What is digital exclusion?
Digital exclusion and equality of access
When we talk about ‘channel shift’ and digital contact, one of the main concerns expressed by teams who have direct external customer contact is about digital exclusion.
How high is it?
While the Get Digital Heatmap states that the “likelihood of overall digital exclusion is low” as “84% of adults in Brighton and Hove [are estimated to] have all five Basic Digital Skills”, this still leaves 16% of the adult population without basic digital skills.
Whilst digital channels aren’t always the most effective way of interacting, there are some simple, high volume transactions which are well suited to being delivered digitally, such as purchase of parking permits. If the majority of people who needed to buy permits were able to self serve, this would free up valuable resource to provide additional support to those residents who need it. Giving a digital option to customers can improve their customer experience too, they can transact at a time and in a place which suits them, not having to visit a specific place, or take time to make phone calls.