Walsall residents can now communicate in 100 languages with upgraded council chat box system

This means residents using Live Chat can now communicate in a language they are comfortable with and receive information back in that language. Languages available include, but are not limited to, Urdu, Polish, Punjabi and Romanian.

 The Live Chat upgrade is in addition to other improvements made to the council’s chatbot, ‘WALIS’.   WALIS can now pull from a larger base of information and answer queries on a wider range of topics.

The chatbot can now answer questions on topics such as licensing, public consultations, school admissions, and council tax. In addition to this, if WALIS cannot answer a question, residents can now connect to a Live Chat Adviser. 

Advisers are available from 8:45am to 5:15pm, Monday to Thursday and 8:45am to 4:45pm on Fridays.

 Councillor Amandeep Garcha, Portfolio Holder for Resident Access and Housing Support, said: “We are always considering diversity and inclusion at Walsall Council, which is why expanding the service to offer hundreds of languages is so important.   “Walsall is home to residents of all different backgrounds so it’s fantastic to see ‘WALIS’ improving their accessibility in the comfort of their own homes.

“The improved functionality of WALIS and Live Chat will allow more of our residents' questions to be answered instantly. Naturally, these services are only available online, but our Walsall Connected sites across the borough are always there for residents who need digital support.”  

Walsall Council’s chatbot advisers have access to a large bespoke knowledge base known as Agent Assist. This allows them to look up information whilst talking with residents, ensuring the information given out is correct and up to date. To access WALIS, residents can click the ‘open messenger’ button on the council website at the bottom right. Initially, the chatbot will attempt to answer any question. However, if required, an option to connect with an adviser will be offered.