February 26, 2026
Customer experience in government is no longer a side initiative — it is becoming foundational to how agencies deliver services. In her conversation on Fed Gov Today, customer experience expert Martha Dorris makes clear that service delivery and CX are now tightly woven together, both in policy and in practice.
Dorris explains that service delivery is about how agencies provide services to the public — whether that’s veterans, taxpayers, beneficiaries, employees, or other stakeholders. Customer experience, she says, represents the strategies, practices, and tactics that shape how those services are delivered. The Government Service Delivery Improvement Act helps bring structure to that effort by clarifying accountability, responsibility, oversight, and governance. For Dorris, that governance framework fills important gaps that previously left agencies navigating service delivery improvements without clear ownership.
Agencies are now designating service delivery leads, but Dorris emphasizes that where those leaders sit in the organization matters. The role, she says, should be positioned high enough to influence both technology and operations. Service delivery leaders must be able to “pull the technology strings” while also integrating customer feedback data across the enterprise. They need visibility into the full picture — operational data, experience data, and performance metrics — in order to build a pipeline of initiatives that improve service levels agency-wide.
Technology plays a major role, but Dorris is careful to temper expectations. Artificial intelligence and other emerging tools are not silver bullets. Without thoughtful integration, agencies risk deploying “a shiny new thing that is doing the wrong thing.” True progress happens when agencies marry customer insight with technology strategy and ensure both employees and customers are prepared for change.
She also underscores that “digital first” does not mean “digital only.” Digital channels can be more efficient and cost-effective, but if agencies fail to use plain language or design intuitive services, contact centers will be overwhelmed by confused users. Integrated, end-to-end services — where CX and IT are fully aligned — are essential to preventing that breakdown.
When discussing best practices, Dorris points to the Department of Veterans Affairs as a leading example. VA combines operational data with experience data to better understand performance and outcomes. Early in its CX journey, the department examines what is required by law versus what persists simply because “it’s always been done that way.” That willingness to challenge assumptions creates space for meaningful reform.
Human-centered design is embedded in VA’s approach. Dorris shares a simple but powerful example: patients reporting poor experiences at medical centers often struggle not with medical care, but with finding their way around facilities. The solution is not high-tech — it’s volunteers in red coats guiding visitors through buildings. That low-tech fix improves satisfaction immediately.
VA also uses feedback to uncover systemic barriers. When leaders learn that veterans miss appointments due to lack of transportation, the department partners with Uber Health, saving millions of dollars while expanding access to care.
Throughout the conversation, Dorris reinforces a consistent message: agencies must reduce burden not only for themselves, but for the public they serve. Efficiency gains inside government should translate to simpler, clearer, more accessible services for citizens. Integrating data, empowering leadership, embedding human-centered design, and aligning technology with real customer needs — that, she suggests, is what modern service delivery demands.