Special to the Journal The City of Revere announced the launch of its new customer service tool, Piper. Piper is a text messaging service that lets residents quickly and easily connect with the city 24/7 without the need to download an app. It was launched in partnership with Citibot, the leading provider of interactive chat solutions for local government. Piper combines advanced generative AI and machine learning to handle a wide range of resident needs. With support for 75 languages, it is also a valuable tool in creating an inclusive and accessible community. To start a conversation via text message, residents can text “Hello” to 844 30 – PIPER (74737). Piper immediately responds with a short greeting explaining the ways residents can use the service. If at any time during the interaction a Revere resident needs assistance or help from City staff, they can send in a message with Piper and the appropriate staff member can follow up with them. The City of Revere is the first municipality in Massachusetts to adopt Citibot’s solution. Based in Charleston, SC, Citibot LLC was formed in 2016 with a mission of making cities and counties accessible for all. Bratton Riley, Citibot’s co-founder and CEO, 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 Revere are leading the way by delivering powerful solutions to maximize efficiency and enhance access to information and vital services.” For more information on how Revere is using Piper, visit (https://www.revere.org/). 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.
