Municipal AI Assistant Voice Demo Vaughan City Services Support Knowledge Base Taxes Parking Permits

Introduction

We're back with another AI Voice demo, and it’s becoming quite apparent that the more human-like the AI becomes, the more people are interested in it. When folks see text AI or email AI, they think it's interesting, but once they hear a voice AI talking about their business, they're definitely intrigued. The human-quality of AI is driving significant excitement in this space.

In this demo, we've lightly trained one of the AI voice agents on the City of Vaughan's website information regarding property taxes and parking. Cities often receive a high volume of calls during the day with questions that could easily be answered if civilians simply visited the website. This AI voice agent, which is essentially available 24/7 and doesn't need to think because it just "knows," can significantly help answer these questions both externally to civilians and internally to city administrators who need access to a robust knowledge base.

I’ve set up an agent named Erica, and she’s trained on information from the City of Vaughan. I will go through a mock call to demonstrate the AI’s capabilities.

Demo Call with Erica:

1. Caller: Erica from the City of Vaughan, how can I help you today? Erica: (AI Response) Of course, I'm here to help. Please go ahead and ask me any questions you have, and I'll do my best to assist you.

2. Caller: I'm looking at paying my property taxes this year. Can you let me know some of the methods I can use to pay? Erica: (AI Response) Certainly! You can pay through online banking, by mail, or in person at the City of Vaughan’s finance department. Online payments can be made using your bank’s online banking platform, selecting City of Vaughan property taxes as the payee. For mail, send a check or money order payable to the City of Vaughan along with your property tax bill to the address provided on the bill. For in-person payments, visit the finance department at Vaughan City Hall—they accept cash, debit, or check.

3. Caller: What are the due dates for the property tax bills? Erica: (AI Response) For the 2024 interim billing, due dates are March 27th, April 26th, and May 29th. The final billing due dates will be in July, August, and September, but the exact dates are yet to be determined.

4. Caller: Where and when am I not allowed to park? Erica: (AI Response) There are several restrictions including parking within three meters of a fire hydrant, within a no-park or no-stop zone, within 9 meters of an intersection, or on any roadway less than 6 meters wide. There are more restrictions, so I recommend checking the full list for all the parking regulations.

5. Caller: What about for an accessible parking permit? Erica: (AI Response) Valid accessible parking permits allow you to park in accessible spaces but do not provide exemptions from other parking violations. The permit must be valid on the date of parking and displayed properly.

6. Caller: Can I get a parking permit, and how does that work? Erica: (AI Response) The City offers visitor, construction, and monthly parking permits. These permits can be purchased through the City's online parking permit system. Visitor parking permits are available for streets that are at least 8 meters wide. If your street isn’t eligible, you can select a permit for a nearby street. Construction parking permits also have the same criteria.

The demo illustrates how helpful an AI like Erica can be for handling common queries, allowing city administrators to efficiently delegate such tasks. The benefits of a well-trained AI include 24/7 availability and accuracy, which significantly enhances the experience for civilians and customers, addressing their needs promptly.

Trudeau plans to invest in AI, aiming to prevent Canada from falling behind in AI adoption, but there are notable challenges like fear, uncertainty, and trying to accomplish too much at once. To overcome these, it's crucial to start small and build from there, letting the momentum take the initiative forward efficiently.

Keywords

• AI Voice Demo
• City of Vaughan
• Property Taxes
• Parking Permits
• Municipal Services
• Knowledge Base
• AI Training
• Customer Support
• AI Capabilities
• AI Adoption

FAQ

1. What are the payment methods available for property taxes in the City of Vaughan? You can pay your property taxes through online banking, by mail, or in person at the City of Vaughan’s finance department. Online payments can be made via your bank’s online banking platform. Payments by mail should include a check or money order along with your property tax bill. In-person payments can be made at Vaughan City Hall using cash, debit, or check.

2. What are the due dates for property tax bills in 2024? The interim billing due dates are March 27th, April 26th, and May 29th. The final billing due dates will be in July, August, and September, with exact dates to be determined.

3. What are some of the parking restrictions in Vaughan? You cannot park within three meters of a fire hydrant, within a no-park or no-stop zone, within nine meters of an intersection, or on any roadway less than six meters wide, among other restrictions.

4. How do accessible parking permits work in Vaughan? Valid accessible parking permits allow parking in accessible spaces but do not provide exemptions from other parking violations. Permits must be valid and properly displayed.

5. How can residents obtain different types of parking permits in Vaughan? Residents can purchase visitor, construction, and monthly parking permits through the City’s online parking permit system. Visitor permits are available for wider streets, with alternative options for nearby streets if certain criteria aren’t met. Construction permits follow the same eligibility criteria.