‘Trust of citizens key to digital transformation’

Gaining the trust of citizens will be critical as authorities in Barbados and the rest of the region complete their digital transformation.

This assessment has come from Digital Services Leader for PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) Caribbean Zia Paton, as she indicated that citizens were demanding greater transparency from officials and guaranteed protection of their personal data.

She made the comments on Tuesday while giving a sneak peek into the preliminary results of a new PwC survey on the scope of digital readiness in Barbados, Jamaica, Dominica, Trinidad and Tobago, and Guyana.

Addressing the opening session of the Barbados Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI) two-day digital conference, Paton indicated that five areas were examined for the survey – awareness, accessibility, satisfaction, attitude, and trust.

With a score of 1.6 out of 5, the survey revealed that there was a low level of awareness among citizens about government services that are available online.

However, the accessibility of government services and satisfaction in using government services online so far scored high with 3.85 out of 5 and 3.87 out of 5, respectively.

The attitude towards a digital government was also positive with a score of 3.84 out of 5.

However, Paton expressed concern that the level of trust relating to dependability, transparency, and data security when accessing government services through online channels was moderate, with a score of 2.77 out of 5.

“Awareness is at a really low level. Many citizens felt that their level of awareness of what is available, how it is used and why it is used, is low – so [they need] more information at the start – and then that underlying factor of trust, those levels we consider to be sort of moderate and citizens really needing to see more trust built,” she said.

Paton said citizens also identified a number of factors that would help to improve digital adoption in the countries examined. These included quick and convenient service, surety about safety of personal data, transparency, and simplicity.

“We know that governments and businesses are embarking on many digital initiatives that are aimed at impacting citizens positively, so how do we make sure that we address the awareness and adoption and that trust issue?” said Paton.

“So, of course, everyone recognises a change management and having a change management in place is fundamental, but as we think about our change framework we want to expand the lens on who – and it is not just about the project and change teams that are driving a particular digitisation or digital programme but every single person that will be impacted, and really widen that lens around who we are doing this for and how each person needs to be engaged,” she advised.

Meanwhile, President of the BCCI Anthony Branker urged businesses to embrace change, warning that a failure to adapt would be detrimental to their growth.

Noting that change was inevitable, Branker said some businesses must retool “to keep up”.

“For our businesses to remain profitable and grow, we must embrace the global trends as it relates to doing business in a digital space, in a way that is beneficial to the Barbados business landscape . . . . Change can be daunting, yet it can be an exciting opportunity for growth and development. We at the BBCI are mindful that we are in an age where change is not only evitable but rapid,” he said.

“This is indeed an exciting age in which we live, in spite of the challenges and restrictions resulting from COVID-19. While the world works on containing the pandemic, businesses do whatever is needed to ensure business continuity and survival. In the long-term, however, responding and recovering won’t be enough. To grow and thrive in a post-COVID-19 world, swift digital transformation into a pandemic-proof organisational model is vital and urgent,” Branker added. (MM)