What do people want from human services agencies? We asked citizens across five countries.

1. AUGUST 2017

2. WHAT DO PEOPLE
WANT FROM HUMAN
SERVICES AGENCIES?
WE ASKED CITIZENS
ACROSS FIVE COUNTRIES:
Australia, France, Germany,
Singapore, and the UK
2

3. CITIZENS WANT
PERSONALIZED
AND DIGITAL
SOCIAL SERVICES
3

4. STRONG MAJORITIES (62%-70%) EXPECT THE SAME
QUALITY OF DIGITAL INTERACTION WITH THEIR SOCIAL
SERVICES AGENCIES THAT THEY GET FROM ONLINE
BANKING, SOCIAL MEDIA OR A RIDE-SHARING APP
24% 26% 24% 23% 25% 20%
67% 64% 62% 70% 66% 70%
Global Australia UK Singapore France Germany
I expect the same quality of digital interaction with my social
services agencies that I get from online banking, social media
or a ride-sharing app.
Disagree/Strongly Disagree Agree/Strongly Agree
Neutral N/A
6% 6% 6% 5% 6% 5%
Percentages are based on a 5-point scale where
1=Strongly Disagree, 2=Disagree, 3=Neutral, 4=Agree, and 5=Strongly Agree.
4% 4% 7% 2% 3% 5%
4

5. BELIEF THAT SOCIAL SERVICES AGENCIES HAVE
IMPROVED THEIR DIGITAL SOPHISTICATION AND SERVICE
IS LOW IN THE UK AND GERMANY, AND MODERATE
TO STRONG IN AUSTRALIA, FRANCE AND SINGAPORE
40% 41% 42%
35%
34%
46%
42% 40% 32% 57% 49%
30%
Global Australia UK Singapore France Germany
Disagree/Strongly Disagree Agree/Strongly Agree
Neutral N/A
Percentages are based on a 5-point scale where
1=Strongly Disagree, 2=Disagree, 3=Neutral, 4=Agree, and 5=Strongly Agree.
11% 11% 12% 5% 12% 16%
8% 7% 14% 3% 5% 9%
5
The digital sophistication of my social services agency has
improved noticeably and also improved the service I receive.

6. LOW TO MODERATE PERCENTAGES OF CITIZENS
(29%-43%) ARE COMFORTABLE WITH AI AND BELIEVE
IT COULD IMPROVE INTERACTIONS WITH SOCIAL
SERVICE AGENCIES
27% 29% 30%
16%
27% 33%
38% 39% 38%
40%
33%
37%
35% 32% 32%
43% 39%
29%
Global Australia UK Singapore France Germany
Disagree/Strongly Disagree Agree/Strongly Agree
Neutral
Percentages are based on a 5-point scale where
1=Strongly Disagree, 2=Disagree, 3=Neutral, 4=Agree, and 5=Strongly Agree. 6
I am comfortable having artificial intelligence (e.g., chat bots, robots,
virtual assistants, intelligent machines, etc.) used in other areas of my
life and believe it could improve interactions with social service agencies.

7. MODERATE PERCENTAGES (37%-52%) AGREE THAT
USING A VIRTUAL AGENT TO HELP CITIZENS GET
QUICKER RESPONSES TO QUERIES WOULD BE
AN APPROPRIATE USE OF AI IN SOCIAL SERVICES
Percentages are based on a 5-point scale where
1=Strongly Disagree, 2=Disagree, 3=Neutral, 4=Agree, and 5=Strongly Agree.
22% 23% 22%
12%
23% 28%
36% 40% 38%
36%
32%
35%
42% 38% 39%
52% 44% 37%
Global Australia UK Singapore France Germany
Disagree/Strongly Disagree Agree/Strongly Agree
Neutral
7
Using a virtual agent to help citizens get quicker responses to
queries would be an appropriate use of artificial intelligence (AI)
in social services.

8. https://www.linkedin.com/in/rainer-binder-092539107/
rainer.binder@accenture.com
@Binderra
RAINER BINDER
Managing Director
Social Services, Accenture
8
FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT US AT
WWW.ACCENTURE.COM OR CONNECT WITH

9. ABOUT THE STUDY
The purpose of this study is to assess citizen opinions about a
variety of digital nonprofit and government service issues and topics.
Study results are based on a sample of citizens aged 18 or older who completed
online surveys over the past 6 months.
Results for the full global sample in this report are statistically significant
with a confidence level of 95% and a margin of error of +/-1.4%.
Results for each country are statistically significant with a confidence
level of 95% and a margin of error of +/-3.1% except for Singapore
where the margin of error is +/-5.6%.
9

10. ABOUT ACCENTURE
10
Accenture is a leading global professional services company, providing
a broad range of services and solutions in strategy, consulting, digital,
technology and operations. Combining unmatched experience and
specialized skills across more than 40 industries and all business
functions – underpinned by the world’s largest delivery network –
Accenture works at the intersection of business and technology
to help clients improve their performance and create sustainable
value for their stakeholders. With more than 394,000 people serving
clients in more than 120 countries, Accenture drives innovation to
improve the way the world works and lives. To learn more about our
work with governments around the world, visit us at
https://www.accenture.com/gb-en/insight-making-personal-possible.
Copyright © 2017 Accenture. All rights reserved.