Maximus’ Tom Naughton: Agencies Should Adopt AI-Based Tools to Facilitate Citizen Engagement

Tom Naughton, president of citizen services at Maximus’ federal business, has said government agencies should work to build up citizen engagement through the implementation of new customer service platforms that leverage artificial intelligence and machine learning.

Naughton wrote in a Washington Technology commentary published Friday that agencies should provide citizens with self-service tools and customer service representatives who are trained to address issues should they need human assistance.

“The self-service tools need to be advanced enough that they can handle the majority of routine transactions, which in turn frees up the CSRs to support more non-routine and complex issues,” Naughton noted.

He also cited the adoption of technology platforms that work to combine human assistance and Natural Speech Language as well as leverage “intent analysts” or “behind-the-scenes” personnel to respond to citizens’ questions and requests amid presence of language barriers and background noise.

The Department of Veterans Affairs should replace its “complaint line” with a “help line” designed to bring military retirees to the “outcomes they need before their request reaches crisis status,” Naughton said.

Agencies should advance the availability of multi-channel communications to facilitate the delivery of citizen services, he added.