King’s chatbot fields over 1,000 inquires since May launch
King’s AI-powered virtual assistant, Kingsley, celebrates six months of providing 24/7 support on the Township’s website at king.ca.
By providing seamless first point-of-contact assistance (and no wait times) Kingsley has revolutionized how residents access information and interact with Township services. Located discreetly in the bottom right corner of every webpage, Kingsley is always available to provide instant answers and smooth transitions to human assistance when required.
Key highlights of Kingsley’s success:
- 1,000+ engaged conversations: Residents have turned to Kingsley over 1,000 times to find answers to diverse questions ranging from permits, traffic calming studies and rules for raising chickens to garbage collection schedules.
- 88% customer satisfaction rating: The positive feedback highlights Kingsley’s effectiveness in finding residents the information they’re looking for (including real-time weather updates!)
- AI-driven resolutions: Roughly two-thirds of conversations were resolved entirely by Kingsley’s AI. For the rest, Kingsley offered an easy option to escalate queries outside its capabilities to the ServiceKING team via email.
- Support outside business hours: Approximately 40% of Kingsley’s interactions occurred outside regular business hours, demonstrating the value in 24/7 accessibility and convenience.
New: Integration with York Region website data
To mark this six-month milestone, King Township has supercharged Kingsley’s capabilities by collaborating with York Region to integrate its website data into Kingsley’s knowledge bank. This means residents now also have access to regional information in a one-stop-shop on the Township’s website. Kingsley references its sources, letting users know whether the information comes from York Region or King Township, ensuring transparency and accuracy.
What residents are asking Kingsley
Here are a sample of some of the questions people have been asking Kingsley:
- "How high can a fence be built?"
- "Where can I find the Waste Collection Calendar?"
- "Do I need a permit to build a deck?"
- "Do you offer aquatics leadership courses?"
- "How do I register for programs?"
Revolutionizing Digital Service Delivery
King Township is one of the first municipalities in Ontario to adopt this technology to digitally empower our community. First piloted in May 2024, Kingsley has become a cornerstone of King Township’s Digital Transformation Framework, a strategy aimed at leveraging technology to enhance service delivery and the resident experience. Kingsley is powered by Microsoft Copilot Studio’s AI technology, which uses neural networks to generate intuitive and accurate responses to user queries.
When a human connection is preferred, ServiceKING associates remain available during regular hours of operation via phone at 905-833-5321 and email at serviceking@king.ca.
Resident-centered innovation
Kingsley’s success has been driven by resident feedback, including insights gathered during the pilot phase (during which it handled approximately 500 community interactions) and consultation with King Township’s Accessibility Advisory Committee. These efforts have ensured Kingsley is both user-friendly and inclusive, continually improving to meet the community’s evolving needs.
The Township continues to explore additional AI solutions (which frees up staff time to focus on more complex tasks and interactions), and remains committed to using technology to make life better in King.
To experience Kingsley firsthand, visit king.ca and click on the launcher icon to start a conversation, as if you’re chatting with a friend! For more information about King Township’s digital initiatives, visit king.ca/DigitalTransformation.
