Aussies would share data with govt for better service

More than three-quarters (76%) of Australians are willing to share personal data with government if it means receiving better service, research from Accenture suggests.

The survey of more than 6500 respondents, including 500 Australians, also found that 46% of local respondents would be comfortable with their personal information being shared between government agencies if it would enhance customer service.

Meanwhile, 76% of Australian citizens see the benefits of AI-enabled virtual agents to receive services from government agencies, with 44% wanting to complete at least some transactions using these agents.

In addition, 48% of Australians say they believe their query could be resolved in the shortest possible time using a virtual agent. Another expected bonus is the ability to gain 24/7 access to government services, with 52% citing this as a benefit of the technology.

“In recent years governments have taken positive steps to secure and protect citizen and organisational data,” Accenture ANZ client group lead John Vidas said.

“However, corresponding regulatory measures have at times also prevented government agencies from using customer data in innovative ways to enhance customer service. A way forward to ‘prime the pump’ would be to ask for citizen consent, allowing for citizens to opt in to new data-sharing programs across government agencies.”

Vidas said due to the COVID-19 pandemic there has been exponential growth in the adoption of digital services across all industries including the government sector.

“Citizens [have] become much more open to the flexibility and convenience offered. Clearly, an opportunity exists for governments to use virtual agents to broaden their services and enhance customer experience,” he said.

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