Taxpayers deserve better. That’s the sentiment behind a proposed change in federal law to improve customer service that the U.S. government provides in person, online, and over the phone. The move is proposed by Michigan’s junior U.S. Senator Gary Peters and so far it’s making good progress on its journey toward becoming law.
Sen. Peters released a statement saying the bill was passed by the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, with the support of Democrats and Republicans, and is now headed to the full Senate for consideration. The bill is sponsored by U.S. Senators Gary Peters (D-MI), James Lankford (R-OK), and John Cornyn (R-TX).
“The federal government interacts with millions of taxpayers every day, but these interactions can lead to long wait times and poor customer service experiences,” said Senator Peters. “My commonsense bipartisan legislation will ensure that agencies improve taxpayer satisfaction by implementing private sector best practices like call backs and online services.”
Sen. Peters office says the federal government provides a wide range of critical services, though many agencies can be difficult to navigate. Agencies that have made efforts to prioritize customer experience – including by offering services that limit wait times and hold times – have improved their ability to deliver services for the American people. The Improving Government Services Act would encourage all government agencies to offer a better and more secure experience for taxpayers by adopting customer service best practices from the private sector.
Peters says the Department of Veterans Affairs is one example. After implementing new customer service strategies, such as establishing a single phone number to access benefits and services and new ways for veterans to quickly access information, the VA saw veterans’ trust in the agency rise from 55 percent in 2016 to nearly 80 percent in 2023.
The senator’s legislation would require agencies to develop a written comprehensive strategy to improve customer experience, including a plan to adopt appropriate customer service best practices from the private sector such as online services, telephone call back services, and employee training programs. The bill also requires agencies to plan for long-term customer service improvements – including adoption of the latest technologies that can better serve the public – and to assess which services they can co-locate with other federal services or offer self-service customer experience options.
