Embed proactiveness

PROACTIVE SERVICES

Proactive services refer to anticipating the needs of citizens and providing services before they are requested. This approach involves using the target state experience and life events of citizens. This information needs to be leveraged to suggest relevant services or interventions at the right time. By being proactive, governments can improve citizen satisfaction, increase efficiency, and reduce costs associated with reactive service delivery.

The definition of proactive services above is based on the following five components:

Anticipating and predicting the services that the customer needs

Providing the user with the services before it is requested

Focusing on their needs, preferences, and lifestyle choices

Providing the service on time and with ease

Leveraging government data

The main classifications of proactive services:
Procedural services

Proposal or activation of providing services related to the execution of government transactions that have clear outputs associated with a service requested by the customer.

Informational services

Automatically conducting eligibility checks without the need for a request from the customer, and notifying them if they meet the requirements to access a specific service.

Eligibility screening services

Automatically conducting eligibility checks without the need for a request from the customer, and notifying them if they meet the requirements to access a specific service.

Reminder services

Proactively informing the customer about the upcoming service appointment.

The impact of proactive experiences

Eliminates the need for users/ citizens to be aware of the service’s benefits, thereby reducing the risk of human error.

Enhances cost-efficiency compared to traditional services as it can be delivered more quickly, with less duplication, and fewer physical offices.

Lowers infrastructure costs and a reduced risk of fraud. These benefits translate into significant savings for the government on each transaction.

Improves outcomes for citizens, removes obstacles and inconveniences, making it a valuable resource for users with disabilities or special needs.

Provides a seamless and efficient experience. Proactive services can match or exceed the best digital experiences available in the private sector, delighting users in the process.

Use cases

In Estonia, the Unemployment Insurance Fund (EUIF) employs artificial intelligence (AI) to match job seekers with suitable positions according to their extensive work history. Additionally, the AI system can forecast industries where the likelihood of job displacement remains significant.

Detroit Airport now offers parallel reality displays enabling up to 100 customers to view their personalised flight information on a single screen simultaneously. An overhead sensor detects passengers’ presence and location using nonbiometric object detection, adjusting their private zone for visible personalised content while navigating.

In the Netherlands and the UK, annual tax returns are pre-filled with existing information (for example, from payroll records). Citizens only have to check and, if necessary, correct or add to the information before submitting the return.