Clearance for A-11 Section
280 Improving Customer Experience Information Collection
Revision of a currently approved collection
No
Regular
07/30/2021
Requested
Previously Approved
03/31/2023
03/31/2023
3,500,000
2,500,000
1,750,000
625,000
0
0
Whether seeking a loan, Social
Security benefits, veterans benefits, or other services provided by
the Federal Government, individuals and businesses expect
Government customer services to be efficient and intuitive, just
like services from leading private-sector organizations. Yet the
2016 American Consumer Satisfaction Index and the 2017 Forrester
Federal Customer Experience Index show that, on average, Government
services lag nine percentage points behind the private sector. A
modern, streamlined and responsive customer experience means:
raising government-wide customer experience to the average of the
private sector service industry; developing indicators for
high-impact Federal programs to monitor progress towards excellent
customer experience and mature digital services; and providing the
structure (including increasing transparency) and resources to
ensure customer experience is a focal point for agency leadership.
To support this, OMB Circular A-11 Section 280 established
government-wide standards for mature customer experience
organizations in government and measurement. To enable Federal
programs to deliver the experience taxpayers deserve, they must
undertake three general categories of activities: conduct ongoing
customer research, gather and share customer feedback, and test
services and digital products. These data collection efforts may be
either qualitative or quantitative in nature or may consist of
mixed methods. Additionally, data may be collected via a variety of
means, including but not limited to electronic or social media,
direct or indirect observation (i.e., in person, video and audio
collections), interviews, questionnaires, surveys, and focus
groups. Veterans Experience Office will limit its inquiries to data
collections that solicit strictly voluntary opinions or responses.
Steps will be taken to ensure anonymity of respondents in each
activity covered by this request. The results of the data collected
will be used to improve the delivery of Federal services and
programs. It will include the creation of personas, customer
journey maps, and reports and summaries of customer feedback data
and user insights.
EO: EO 11
Name/Subject of EO: SECTION 280 – MANAGING CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE AND
IMPROVING SERVICE DELIVERY
As a result of unexpectedly
strong and robust need (and corresponding requests) for new
customer experience surveys by VA customers (stakeholders and
partners), VA has already reached 94 surveys under management and
anticipate to reach 130 or 140 by the end of Fiscal Year 2022. This
anticipated FY22 growth, and per our models for growth from now
until our current ICR expires in March, 2023, directly translates
into a corresponding need for an increase in associated “burden
hours” from 625,000 to 1,750,000 to accommodate the current and
future demand. This action is necessary now so that our ICR remains
in good standing and VA does not exceed our approved burden hour
grand total approved figure and risk being in non-compliance of our
approved ICR.
On behalf of this Federal agency, I certify that
the collection of information encompassed by this request complies
with 5 CFR 1320.9 and the related provisions of 5 CFR
1320.8(b)(3).
The following is a summary of the topics, regarding
the proposed collection of information, that the certification
covers:
(i) Why the information is being collected;
(ii) Use of information;
(iii) Burden estimate;
(iv) Nature of response (voluntary, required for a
benefit, or mandatory);
(v) Nature and extent of confidentiality; and
(vi) Need to display currently valid OMB control
number;
If you are unable to certify compliance with any of
these provisions, identify the item by leaving the box unchecked
and explain the reason in the Supporting Statement.