/preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/authors/stephanie-thum/ Recent content on Digital.gov Hugo en-us /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/2016/08/12/did-we-do-a-good-job-the-answer-is-in-customers-business-outcomes/ Fri, 12 Aug 2016 10:00:24 -0400 /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/2016/08/12/did-we-do-a-good-job-the-answer-is-in-customers-business-outcomes/ Earlier this week, I shared with my colleagues at EXIM the results of our 2016 export credit insurance customer survey. This is the third consecutive year that our largest customer segment has been asked to share their feedback with us. /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/2016/05/16/customer-experience-performance-metrics-two-sides-to-every-story/ Mon, 16 May 2016 10:00:06 -0400 /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/2016/05/16/customer-experience-performance-metrics-two-sides-to-every-story/ Performance metrics, targets and public reporting are not new in government; however, customer-oriented metrics have been underutilized and under-reported publicly for a long time. Today, as the principles of customer experience as a management discipline gain momentum across the federal government, there is an opportunity to use data to tell more of the story where /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/2016/03/04/picture-this-3-ways-to-zoom-in-on-cross-agency-collaboration/ Fri, 04 Mar 2016 10:00:09 -0400 /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/2016/03/04/picture-this-3-ways-to-zoom-in-on-cross-agency-collaboration/ Cross-agency collaboration in the federal government has become a prevalent topic, more widely spoken and written about in the recent past than ever before, thanks, in part, to a bigger-than-ever focus on customer experience as a way of thinking within government. Rising customer expectations, advances in technology, and recommendations from government oversight organizations continue to /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/2015/12/22/after-the-survey-turning-customer-feedback-into-action/ Tue, 22 Dec 2015 10:00:42 -0400 /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/2015/12/22/after-the-survey-turning-customer-feedback-into-action/ Doing business with any U.S. government agency can be a daunting task. For example, in the case of customers new to EXIM Bank, there are application forms to complete, rules to understand, processes to navigate and conditions that have to be met in order to work with our agency. /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/2015/05/28/three-of-the-greatest-books-for-customer-experience-that-arent-about-customer-experience/ Thu, 28 May 2015 11:10:38 -0400 /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/2015/05/28/three-of-the-greatest-books-for-customer-experience-that-arent-about-customer-experience/ Dennis Snow and Jeanne Bliss have always been the customer experience (CX) authorities in my mind. Dennis’s Lessons from the Mouse and Jeanne’s Chief Customer Officer were two of the first books I read that described what the practice of customer experience looked like in the halls of Fortune 500 companies like Lands End and Microsoft, /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/2015/05/13/three-ways-to-evolve-your-agencys-customer-mindset/ Wed, 13 May 2015 13:00:46 -0400 /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/2015/05/13/three-ways-to-evolve-your-agencys-customer-mindset/ Customer experience (CX) improvement projects come in many forms, but evolving an agency’s entire mindset to be customer-focused requires far more in the way of commitment, time, staff and organizational patience. As the senior CX lead for a U.S. government agency and an advisory committee member to the President’s Cross-Agency Priority (CAP) goal on customer /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/2015/04/20/the-ex-im-bank-annual-conference-a-valuable-tool-in-the-government-cx-toolbox/ Mon, 20 Apr 2015 01:53:13 -0400 /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/2015/04/20/the-ex-im-bank-annual-conference-a-valuable-tool-in-the-government-cx-toolbox/ It can be easy to forget that customer experience (CX) improvement efforts within the government sphere aren’t limited to surveys, journey maps, analytics, big data, apps, and technology. Watching Export-Import Bank’s Annual Conference come together, I’m reminded of the fundamental role that interpersonal communication plays in improving customer experience, from the front line of our /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/2014/12/01/will-2016-be-the-federal-governments-year-of-the-customer/ Mon, 01 Dec 2014 10:00:05 -0400 /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/2014/12/01/will-2016-be-the-federal-governments-year-of-the-customer/ As 2014 draws to a close, agencies across the federal government are beginning to think about what the customer experience (CX) landscape will look like in the years ahead. There is little doubt that 2014 saw the government make great strides on this front, setting in motion a number of initiatives that will help ensure /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/2014/09/12/3-steps-to-keep-customers-happy-during-times-of-change/ Fri, 12 Sep 2014 10:00:53 -0400 /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/2014/09/12/3-steps-to-keep-customers-happy-during-times-of-change/ Just like the private sector, government agencies frequently encounter new rules, regulations, policies, and financial realities that impact the way we do business. Of course, change is never easy—and when customers feel the ripple effects of those changes, their satisfaction with an agency can waver. That’s why, during times of change, customer experience leaders should /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/2014/06/16/government-cx-where-do-you-find-the-right-foundational-metrics/ Mon, 16 Jun 2014 10:00:33 -0400 /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/2014/06/16/government-cx-where-do-you-find-the-right-foundational-metrics/ Customer service. Customer satisfaction. Improving the customer experience. These buzzwords have become well-trodden territory among government strategists as a new wave of agencies attempt to ignite—or reignite—a focus on customers. Of course, putting customers first is a worthy goal. But what, exactly, do we mean when we use words like “service” and “satisfaction”? These terms /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/2014/02/21/customer-experience-video-blog-stephanie-thum-export-import-bank/ Fri, 21 Feb 2014 11:32:08 -0400 /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/2014/02/21/customer-experience-video-blog-stephanie-thum-export-import-bank/ Stephanie Thum from Ex-Im Bank kicks off our video blog with an introduction to customer experience. Stephanie is Vice President of Customer Experience at Ex-Im Bank, a U.S. government agency which serves as the official export credit agency of the United States. We had a chance to /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/2014/01/13/government-cx-finding-the-metrics-that-matter/ Mon, 13 Jan 2014 08:42:11 -0400 /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/2014/01/13/government-cx-finding-the-metrics-that-matter/ Customer experience (CX) is an emerging area of focus within government. My role as Vice President of Customer Experience at the Export-Import Bank speaks to this reality. Our agency’s customers and partners consist of U.S. exporters, financial services institutions, insurance brokers and foreign buyers of U.S. products and services. All play a key role in