Agility: Why Can't Government be Business-like?

Case in point: Anglicat belongs to a state-regulated professional organization. For the 30+ years of her membership, she painstakingly bothered with mailing a check for her annual dues through the postal service, paying for and saving the recommended Post Office receipts. For the last several years, she always included a note suggesting that an online payment process be established. In speaking with staff members on occasion, I learned about the deluge of work flooding the regulatory office around July 31, the deadline for submitting dues.

Now, finally, in 2011, the regulatory agency has moved to an online payment system. I just paid my dues from my computer seat in less than five minutes, with no lingering concerns about whether the Post Office would do its job properly and promptly. Staff members are giddy with delight in their normal workloads and the dearth of irate callers demanding assistance over misdirected forms and payment questions. Efficiency has, at last, prevailed.

So why did it take over ten years beyond what it took for the average business to provide its customers? Answer this, and we'll have an answer, as well, for the long lines at the Post Office for shabbier and shabbier service.