Findings suggest state and local government leaders view technology as key to addressing improvements in efficiency, rising constituent expectations, and pressing climate priorities

- Only 13% of respondents believe they have made substantial investments in modernizing operations but more than half (56%) will upgrade their technology solutions by 2025

- 66% see growing constituent expectations for service reliability

- 84% have sustainability goals and 67% state digital transformation is important to meet them

- 45% report a rise in natural disasters and severe weather has increased the need for technology investments

Samsara Inc. ("Samsara") (NYSE: IOT), the pioneer of the Connected Operations™ Cloud, in partnership with research and advisory institute The Center for Digital Government (CDG), published new research on why government agencies are accelerating digital transformation and the barriers that stand in the way of progress. With U.S. state and local government IT spending forecasted to reach $137 billion this year, the survey of 100 government leaders reveals investments that are top of mind.

The role of technology in state and local government has escalated as the need for operational efficiency grows. Faced with rising constituent expectations, the need to contribute to U.S. climate goals, and the heightened severity of weather events, technology solutions are essential for agencies to strengthen their operations.

Technology Investments See an Upswing

State and local government leaders are looking to technology to modernize their operations and meet growing demands. According to respondents, the top drivers for doing so include operational efficiency (72%) and cost savings (50%). The key barriers delaying progress are lack of funding (59%) and IT staff shortages and skills (56%).

Only 13% of respondents believe they have made substantial investments in modernizing operations but more than half (56%) will upgrade their technology solutions by 2025. Technologies like artificial intelligence and automation will be adopted by 49% of respondents by 2025. As the demands of the workforce evolve, respondents cite a need to invest in communication and collaboration tools (52%), mobile devices or apps to support remote work (48%), and expanded access to data and analytics (43%).

Leaders Sharpen Focus on Sustainability

As the U.S. seeks to curtail its carbon emissions, respondents see digital transformation as the ticket to increasing sustainability. A significant portion (84%) state their organization has sustainability goals, and 67% say digital transformation is important to meet them. Notably, 31% are planning to invest in fleet electrification this year, while 44% plan to reduce waste by digitizing paper-based processes.

Preparing Operations to Face a New Climate Reality

Last year, the U.S. experienced several extreme weather and climate disasters, resulting in at least $165 billion total in damages. This new reality is not lost on leaders as nearly half (45%) say a rise in natural disasters and severe weather has increased the need for technology investments. At the same time, respondents report they have rising expectations from constituents to decrease their environmental impact (39%), improve service reliability (66%), and real-time updates (55%).

"Several factors are pushing agencies to digitize their operations but some of the most powerful ones are the need for improved sustainability and efficiency," said Suyog Deshpande, Head of Product and Partner Marketing at Samsara. “Government leaders are seeing the positive impact technology has on maximizing taxpayer dollars, supporting the workforce, and reaching sustainability goals. While they face adoption challenges, the right technology partners and investments can make a significant difference in their progress.”

For more information about the research, please visit here.

About the Research

The Center for Digital Government (CDG) conducted a national survey in partnership with Samsara. CDG surveyed 100 state and local government leaders in November and December 2022. Respondents work in operations and IT, holding roles in management and the executive levels.

About Samsara

Samsara is the pioneer of the Connected Operations™ Cloud, which is a platform that enables organizations that depend on physical operations to harness Internet of Things (IoT) data to develop actionable insights and improve their operations. Samsara operates in North America and Europe and serves tens of thousands of customers across a wide range of industries including transportation, wholesale and retail trade, construction, field services, logistics, utilities and energy, government, healthcare and education, manufacturing, and food and beverage. The company's mission is to increase the safety, efficiency, and sustainability of the operations that power the global economy.

Samsara is a registered trademark of Samsara Inc. All other brand names, product names or trademarks belong to their respective holders.

About The Center for Digital Government

The Center for Digital Government, a division of e.Republic, is a national research and advisory institute on information technology policies and best practices in state and local government. Through its diverse and dynamic programs and services, the Center provides public and private sector leaders with decision support, knowledge, and opportunities to help them effectively incorporate new technologies in the 21st century. www.centerdigitalgov.com.

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