Virtual Assistant using Artificial Intelligence

About the Program

Category: Information Technology (Best in Category)

Year: 2022

A new channel for customer assistance has been developed and deployed by the County of San Diego’s using artificial intelligence. An external customer-facing virtual assistant (VA) was created to assist customers with questions regarding self-sufficiency services such as CalFresh, Medi-Cal, CalWORKs, and general questions. The VA allows customers to have access to information 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Customers no longer need to wait for business hours to visit a family resource center or call the Access Call Center to inquire about benefits. Now at the click of a button they can easily access information. The benefits of implementing a VA include increased call deflection, improved customer satisfaction, and reduced customer office visits. Additionally, an internal employee-facing VA has been implemented. The VA is being used by staff seeking assistance with processing applications and renewal packets. Rather than relying on a co-worker to be available to answer questions, staff are now able to use the VA to find answers to commonly asked questions. This reduces interruptions to staff and assists them in processing cases quickly and accurately. Outcomes expected include increased staff productivity and efficiency, as well as allowing staff to focus time on higher level work.