The City is thrilled to announce the launch of its new customer service platform: Ask FTL. The new service for our neighbors includes an accessible web chat assistant on the City’s website and a text message feature. It was launched in partnership with Citibot, the leading provider of interactive chat solutions for local government.
Ask FTL empowers our residents by offering them swift access to answers, information on city services and easy submission of service requests. The platform automates and scales customer service efforts between staff and residents by using state-of-the-art AI-driven chatbot technology.
Both desktop and mobile users will notice the feature on the bottom right section of their browser window. Clicking on the icon launches a chat window, greeting residents and prompting them to enter their questions or service requests.
To start a conversation via text message, residents can text “Hello” to 866-938-9385. Ask FTL immediately responds with a short greeting explaining the various ways residents can use the service and a link to sign up for text message notifications.
“This is a testament to our dedication to providing the best customer service to our neighbors while utilizing the latest in technology. This AI-powered chatbot can be accessed from anywhere, anytime. We want to make it as easy as possible for people to get the information they need and this is a major step in that direction,” said City Manager Greg Chavarria.
Citibot LLC was formed in 2016 with the mission of making cities and counties accessible for all. Co-founder and CEO Bratton Riley was inspired by the evolution of the conversational chatbot and its ability to help governments be more accessible and accountable to every resident. “People’s expectations of high-quality customer service are ever-increasing,” said Riley. “Cities like Fort Lauderdale are leading the way by delivering powerful solutions to maximize efficiency and enhance access to information and vital services.”
About Citibot:
Citibot is a leading provider of AI-powered chatbot solutions for citizens and their governments to use for efficient and effective communication and civic change. Using smart text messaging and web chat technology, Citibot helps residents get answers to questions, report issues, send messages directly to staff, and receive real-time alerts. For more information visit http://citibot.io.
