A Digital Constituency Governments must recognize that they serve an increasingly diverse customer base, and each group of customers has specific needs. From 1996 to 1997, the number of people worldwide accessing the Internet increased from 40 million to more than 100 million. In 1998, Internet traffic doubled every 100 days. As corporations become increasingly virtual, millions of people now telecommute from home, at least part time. Governments may have been caught by surprise by the impact of technology on their customers' expectations.
Connected people expect much more than just access to information.
They demand instantaneous results in this Internet world, whether ordering a book, transferring funds, planning a vacation, enrolling in college or paying bills. And they are increasingly intolerant of long waits. The interviews, plus research on demographic, political, economic, technological and organizational trends, point to a new era of government. We are entering an era that favors public institutions that get results by providing value and accountability to their customers. Customers are now the ultimate definers of services provided by government.