Initial situation & challenge
In many municipal administrations, both take place simultaneously: consulting on the phone and at the counter, and the actual processing of cases. In the long run, this is hardly feasible. Procedures are becoming more complex, the need for information is growing, and skilled personnel are hard to find. When experienced personnel retire, the gap can hardly be closed within the tight budget.
At the same time, expectations are rising. Citizen service should be digital and available outside of opening hours, in the evenings and on weekends. And it should remain barrier-free, for people with language barriers as well as for people with other disabilities.
Artificial intelligence is coming into focus as a means of relief. Yet, many municipalities hesitate. Three questions are in the air: Will AI become the next big IT project? Can it be reconciled with data protection? And will the service remain citizen-focused and barrier-free?
“AI has clear limits. But if it takes over the standard questions, we have more capacity for complex issues and personal contact.”
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The solution: AI chatbot and voicebot
The core of the solution is an AI chatbot named Merlin. It searches the approximately 3,000 content pages of the city's website and provides the appropriate information in seconds. Its answers come exclusively from these verified contents, making them comprehensible. The administration itself maintains and expands the knowledge base. Merlin is proficient in eleven languages, including easy-to-understand language, and is available whenever needed.
As a second pillar, an AI phone bot complements the chatbot. It records concerns, asks targeted questions, and clarifies standard inquiries. In the future, it should directly forward to the responsible processing department if necessary. In the long term, 50 to 70 percent of call volume is expected to run through the AI.
The technical effort remained low. The system was ready for use immediately, without a months-long IT project. The data is stored entirely in German data centers, which was a central requirement for the city.
Important for the city: no months-long IT project. The system was ready for use immediately, and the data is stored in German data centers.
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More efficient processes
Chatbot and phone bot handle standard inquiries. This frees up the team to spend more time on complex issues and personal contact.
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24/7 service
Information is available around the clock, multilingual, and without waiting time. They are easier to find and better prepared.
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High satisfaction
Satisfaction is high and is continuously surveyed in chat logs. The answers are based on comprehensible sources.
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