1. Better customer service by cooperation between national and local governments
Latvia
Edmunds Beļskis
Deputy State Secretary,
Ministry of Environmental Protection and Regional Development
15/05/2017

2. Facts about Digital Latvia
Fast and accessible internet
– 6th the fastest internet in the world;
– 4th lower priced high-speed internet in the EU;
– Wide covering of free Wi-Fi network.
Active users of e-opportunities
– 75% use internet at least once a week;
– 5th place in the EU – news reading;
– 6th place in the EU – internet banking users (81%).
Digital access right
– State, municipal and public utility services.
4/27/2017

3. Short introduction about the organisation
Ministry of Environmental Protection and Regional Development
Environment protection
Regional development
ICT
4/27/2017

4. Public service delivery in Latvia
Fragmented approach in public service delivery:
– public institutions
– places
sq.km
~ 2 million
4/27/2017

5. Unified customer service network (1)
Towards a network of customer service centres: virtual and physical one stop agencies for citizens:
– Pilot project in 2014;
– Multiple state institutions under one roof;
– Municipalities as agents of government.
Based on results of the pilot, The Concept for Improvement of the Public Service System was reviewed and approved by Cabinet of Ministers on January 2015.
– Establishment of customer service centres from 2015 till 2020.
4/27/2017

6. Unified customer service network (2)
Solution for development the unified customer service network:
89 development centres of district significance
21 development centres of regional significance
9 development centres of national significance
4/27/2017

7. Services – Multichannel delivery & One Stop Shop principle
1. Service at the counter – shared
– Progress towards Unified State and Municipal Customer Service Centres.
2. Service available – by digitalisation
Self service solutions;
eAssistants (Unified Customer Service Centres, Libraries).
3. eAccount & eDelivery – single profile and official digital communication channel with government.
4/27/2017

8. The main results achieved
Implemented:
– 69 local centres and
– 7 regional centres
4/27/2017

9. Lessons learned & Expected outcomes
Lack of common guidelines and principles leads to wide variations of customer service maturity across public institutions
There are champions of best practice, as well as followers and laggers
Reduced administrative burdens
Reinforced efficiency of public administration
Improved access to services
Enhanced government transparency
4/27/2017

10. Thank You! Edmunds Beļskis Edmunds.Belskis@varam.gov.lv