ARCHIVED - Communications

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• Statistical analysis of the data reveal four distinct clusters or “types” of citizens. The Departments thinking about communications, branding, and service delivery can be refined around these segments.

• The four groups scopeentified through the analysis compose the following proportions of the
  Canadian population aged 16 and over:

  1) Older Comfortable

  23.3 per cent of the public
  

  2) Savvy Workers

  30.0 per cent of the public
  

  3) Trusting Core Clients

  24.2 per cent of the public
  

  4) Mistrustful Skeptics

  22.5 per cent of the public

• These four groups are summarized graphically in two different ways, illustrating the key differences in these groups in terms of trust in government and technology orientation and perceptions of having less privacy. The remainder of this chapter explores in detail the key differences in the demographics and attitudes across four segments and as well as some of the messages that would be most effective from a communications perspective.

Segmenting the Canadian Public 1

Segmenting the Canadian Public 2

Segment 1: Older Comfortable

Key Features:

• Seniors and women are overrepresented in this segment
• Do not see self as being a “client”, but still use services (e.g., OAS, GIS, CPP)
• Least aware of services offered
• Prefer telephone as channel; relatively allergic to Internet and new information technology
• Concerns centre on health and, somewhat surprisingly, education
• Strong trust in government
• Imagery is positive overall

Communications Priority: Low

Effective Messaging:

• May be unnecessary to target this group in any communications strategy. Communications about service transformation could cause unnecessary concern.

Segment 2: Savvy Workers

Key Features:

• Citizens in the workforce and workers with families in peak earning years
• Core clients (e.g., EI)
• Highly aware of services offered (interested in skills development)
• Web-oriented and technologically fluent
• Privacy concerns salient here
• Imagery is positive, but will want continued assurances that service transformation will keep pace with technological innovations and not impinge on privacy or scopeentity issues.

Communications Priority: High

Effective Messaging:

• “In addition to core services you expect, Service Canada can help you with broader issues such as skills upgrading, passports and retirement planning.”
• “We are interested in assisting you with your evolving needs.”
• “Our service will be efficient and reliable and involve the most effective technologies.”

Segment 3: Trusting Core Clients

Key Features:

• Younger people and those entering or in main career and family lifecycle
• Core clients (e.g., EI, SIN)
• Most aware of services offered
• Comfortable with all channels
• Have few concerns; highly trusting; comfort rises with experience
• Strong trust in government
• Most positive (recent experience has engendered positive outlook)

Communications Priority: Medium

Effective Messaging:

• “We have the evolving service methods to meet your changing life cycle.”
• “Our service models understand diversity of needs and emphasize accuracy and flexibility.”
• “We are in it for the long haul as your needs evolve.”

Segment 4: Mistrustful Skeptics

Key Features:

• Comprised of middle-aged and older citizens (40 to 65 years)
• Do not see themselves as clients, but as taxpayers paying for services they will not use
• Low awareness of services offered
• Little trust in government
• Most negative (but this is only relative to the others who are largely positive)

Communications Priority: High

Effective Messaging:

• “Our emphasis is on efficiency and value-for-money using best practices. We will be responsible and efficient stewards.”
• “We will increasingly have services of value for you (e.g., passports).”
• “We contribute to overall community and national well-being.”

Effective Messaging

	Overall	Older Comfortable	Savvy Workers	Trusting Core Clients	Mistrustful Skeptics
Male	49	40*	53*	51	51
Female	51	60*	47*	49	49
<25	15	12*	15	23*	9*
25-44	39	24*	45*	45*	39*
45-64	30	33*	30	23*	34*
65+	16	31*	9*	9*	16
H.S. or less	35	54*	27*	28*	37
College	27	20*	31*	28	27
University	38	26*	42*	43*	35

Broad Trust in Government of Canada

Q: At the end of the day, I trust the Government of Canada to manage the information they have on citizens in a responsible way.

Broad Trust in Government of Canada

	Overall	Older Comfortable	Savvy Workers	Trusting Core Clients	Mistrustful Skeptics
Disagree	22	1*	10*	2*	82*
Neither	16	14*	22*	12*	16*
Agree	61	84*	68*	86*	0*

Technology

Q: I like using new technologies more than the average Canadian.

Technology

	Overall	Older Comfortable	Savvy Workers	Trusting Core Clients	Mistrustful Skeptics
Disagree	27	68*	1*	8*	39*
Neither	22	25*	11*	24	30*
Agree	51	6*	87*	68*	29*

Q: Service Canada plans to use technology to deliver some services through the Internet and continue to deliver services in-person, by phone or mail for Canadians that do not want to use the Internet. Which of the following best describes how you expect to deal with Service Canada in the future?

Best describes how you expect to deal with Service Canada in the future

	Overall	Older Comfortable	Savvy Workers	Trusting Core Clients	Mistrustful Skeptics
Do not expect to use Internet	20	46*	6*	7*	27*
Possible will use the Internet	32	38*	27*	29*	37*
Definitely expect to use Internet	47	16*	67*	64*	34*

Broad privacy perceptions

Q: I feel I have less personal privacy in my daily life than I dscope five years ago.

Broad Privacy Perceptions

	Overall	Older Comfortable	Savvy Workers	Trusting Core Clients	Mistrustful Skeptics
Disagree	26	20*	0*	67*	21*
Neither	22	25*	13*	30*	23
Agree	51	53	87*	2*	55*

Recent contact with Service Canada/Government of Canada

	Overall	Older Comfortable	Savvy Workers	Trusting Core Clients	Mistrustful Skeptics
Recent contact - With Service Canada - Not with Service Canada	28 7	22* 5*	32* 7	35* 8	22* 7
Previous Contact - Within past 5 years	20	21	18	18	23*
No contact within past 5 years	41	47*	38	35*	43

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