-------- Original-Nachricht -------- Betreff: [isworld] E-government multi-channel management workshop at dg.o2008 Datum: Sun, 27 Apr 2008 15:03:33 -0400 Von: Marijn Janssen m.f.w.h.a.janssen@tudelft.nl Antwort an: Marijn Janssen m.f.w.h.a.janssen@tudelft.nl An: AISWORLD Information Systems World Network isworld@lyris.isworld.org

BACKGROUND

Since the early nineties, governmental organizations have been using a variety of customer service channels. These channels have different characteristics and are used for communication, interaction, transaction and distribution of products and/or services. Among the traditional channels, like the front desk and the telephone, citizens and enterprises have access to digital channels like websites and e-mail. Channel usage statistics indicate that citizens still prefer the more expensive personal channels (desk and telephone) to the newer cost efficient digital channels. Many governmental organizations struggle with the integration and management of these service channels. The solutions to these multichannel problems are usually developed on a pragmatic and an ad hoc basis, without having solid scientific and methodological grounds. One of the challenges that governmental organizations face, is to fulfill the basic principle of 'free channel choice', i.e. citizens have the right to choose to use the channel of their preference. This freedom of choice implies that governmental organizations should provide all services through all channels even if this is illogical. In order to effectively and efficiently deploy customer service channels, more insight on citizen behavior as well as organizational and technological solutions is required.

OBJECTIVE AND WORKSHOP SCHEDULE This workshop aims at discussing elements of multi-channel approaches, providing an overview of the state-of-the-art and discussing deficiencies and further research need. In particular, the workshop will addresses multi-channels from a customer point of view, provide an overview of multi-channel coordination and channel synchronization and multichannel strategies.

Organizations can pursue a variety of multichannel strategies given their customers, scarce resources and ambitions. Channel synchronization is required as citizens expect the same information across different channels, given their freedom of channel choice. Channel synchronization is not only a technical but also an organizational problem. Multichannel customer management is necessary to entice citizens to the most effective and cost efficient channel. This requires a deep understanding of citizen's behavior with respect to channel choice, usage and preference.

The workshop will have a number of presentations of 45 minutes with discussion following. Topics will include "Understanding Customers", "Multi-channel Coordination and Synchronization", "Multi-channel Strategies", and Multi-channel Management - What can we learn from the field?".

ABOUT THE CONFERENCE The 9th annual dg.o international conference is a forum for presentation and discussion of interdisciplinary digital government research and practice and its applications in diverse domains. The conference is presented by the Digital Government Society of North America (DGSNA), with major support from the US National Science Foundation. dg.o2008 will be held in Montreal, Canada, May 18-21, 2008. More info: http://www.dgo2008.org/

WORKSHOP ORGANIZERS Marije Teerling, Telematica Instituut, the Netherlands Willem Pieterson, Twente University, the Netherlands Marijn Janssen, Delft University of Technology, the Netherlands Bram Klievink, Delft University of Technology, the Netherlands

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