Over the past two months we've interviewed 109 business owners and prospective business owners from across the state, ranging from sole proprietors to newly-formed LLCs to mid-size companies in heavily regulated industries to businesses just hiring their first employee to business owners that didn't know they had to register at all. From minority and women
Each interview we do is roughly one hour in length and qualitative in approach. The goal is to get from the business owner what things are on the top of their mind when it comes to interacting with the state.
In a future blog post we'll go more in-depth on the methodology we are using, but for now I wanted to share the aggregated insights we've collected from business owners - as well as an accounting of the data we have collected and how/when you will be able ot access it yourself. For those of you who have worked with businesses for many years before this project, I am sure some of these insights come as no surprise. Some of these, however, may not be what you anticipated.
These insights will feed into the next phase of our project, which is to select and build prototypes to test against these insights. For each insight there is also a How Might We (HMW) which gives us guidance for prototype ideation and construction.
Also, as a reminder - steering committee members will receive a roll-up report and all raw data (in database, not sticky note format) at the conclusion of the research phase in late August.
Here's the list:
Business Owners feel like the State forgets that they are people.
HMW make it possible for all levels of govt to respond with empathy to business owners?
Most businesses will sacrifice quality and accuracy and plow ahead regardless of whether or not they have clarity in the process.
HMW provide clarity at the speed of business?
Business Owners will have fewer but more meaningful interactions with the system if they understand the value they are getting from their actions.
HMW help business owners better understand the value they are getting from their interactions?
The time, energy, and creative demands of entrepreneurship inhibits new business owners from spending sufficient time to understand how to navigate the current system.
HMW enable business owners to get through the process without expanding their emotional/creative energies?
Business Owners expect to receive an invoice for actions they are required to do.
HMW invoice business owners prior to actions being required?
Business Owners have little/no desire to learn to talk like government- and then they make mistakes.
HMW help business owners make fewer mistakes by talking to them in a language they can understand?
Business Owners presume any interaction with the State will be negative- even when their past positive interactions imply otherwise.
HMW realign business owners' expectations with the reality of their past experiences?
The number of paths through the registration system makes it impossible to know if nothing is wrong.
HMW assess whether a business has completed everything correctly?
Nearly everyone who has interacted with State employees has had a positive experience.
HMW increase personal interactions with state employees?
People who do things online only want to do things online, and offline processes actively causes them problems.
HMW provide the "golden path" for doing things online only?
Some Businesses don't differentiate between types/levels of government.
HMW help businesses better understand who they need to interact with, when, and for what purpose?
The people making the rules do not understand enough about the industry to make effective rules and regulations.
HMW engage industry to make more effective laws?
Specialization of State agencies prevent the development of customer centric strategies.
HMW create perception of customer as a whole rather than individual parts?
The State often uses language that creates uncertainty and confusion for business owners.
HMW be precise in our meaning?
Business owners are suspicious of how the state generates its "random" audit list.
HMW make the process more transparent?
In order to interact with the State, businesses must expend resources (time/money)
HMW help the state understand that it is a cost to businesses?
Ambiguity of how rules and regulations are established leaves them up for interpretation which results in inconsistent application.
HMW
-make less ambiguous rules and regulations
-make application of rules and regulations consistent
Business owners feel like there is an uneven burden and/or responsibility on their part.
HMW set appropriate expectations with business owners for what they'll be responsible for.
The digital content the State is producing does not conform to modern information and web design.
HMW update our digital content to current best practices?
Business owners want written documentation of their interactions with the State to protect themselves from differing interpretations.
HMW provide written documentation for opinions issued by the State and have it mean something?
For many business owners, the most important person in the company is spending their time doing things that do not add to the success of the business.
HMW increase the time business owners spend working on value-adds for their business?
Many business owners want help staying on top of reoccurring tasks.
HMW proactively remind business owners of what they need to do, and when they need to do it, across agencies.