Omnichannel management, presentation given by Willem Pieterson. SIGMA Webinar series on service design and delivery in the Western Balkan region in 2023. Topic 3: Omni and Multi-channel service design and delivery.

1. Introduction & Casus NL
Omnichannel Management 2023

2. Intro
2

3. Customer Government
Channels
The medium between citizens and governments
3

4. 4
What is Channel Management?
Channel management is the design, deployment, coordination, monitoring
and improvement of the channels through which public organizations and
their customers interact.
Based on: Klievink, Janssen, Pieterson & Felt (2008); Pieterson & Van Dijk (2006)

5. What is channel management?
5
Different approaches
 Pieterson (2017)

6. With omni-channeling, the organization no longer focuses on the
management of channels independently, but shifts focus towards
the holistic interplay of all channels. By bringing channels together,
designing them smartly and integrating them tightly, we realize a
better, more seamless and inclusive customer journey (Pieterson & Boucetta,
2020)
Omnichannel Management
A definition
6

7. Omnichannel Management
The Dutch case
Programme Omnichannel 2019 - 2024
Community Components
Generic Proactive Services
7
• Early internet adopter + high levels of digital skills
• Demand from citizens for new public sector channels
• Long history of channel management research and development
• e.g. channels in balance (see kanaleninbalans.nl)
• Fragmented nature of government
• Necessitates investments in channel management (efficiency, effectiveness)
Concept

8. Zakia Boucetta
8
Project Manager Omnichannel / Generic Proactive Services
Zakia Boucetta zakia.boucetta@vng.nl

9. Association of Dutch Municipalities 5 december 2023
Presentation Proactive Services
Omnichannel

10. Why proactive and transparent services

11. MyCases, Track&Trace proactive and transparant
government services
“MyCases is a user-friendly
service that informs
residents, entrepreneurs
and civil servants in a clear
and simple manner about
the status of their product or
service requests.”
Residents desire proactive
services, immediate answers
and transparency about
their status information.
MyCases

12. ‘This is how I’d like to
be updated by the
municipality'
“Exactly what I expect
from the municipality”
“Nice, I can check at
any time of the day
what the process is.
It gives me peace of
mind”
User research case MijnZaken Den Haag, juni 2022
https://github.com/nl-design-
system/utrecht/blob/main/documentation/website/gebruikersonderzoek/research_0022.md

13. In progress
Completed
Application date
Registered
Accepted
Main statuses
Interface shows phases
based on Case Management
Application Programming
Interfaces (API) types, for
example:
✓ Registered
✓ Accepted
✓ In progress
✓ Completed
Design criteria interface MyCases | 2022
Documents delivered by
citizen and/or municipality

14. Programme Omnichannel | Generic Services
3 projects: MyCases, Collaborative portals and WMEBV
Program
MyCases

15. MyCases

16. MyCases, Track & Trace services for proactive
services
The power of organizing together!
Do you want to stay updated?
Zakia Boucetta zakia.boucetta@vng.nl
For more information go to:
www.vng.nl/mijnzaken
www.mijnoverheid.nl
Thank you. Questions?

17. The long and complicated history
17

18. Customer Government
Channels
The context of channels and interaction
How people use channels
[channel behaviors]
How governments
manage channels
[channel management]
The changes in the
channel landscape
18

19. 19
The channel landscape

20. More and more channels
Pieterson, Ebbers & Madsen (2017)
The channel landscape
20

21. The channel landscape
21
And more and more permutations
chat

22. The channel landscape
And changing channels
22

23. 23
Channel Initiatives in LAC PES
The channel landscape
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Already in place Planning to introduce this in production Planning an experiment or pilot No plans

24. 24
Channel behaviors

25. 25
Channel Behaviors
Shifts in channel choices & preferences
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
35%
40%
45%
2008 2017
Preferred channels (NL)
Channel behaviors in general are shifting
towards the online channels in those
countries with:
a) mature internet infrastructures
b) mature online offerings
c) Some nudging & help
Pieterson & Ebbers (2020) 

26. Channel behaviors
26
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
In Person Telephone Website E-mail Other
2008 2017
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
In Person Telephone Website E-mail Other
2008 2017
simple tasks complex tasks
To a large extent differences in channel choices for different tasks and situations persist.
Pieterson & Ebbers (2020)

27. Channel behaviors
• So, channel preferences and uses are shifting towards online channels
• But:
• The shift is incomplete. A range of channels is (still) needed in most countries to service
all citizens in all situations.
• Furthermore, different people have different perceptions, preferences and behaviors.
• Channel behaviors in general are complicated and often multiplex across channels,
services, layers and organizations.
• Thus: fragmentation is key.
Conclusions
27

28. 28
Channel management

29. Channel management
29
The good old days
Traditional
Simple lives before the 1990s
Pieterson, Ebbers & Madsen (2017)
Single
Channel
Channel Strategies
The Channel Landscape

30. Channel management
30
More and more channels
Electronic
Traditional
New channels arrive. The dot.com boom happens and there’s loads of excitement about
new technologies.
Pieterson, Ebbers & Madsen (2017)

31. The hype
Electronic services are efficient for the
organizations (fewer citizens coming to
counters), effective (citizens’ effort
requirements decrease, since they do not have
to travel and it is possible to customize services)
and citizen friendly (no more constraints in time
and place)[translated] (Programmabureau Overheidsloket
2000, 2000).
“Within the next five years the internet will
transform not only the way in which most
public services are delivered, but also the
fundamental relationship between government
and citizen. After e-commerce and e-business,
the next internet revolution will be e-
government”(Symonds, 2000, p. s3).
Replacement strategy
31

32. After the hype
Ontwikkelingen kanaalgebruik Belastingdienst
0
5000
10000
15000
20000
25000
30000
35000
40000
45000
2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007
Balie
Telefoon
Website
Totaal
Developments channel use Dutch Tax & Customs
Administration
Total
Website
Telephone
Front Desk
32

33. After the hype
(Perceived) channel choices for products / services (2009)
Written
Website
Telephone
Front Desk
E-mail
33

34. Channel management
A supplemental
strategy implies that
different channels are
positioned to be used
for different purposes.
But there are
challenges..
34
Evolving approaches
 Pieterson (2017)
Multi
Channel

35. 60% 59%
52%
41% 40% 40%
23%
25%
23%
21%
31%
27%
20%
61%
45%
23%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
What percentage of citizens has encountered the following problems?
No clear
answer
Can’t find
info
Info
unclear
Info hard
to under-
stand
Can’t find
forms
Can’t find
contact
info
Require-
ments
unclear
Missed
message
GBT in BB
No
response
Missed
message
my portal
Can’t
complete
report
Can’t do
appli-
cation
Can’t
make
appoint-
ment
Not
knowing
where to
be
Got lost Can’t
login
Communication services
Information services Transaction services Navigation / UI
(n=736)
Channel management
Problems with channels
Ebbers & Pieterson (2018) 35

36. Channel management
High channel volumes about status questions
36

37. Channel management
Multiplexity
citizens choose and use a combination of channels sequentially or in parallel in what could be considered one
service delivery contact (Madsen, Hofmann & Pieterson,2019).
Multiplexity
37

38. Of all citizens will
look for help (mostly
telephone) when
they get stuck
25% €8-10
Average cost
telephone customer
contact
Problems with channels
Also see:
• Why do they keep calling? (Madsen, 2016)
• Channel multiplexity (Madsen, Hofmann, Pieterson, 2019)
Channel management
38

39. Channel management
39
Approaches

40. More and more channels
Pieterson, Ebbers & Madsen (2017)
Channel management
40

41. 41
Key issues
Channel management
• More channels equals more costs (Wirtz & Langer, 2017).
• More channels equal more channel management challenges (e.g. referrals)
• More channels lead to more organizational challenges:

42. 42
Obstacles
Organization
-2 -1 0 1 2
Lack of integrated processes
Lack of (fin) resources
Legacy systems
Siloing
Insufficient digital skills
Lack of customer insights
Lack of knowledge current tech
lack of knowledge future tech
Resistance towards digitalization
Lack of data
Lack of future proof channel strategy
Lack of vision/strategy
Insufficient leadership
Customer resistance
Unimportant
obstacle
Important
obstacle
Unimportant Neutral Important
EU
LAC

43. Omnichannel management
43
Different approaches
 Pieterson (2017)

44. Omnichannel Management
Definitions of omnichanneling from the marketing literature:
• “an integrated sales experience that melds the advantages of physical stores with the information-
rich experience of online shopping” (Rigby, 2011, p. 65) .
• “a unified approach that manages channels as intermingled touch points to allow consumers to
have a seamless experience within an ecosystem” (Shen et al., 2018)
• “synergetic management of the numerous available channels and customer touch points in such a
way that the customer experience across channels and the performance over channels is
optimized” (Verhoef et al., 2015, p. 176).
• “a truly integrated approach across the whole retail operation that delivers a seamless response to
the consumer experience through all available shopping channels, whether it be on mobile internet
devices, computers, in stores, on television and in catalogues” (Saghiri et al. 2017)
• “a capability that enables organizations to deliver consistent and personalized customer messages
across multiple channels.” (Minkara, 2017, p.3)
What is omnichannel management?
44

45. “Omni-channel management is the holistic management of all
available service channels in which all channels are fully integrated
and allow the seamless delivery of all services to all segments of the
population”
(Pieterson, Madsen & Ebbers, 2022)
Omnichannel Management
A definition
45

46. Omnichannel Management
Pieterson & Madsen (2023, under review)
What is omnichannel management?
Channel
1
Channel
2
Channel
3
Channel
4
2. Seamless customer journey
1. Synchronised content & data
3. Converged channel characteristics
4. Integration of channel and service delivery management
5.
Continuous
feedback
and
learning
46

47. The Dutch case
47

48. Many of these contacts go well, for example due
to the ease of use of digital channels.
However, not all is well:
• Customers being sent from pillar to post
(Ombudsman, 2020)
• People who are falling behind in digitalisation
because of lack of bureaucratic and/or digital
skills (o.m. WRR, 2017)
• Customers who get stuck in their customer
journey and have multiple, unnecessary
contacts (o.m. MinBZK 2019)
• Customer dissatisfaction about lack of
freedom in channel options and degrees to
which service delivery is personal and simple
(Ombudsman, 2016; Pieterson, 2019)
Annual contacts
between citizens &
governments (in the
Netherlands)
29
* we use the term “customer” as an umbrella for citizens, business, etc. in all their roles and
relations with governments 48

49. Omnichannel Management
The Dutch case
Centra-
lised
De-
centra-
lised
Denmark
Netherlands
Approach to service delivery
UK
• Need to invest in connections between channels/services/organisations
• Rather than bundling them (e.g. Gov.uk / Borger.dk)
• Driver to invest in channel management approaches
• Many issues in service delivery…
49

50. Omnichannel Management
50
The Dutch case
Organization A Joint Ch. Organization B
National portals
Support
Search engine / Ext. entry

51. 51
Approximately 18.000 government websites (and many many more domains).
Omnichannel Management
The Dutch case

52. Omnichannel Management
The Dutch case
Programme Omnichannel 2019 - 2024
Concept Community Components
Generic Proactive Services
• Government expert
group
• External experts
• Toolkit
• Webinars
• Community
• Management &
support
• Inspiration & know-
ledge sessions
• Larger events
• Group of agencies
• Team body
municipalities (VNG) +
experts (e.g. Logius)
• Tech. (e.g. repos,
architecture)
• Lessons / experiences
52

53. The goals
Value-driven work agenda of the Dutch Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations
Value-driven work
agenda:
✓ Proactive and organized from
the perspective of citizens and
entrepreneurs
✓ User-friendly, understandable,
transparent and accessible to
everyone
✓ Digital where possible, with
always an alternative for those
who cannot or do not want to go
digital
✓ Customized where necessary, if
people are (temporarily) unable
to come along
✓ In cohesion as one government,
supported by broadly applicable
GDI building blocks
Association of Dutch
Municipalities:
As municipalities, we want to work
people-oriented, inclusive,
transparent, flexible, fast and safely.
We are always dealing with new
social issues. In order to act faster
and more innovatively, the information
science vision Common Ground has
been drawn up, which provides
direction for a common basis for
information provision.
Generic Digital Infrastructure
(GDI):
The social task is central: improving
services to citizens and entrepreneurs.
Citizens and entrepreneurs must
experience that different governments
and organizations with a public task
are increasingly working together as
one government.
53

54. Concept
From framework to building blocks (expert group)
Omnichannel
Deployment
Design
Management
Steering
Feedback
&
learning
Channel strategy
Channel
1
Channel
2
Channel
3
Channel
4
2. Seamless customer journey
1. Synchronised content & data
3. Converged channel characteristics
4. Integration of channel and service delivery management
5.
Continuous
feedback
and
learning
54

55. Components / Generic proactive services
Collaborating as one government for proactive and transparent service delivery
- product, channel, and organization-independent.
All government organizations can participate!"
One government appearance interface services -
based on shareable components and interaction
patterns and compliant with legal requirements (digital
accessibility, Privacy & security, etc.)
Front-end
Government NL API’s
One government standard language for data exchange
based on Common Ground; data at the source – one truth
and the sharing of Application Programming Interfaces
(APIs):
Case Management API
Customer interaction API (In development)
Back-end
MyCases
Working on synchronised content & data / Channel design & Channel management
55

56. Community
• Share experiences, ideas and build connections to collaborate (as one
government)
• Monthly meetings:
• ‘Peek at the Neighbours’ (getting ideas, being up-to-date)
• Knowledge sharing sessions (sharing experiences and building (common) knowledge)
• >300 members from all layers of government (and growing)
• Online platform to ask questions, share ideas, etc.
• Synergies with other elements:
• Concept → funnel into expert group and testing of ideas
• Components → Collaboration and sharing of experiences
Sharing, inspiring, collaborating
56

57. The Dutch case
• Development in all three areas
• Go/no-go in mid 2024
• Continue
• Scale
• Stop
• Experiences positive, but..
• Very much work in progress
• Hard data and valid summative evaluations lacking
Plans & the future
57

58. Wrap up
58

59. Omnichannel management
Work towards a holistic omnichannel strategy
• Serving all customers using an appropriate set of channels for all services
• Set clear goals and KPIs based on a clear mission/vision/strategy
The wrap-up | strategy
Don’t tread channel management as a stand-alone topic
• Links with service delivery, organization and whole of government
• Embed channel management into overall mission/vision/strategy
Learning as foundational element
• The only way to achieve goals is to learn in a quickly evolving environment
• Create robust data infrastructure and research programmes
Build critical stakeholder support
• Channel management is a peoples’ business
• Involve leadership, staff and customers
59

60. Omnichannel management
Common content
• Start collaborating across channels to create common content & agendas
• Work towards unified content systems & tailor content to channels from a common core
The wrap-up | practical
Analyse common customer journeys
• Collect customer data across channels
• ASK customers and listen to their complaints
Consider your core set of channels
• More channels ≠ better
• Work with experts to analyze coverage and decide upon relevant set
Break through silos
• Collaborate across channels to unify beyond content (e.g. satisfaction metrics)
• Collaborate across processes, functional units and organizational boundaries
60

61. Introduction & CasusNL
Omnichannel Management 2023
Dr. Willem Pieterson | willem@pieterson.com
Zakia Boucetta | zakia.Boucetta@vng.nl