Budget cuts lead to fewer services for residents? Think again.

Why austerity isn’t always doom and gloom 

In government, as in life, there is rarely a perfect moment to modernize. Budgets tighten, expectations grow and leaders are asked to serve more residents with fewer resources. For my colleagues in public service, it is an old refrain, but one that feels urgent.  

If there was any silver lining to the pandemic, it was this: government agencies discovered that when necessity demands it, they can adapt. And often, they do so by leaning on partners who help them extend their reach and deliver better experiences for the public. 

This isn’t about chasing shiny new technology for its own sake. It’s about finding ways to keep promises to residents even when dollars are scarce while advancing agencies’ missions.  

Our teams, for example, recently supported the Social Security Administration by digitizing millions of applicant and medical documents with 99.9% accuracy. We built an efficient workflow that converts physical records into digital files, giving adjudicators faster access to the information they need. Since 2003, this partnership has resulted in more than four billion pages converted, ensuring timely and accurate disability determinations. 

People: navigating the silver tsunami 
A quiet demographic shift is reshaping the public sector workforce. The “Silver Tsunami” refers to the wave of retirements among seasoned civil servants. According to the Office of Personnel Management, in 2024 14.8% of full-time, permanent federal employees were aged 60 or older, nearly double the share of workers in their 20s (7.8%) 

Their departure carries with it not only decades of institutional memory but also the capacity to manage complex constituent needs. 

Replacing this talent is not simple. Agencies must look beyond traditional hiring to recruit multi-skilled specialists who can manage interactions across phone, web and mobile with equal proficiency. They must adopt leading practices in onboarding, training and coaching so that new staff can ramp up quickly. And perhaps most important, they must embrace workforce management strategies that make it possible to flex resources during peak periods without sacrificing service quality. 

In this digital age, expectations are set not by government but by companies like Amazon and Apple. The public now assumes the same level of responsiveness from their state office as they do from an online retailer. That bar will not be lowered. 

Related: In healthcare, when money runs out, scrutiny sets in 

Process: repairing the machinery 
If people are the heartbeat of government, processes are its circulatory system. And in too many places, those processes are clogged with inefficiency. Outdated workflows and fragmented programs slow service, frustrate residents and consume resources that could be better spent elsewhere. 

Here, proven models from experienced partners can offer relief. Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) is no longer about shuffling calls offshore; it is about bringing tested, end-to-end solutions that agencies can scale up or down as needed. These models introduce agility where bureaucracy once reigned, ensuring continuity of service even in emergencies when demand spikes suddenly. 

Equally important is the modular approach. Modernization doesn’t need to arrive as a billion-dollar overhaul. Agencies can fix what’s broken piece by piece, layering in new capabilities while preserving what still works. This kind of flexibility makes real progress possible even in times of austerity. 

Platforms: technology that serves the mission 
Perhaps the greatest frustration in government today lies in technology. Legacy systems, patched together over decades, often do more to stymie innovation than to support it. Agencies know the problem but fear the cost of wholesale replacement. 

The answer lies in cloud-based, modular platforms that allow agencies to “go as you grow.” With the right architecture, fraud detection, digital payments and benefits management, this approach can be integrated without dismantling what came before.  

This blended model allows agencies to modernize at their own pace, aligning technology investments with their mission rather than with the rigid demands of outdated systems. 

Proof in practice: rethinking the contact center 
For proof of how these pillars come together, look no further than the modern contact center. With the right mix of people and technology, inquiries can fall by 30 percent while costs shrink by 40 percent. Speech analytics alone can reduce call backlogs by 75 percent and inbound self-service can increase sixfold. Residents don’t see the analytics or the workforce scheduling; they see quicker resolutions. 

These kinds of outcomes show what is possible when agencies reimagine not just what they do, but how they do it. 

Related: The infrastructure gap holding back public health outcomes 

A "no wrong door" philosophy 
In the end, modernization isn’t just about efficiency. It’s about creating a government where residents never find themselves at the wrong door. Whether applying for Medicaid, disputing a charge or seeking public health guidance, every channel should guide them toward the right outcome. 

That vision requires more than goodwill. It demands integration of services such as business intelligence, fraud prevention and secure digital payments. It means building a system where efficiency and experience reinforce one another, strengthening trust between citizens and the institutions that serve them. 

Related: Procurement paralysis: A primer for rebuilding government healthcare without breaking the budget 

Constraints will always exist. But they need not define the quality of government. By investing in people and adopting adaptable platforms, agencies can thrive, even in the leanest of times.