Government and Customer Service
There are certain things government can and should do better than the private sector. Think defense, a road system, police and fire, etc.
There are certain areas in which the government can and should learn from the private sector. One of those areas is customer service, especially when a customer wants to pay for and use your services.
Here in the Seattle area we have what is called an Orca card. It is a pre-paid card for all public transportation (buses, light rail, ferries). I went to put money on my card on a Sunday night as I was going to use it Monday morning. After taking my information the Orca website tells me the balance will be available in 24-48 hours.
Compare that to Starbucks. I can stand outside a Starbucks, go to their IPhone app, put money on my card and then walk in and spend that money a few seconds later. I guess they want me to spend it.
With today’s technology, there is no reason for non-instantaneous transactions, if you want to be customer friendly.
“It is easier to run a revolution than a government.” Ferdinand Marcos