This month, Qualtrics recognized New York State as their 2026 Breakthrough Artist Award for Government, a national acknowledgment of the State’s leadership in improving how people experience government services. Presented to Chief Customer Experience Officer Tonya Webster, the award honors organizations that demonstrate measurable impact, innovation, and a clear commitment to delivering better outcomes for the people they serve. For New York, that recognition reflects steady, deliberate progress toward a government that works better in practice for New Yorkers.
That progress is rooted in a clear direction set by Governor Kathy Hochul and carried forward through the work of the New York State Office of Customer Experience. Across agencies, customer experience has become part of how work gets done each day, shaping how services are designed, delivered, and improved. What once lived in individual projects is now embedded in operations, staffing, and performance, creating a stronger and more consistent experience for New Yorkers.
The results are tangible and continue to build across the state. At the Department of State, average call wait times dropped by 83% while call rejections decreased by 65%, helping more people get timely answers when they need them. The Workers’ Compensation Board reduced medical billing dispute timelines by 92%, bringing faster resolution and greater certainty to providers and workers. At the Department of Motor Vehicles, a new online eligibility tool for no-fee duplicate documents led to a 36% reduction in incoming emails and a 51% decrease in LiveChat interactions, freeing up staff to focus on more complex needs. These improvements are not isolated. They reflect a broader effort to strengthen how services function so that people can move through them with less friction and greater confidence.
Behind these outcomes is a sustained investment in the systems and tools that make improvement possible. Statewide analytics capacity has expanded by nearly 270%, giving agencies clearer, real-time visibility into how services are performing and where breakdowns occur. With that visibility, teams are able to act more quickly, prioritize what matters most, and continuously refine how services are delivered. Frontline insights and direct feedback are playing a larger role in shaping decisions, ensuring that improvements are grounded in the real experiences of New Yorkers.
This work is also strengthening collaboration across agencies. By aligning around shared goals and a common approach, teams are able to learn from one another, build on what is working, and scale improvements more effectively. The result is a more connected system where progress in one area can inform and accelerate progress in another.
The recognition signals that New York State’s approach is delivering meaningful results and setting a strong foundation for continued progress. It also highlights the collective effort of agency teams across the State who are driving this work forward every day, improving services in ways that are both measurable and deeply felt.
As New York State continues to build on this momentum, the focus remains on what matters most: making it easier for people to access the services they need and ensuring those services work as intended. Each improvement, whether reducing a wait time, simplifying a process, or providing clearer information, contributes to a more responsive and dependable experience.
Government can operate differently and that with the right focus, tools, and commitment, it can deliver results that are visible in everyday moments.