for people from different cultures or backgrounds
• Artificial Intelligence and automation can be used to help make the process easier for clients
• All writing should be clear, simple, and easy to understand. This helps support people who may have trouble using certain types of technology or people who may not trust the government or feel ashamed to apply
• The importance of keeping track of feedback regarding the CDB and watching for possible fraud
• The CDB application is praised for its accessible designed. The lessons learned from this process could be applied to other government services

Location: In-Person, Gatineau, Quebec

Objective: Discussing how leveraging technology and networks to empower organization and employees to better serve clients

Morning session: Internal adaptation and adoption to new and emerging technologies

• To discuss how the Department can internally adapt and adopt to new and emerging technologies
• It is important to build a culture of adaptability and ensure that no employees are left behind in the Department's movement towards integrating new technologies into program design and delivery
• There is value in being able to quickly take advantage of connectivity and cross-cutting opportunities
• A Departmental infrastructure centred on the adoption of technology should be created, so that employees have access to hardware, tools, and resources throughout the transformation process

Other key themes

• Investing in technological integration across government levels and service channels: This will make it easier for clients to access services across different levels of government using similar tools. To support this, the creation of a Canada Technology Office is suggested to allow more federal government leadership with these changes
• Providing support for frontline staff through proper communication, and technical training. The importance of finding and supporting strong leaders is emphasized, as well as hiring flexible and positive workers, and getting employees involved as partners when adopting new technology
• Encouraging the use and understanding of new technologies. This could include creating digital services to meet the specific needs of different groups of people or be done by using technology to remove barriers, focusing on open standards and creating plans for the responsible and accessible use of technology

Afternoon Session: Leveraging data and networks to ensure client satisfaction

• To discuss the departmental data foundations and how the Department could focus more on the 360-degree client lens
• Using existing data to its full capacity. Despite competing objectives and constraints, the Department should use existing data and mathematical models to better identify and test potential areas for improvement
• Federal government's role in supporting and safeguarding data. It is important to support individuals in owning their own data as well as safeguard data for those who have limited connectivity or digital literacy
• Collecting data using qualitative and quantitative approaches. There is a need to proactively improve survey methodologies to obtain meaningful feedback. There is also value in considering small datasets as well as establishing feedback loops for continuous improvement
• Federal government's role in the use and socialization of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the broader community. It is important to consider cultural context while training employees on the use of AI as well as in building data and AI models
• Service Canada centres could be used to provide training and support on AI to the public. This approach may allow community members to engage with AI that aligns better with their learning styles and cultural context

Location: Virtual

Facilitating cross-sector collaboration to better engage clients

Objective: Seek Service Advisory Committee (SAC) members' advice on best practices and lessons learned regarding utilising cross-sector collaboration to link or share information, resources, activities for the purpose of jointly achieving outcomes that could not be achieved by the singular actions of an organization or sector

Communication

• It is important to have consistent, regular, and transparent communication to improve service delivery and demonstrate commitment to clients. Even if the information being communicated is not ideal, sharing it will show that service providers are committed to good service delivery
• The Department should use modern communication tools, such as social media and influencers, to build trust, and target specific client groups. Using these tools will help the Department not only reach more people with information about services offerings, but it will also help influencing how the public views the government overall

Exceptions

• It is important to collect data and look more closely at where client needs do not fit within existing rules or other ways of serving clients to better respond to these situations
• The Department should address the root cause of these problems and to provide clients with information on how these issues are being resolved

Client journey analysis

• Data can be used to determine all the stages of a client's journey. Being able to understand a client's background and future needs will help the Department improve services. For example, tools, such as artificial intelligence (AI) and augmented reality, can be used to guide clients and build trust
• There is value in overcoming data silos across organizations as well as maintaining the data diversity and protecting Indigenous data sovereignty
• Grassroot partnerships are important in providing service delivery

Build strong partnerships

• It is important that all partners are aware of their roles and responsibilities. The following qualities are key in developing successful partnerships:
  • being adaptable and open to new developments and ideas
  • contributing to a "culture" of collaboration and co-development of decision points
  • understanding organization specific processes and decision-making speeds

Location: Virtual

Client experience

Objective: Provide an overview of the current Client Experience initiatives underway and seek best practices and lessons learned from Service Advisory Committee members regarding client experience on the different channels of service (in-person, online, and over the phone)

Utilizing data and performance management

• There is a need to gather data on groups struggling to access programs and services, as well as those unlikely to fully move to the use of digital self-service. This information will help the Department take steps to address these individuals' concerns and create the necessary tools and resources to better support clients
• Being able to gather information on how and why clients choose to start their journey around a service - either online, in-person or over the phone - will provide more information on where clients face challenges in their journey
• Vulnerable groups, who already struggle to access services, might be overlooked when measuring the results collected on how services are delivered to clients. For members, it is important that performance measurement - which is a way of identifying if a service is useful or meeting certain milestones - must include methods that capture data about different vulnerable populations, making the collected data completer and more robust

Ensuring accessibility for all

• There is a need to tailor support strategies by client population, including recognizing the importance of in-person support for clients without internet access, digital tools or with low levels of digital literacy
• An individual's sense of trust in government will impact how they connect with services and that clients with lower trust in Government are likely to use in-person services rather than other options such as online or the telephone

Directing focus and solutions to consider

• Numerous steps and range of actors in the service delivery cycle - from development of news ways to deliver services to finalizing and putting a service in place - can complicate the task of making improvements
• A focused approach where client service improvements would be guided by an overarching goal and all actors would focus their efforts on working together to tackle one or two solutions at a time should be developed
• There are various tools that are available that can improve the online client experience, including accessibility features for seniors and those with disabilities. Clients should also be provided with a visual map that shows where they are situated on their service delivery journey, and forms should be easier for clients to find
• Artificial Intelligence (AI) should be used to support clients and call centre staff. For example, AI can be used to help identify clients showing signs of distress so that they can be directed to individuals that are professionally trained in providing crisis response

Location: Virtual

Use of artificial intelligence (AI) in digital service delivery

Objective: Seek Service Advisory Committee (SAC) members' advice on the following elements:

• how to leverage AI for improving service delivery (either through direct service delivery to clients or enabling processing efficiencies) in a constantly changing and evolving technology environment
• risks of using generative AI for government service delivery

Key issues surrounding the accessibility of AI tools

• There are barriers in using AI for service delivery, such as a lack of technological infrastructure in remote communities as well as clients lacking digital tools and/or skills
• Community organizations should be consulted on how to support individuals with disabilities to ensure that new AI tools are accessible for all Canadians

Building trust and providing adequate education resources regarding AI

• Trust in AI can be built by partnering with public broadcasters and community organizations to provide accurate AI information and educational resources
• It is important to build employee knowledge about AI, develop their trust in using it according to Government of Canada guidelines as well as educating staff on some of its drawbacks, such as data biases

Reliability, performance management and feedback mechanisms

• There is a need to maintain service quality and reliability while introducing new tools to support clients during the transition period
• It is important to measure performance as well as a way for clients to provide feedback on AI service delivery, with employees reviewing and assessing each submission

Location: Virtual

Future of Service Canada (Part 2)

Objective: Engage Service Advisory Committee (SAC) members on recent organizational changes and actions taken by Service Canada and provide SAC members with examples of specific service delivery initiatives based on their advice and other service developments.

Partnerships with other federal departments, provinces, territories, the private sector and community organizations

• Lack of trust is one of the main barriers in accessing government services
• Collaboration and partnerships with trusted community organizations are essential to help build that trust. However, it must be recognized that community organizations have limited resources to conduct outreach and referrals to government programs, services and benefits
• Look for opportunities to connect with clients at local fairs or events, including mobile service clinics in remote areas, to promote services, while continuing to build relationships and trust with communities

Removing barriers and biases to provide more inclusive and equitable access

• It is important to have meetings and discussions with clients, especially vulnerable individuals and/or those who are harder to reach, in order to understand their journey and barriers when interacting with government services
• Service delivery interfaces and promotional materials need to be presented in plain and concise language and in a user-friendly format
• Information should also be available in non-official languages, including Indigenous languages

Digital-first and human-centred service channels

• The implementation of a digital-first approach should prioritize clients' needs and not the technology
• When discussing the principle of "digital-first" in service delivery transformation projects, special attention should be paid to the language used. For example, "digital-first" means that all services will be available in a digital format, not that they will only be available online
• It is important to recognize that not every Canadian has access or knowledge of how to use digital resources. For instance, in some remote and rural communities, access to a reliable internet connection is difficult and costly. In-person services must remain available

Trust and communications with the public

• Due to the appointment of the new Chief Client Experience Officer within Service Canada, the Department should consider having performance indicators and service standards to paint a clear picture of what success looks like
• Service Canada should build tools to allow clients to provide feedback at different touchpoints of their service journeys. This could include looking into the possibility of implementing a direct channel of communication with marginalized and underserved populations
• Service Canada should empower its employees to resolve client service issues in a timely and efficient manner

Seeking efficiencies through automation, artificial intelligence and technology

• Technology, particularly artificial intelligence (AI), is quickly evolving, and it is important to ensure that employees have the right skills to implement and work with AI to improve service delivery
• Service Canada should explore possibilities of collaboration with the private sector when implementing new technology or AI
• Mechanisms that can be used to monitor, evaluate, and audit should be in place to mitigate issues related to automation and AI. This could include agents who are ready to respond to issues faced by clients or correct errors caused by technology
• When AI is being used for Service Delivery, it should be used to automate repetitive and administrative tasks and avoid using it for decision making

Location: Virtual

Future of Service Canada (Part 1)

Objective: Discuss the current service landscape, modernization, and service improvements that are emerging as top Government of Canada priorities and seek feedback from Service Advisory Committee (SAC) members on Service Canada's approach to addressing these priorities.

Recognizing and eliminating barriers to service access

• Recognizing and eliminating barriers in access to services is important. Service design and transformation must consider the specific challenges faced by vulnerable, marginalized, and hard-to-reach individuals
• It is important to identify long-standing barriers and biases that certain population groups may experience, such as systemic racism and colonialism. From a service improvement perspective, investments must also be made to reduce these barriers and biases
• Engaging with communities or partner organizations working with vulnerable and hard-to-reach individuals can help get a better understanding of obstacles faced when trying to access services. Obtaining data on barriers can help understanding how to address them when modernizing service delivery
• It is crucial to engage and consult with people with disabilities, from the start of the service transformation process, to ensure that services are accessible and meet the needs of clients
• It is important to prioritize mental health in the context of service transformation. This includes recognizing mental health issues as a barrier to accessing services from the perspective of both clients and front-line staff who interact with them

Service channels, digital tools and service modernization

• It is important to make online services user-friendly and accessible. A key element is the simplification of processes and user interface
• While digital tools and services are likely to play an important part service modernization, equal efforts must be invested in improving in-person services, since some individuals prefer and/or need human interactions in the context of service delivery
• Access to online and phone services need to be more intuitive for clients. When possible, the information should be centralized on one webpage or phone number to make the information easy to find
• Artificial intelligence and automation should be considered as potential tools to make service delivery more efficient and accessible. For example, automation tools could be used to check the status of a benefit application over the phone instead of having clients wait on the phone to speak to an agent
• It is important to engage employees throughout the process when introducing new technology in service delivery

Service delivery partnerships to improve access to service

• Some individuals do not distinguish between different levels of government (municipal, territorial, provincial, and federal). Therefore, Service Canada should engage with other levels of government to deliver integrated services
• Service Canada could work with other departments, such as the Canada Revenue Agency or Transport Canada, to centralize services in one accessible location
• Partnerships with the private sector, such as the banking sector, could be considered to improve the efficiency of service delivery
• Partnering with community organizations and resources such as food banks, schools, or health clinics will help reach out to individuals registering for benefits or other government services

Communications with the public

• It is important to communicate with Canadians to earn their trust and to inform them of ongoing service transformation and modernization initiatives
• For example, communications with the public should include progress made to date and expected next steps while highlighting positive stories related to service delivery issues and initiatives
• Transparency can be increased by providing an overview of application processes and main steps to the public
• Service Canada could work with communities and organizations to communicate with individuals in a way that makes sense for them and that meets them where they are

Location: Virtual

Passports: Lessons learned

Objective: Discuss the initiatives implemented by Service Canada in response to the passport service surge and the long-term vision for improved client service.

Regaining the trust of Canadians

• It is important to regain the public trust following the passport situation. Service Canada should continue to be transparent and take accountability about the situation
• Effective communication with the public is important to regain public trust. Service Canada could use social media and the Service Canada website to inform Canadians about initiatives taken to improve passport services and how Service Canada will move forward
• Service Canada could strive for continuous improvement and continue to seek feedback from Canadians on how it can improve service delivery
• Ensuring the re-build of the Passport Program is client-focused first
• The client's experience should be centralized in every step of the process when rebuilding the passport program. Ensuring extensive and ongoing communication and feedback from clients is crucial for improving service
• Because it is important to ensure people with disabilities are at the centre of design and consulted, Service Canada could look to leverage partnerships with community organizations as a means of extending service delivery
• The application process for a Canadian passport can be onerous for certain people, and it can discourage them from applying. There could be opportunities to review and streamline processes and immigration policies to grant a passport upon obtaining Canadian citizenship or a Social Insurance Number

Digital and automation solutions to consider

• There may be opportunities to automate processes to reduce hand-offs and manual workload, while improving the general process efficiency
• The transition towards digital services could also help reach more individuals, especially those who are using technology on a regular basis
• Service Canada could consider implementing tools for tracking the status of a passport application. This would increase transparency and efficiency on passport application processes and service delivery
• The passport situation demonstrates the importance of strengthening the predictive capacity of service delivery to ensure there are sufficient resources in place during expected peak periods

Potential partnership options

• Service Canada could consider establishing partnerships with the private sector, such as travel agencies or service points where passport pictures are taken. These partners could direct clients to the appropriate resources for the application or timely renewal of passports
• Partnerships could improve access to passport services by increasing the number of service points outside of passport offices and Service Canada Centres
• Partnerships could improve passport service delivery in remote communities
• Using partnerships to improve the efficiency and access to passport services would need to be balanced with the protection of the integrity of the passport system