Government websites get user experience upgrade

I recently chatted with Susan Ganeshan about how the platform is being used.

Kristina: How is newBrandAnalytics being employed to improve the user experience on the DC Government websites?

Susan Ganeshan, Chief Marketing and Product Officer, newBrandAnalytics: We process all the data from [the surveys] as well as data found in social media sites like Twitter, Facebook, and Foursquare. We do deep location level processing on the data applying them into categories such as Service, Facilities, Offering. Based on this analysis, Agency heads can determine how to improve both tactically and strategically.

Kristina: How can other businesses and government entities use this information?

Susan: In the solution we offer DC Gov, the agencies will use the information to fix issues in service, ensure signage and process is clear, and ultimately understand where residents have the biggest issues with policy. Agency heads can look at the data frequently and understand trends over time. So say a particular location service is decreasing over time, they can dig into the data to find out why and resolve the issue.

Kristina: How does the nBA platform work?

Susan: We decipher the data submitted (via web or social sites) using a combination of Natural Language Processing and a human processing network to categorize and define the overall sentiment stated in the data. We have an advanced web based User Interface where agency leads can view the data in a variety of ways to understand causality and drive towards resolution.

Kristina: A recent study found many brands aren't responding to customer questions/issues, specifically in the social space. What is the disconnect there? And how important is it for a brand to address concerns/issues as well as 'hey, love this product' type comments?

Susan: Not every organization understands or values social feedback, but the organizations we work with fully understand the power of the data. What people are learning is that you can't react to every mention (one person says turn up the music, another says it's too loud) but you can achieve a deep understanding of the overall sentiment with the right volumes of data. There are reams of data out there about brands and individual locations. This data when dissected properly can tell you how to improve your operations. We've found people fixing potential legal issues (the floor was slippery outside the women's restroom) and potential brand damaging issues (food sickness occurrences). Organizations that value their brand typically value the data, and some even believe its a more pure way to garner customer sentiment than the traditional solicited guest satisfaction survey.

Tags: customer experience, government content, newBrandAnalytics, online content