After resisting the move for years, the City of Bartlesville will finally implement more technology-based information options for callers and website visitors.
The City Council voted 5-0 Monday to approve a contract for a pilot program deploying a technology-based voice attendant to answer routine calls to the City’s main telephone number (918.338.4000), as well as a chat assistant option on the City’s website.
Neither of the additions will replace contact with City staff, Assistant City Manager Laura Sanders said this week.
“This is something we have held off doing for a long time, even though most organizations our size have had these systems installed for years,” said Sanders. “The delay was primarily because it is important to us that anyone calling the City’s main number gets their questions answered accurately, professionally and in a timely manner, and the systems we had looked at in the past simply didn’t measure up to these expectations.
“This system will do everything we want it to, with the most important feature being that any caller who requests it will automatically be transferred to City staff. This just provides more options — it doesn’t replace staff or the ability of citizens to communicate with us. The technology is intended to complement, not replace, our long-standing commitment to providing personal customer service.”
City staff receives numerous calls throughout the various departments on a daily basis, most of which are not answered during evenings, weekends and holidays. The new system will change that. Unlike traditional office hours, this system will be available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, including evenings, weekends, and holidays, ensuring that residents can obtain information whenever they need it.
The voice attendant will answer routine inquiries, provide information about City services, assist callers in reaching the appropriate department, and significantly reduce unnecessary transfers and hold times.
The pilot program will give City leadership an opportunity to evaluate the effectiveness of the technology before considering broader implementation. Implementation of the system is expected to begin soon.