AI-enhanced Citizen Experience

How purpose-built AI solutions is revolutionising public sector service delivery while maintaining the personal touch that residents expect from their local council

The challenge

Tewkesbury Borough Council is a small local authority based in Gloucestershire, with a big vision to support people and strengthen communities. Some legacy systems were creating barriers to effective service delivery, including the phone system which didn’t offer any meaningful operational data.  Residents struggled with complicated menu systems when trying to access council services and staff time was consumed by many routine enquiries that could have been automated.

The council wanted to move away from the complexities traditionally associated with local government operations and embrace a more agile, customer-centric approach. This would enable them to deliver modern, efficient services and to have more capacity to focus on vulnerable residents who need extra support.

Integrated tech stack

Tewkesbury Council was already transforming digital experiences for their residents using Citizen Hub, our low-code application development platform for councils, so it made sense for them to deploy the intelligent routing capabilities of Liberty Converse, our AI-enhanced contact centre solution, for seamless service delivery. Tewkesbury was the first organisation in the UK to deploy the latest version which features Natural Language Processing (NLP) for intelligent query interpretation and a Custom Natural Language Model (NLM) specifically trained for local government.

“Liberty Converse uses advanced natural language processes (AI) to understand and respond to our wide range of our customers’ queries. This means our residents receive quick, accurate help – regardless of what they’re contacting us about – online, over the phone or via webchat.”

Clare Evans

Transformation Director, Tewkesbury Borough Council

The solution

“Netcall’s support in rolling out new technology has been absolutely brilliant. Their approach to supporting their customers is, from our perspective, second-to-none. There are so many suppliers out there that get this bit wrong, and the impact is massive.

Clare Evans

Transformation Director, Tewkesbury Borough Council

The result

  • 67,000+ inbound calls successfully processed and 7,500+ outbound calls completed in the first three months using Liberty Converse
  • 2,500+ call-back requests efficiently managed in the initial three months, helping to manage the peak periods
  • 21,000+ emails processed through the integrated system in the first three months
  • 87 live-to-agent chats handled in the first month it was launched
  • 50% reduction in wait times: Due to enhanced call routing, reducing delays for residents
  • 16.5% decrease in abandoned calls: Improved efficiency and shorter queues means that fewer calls are abandoned, as residents are receiving the support they need.
  • 37.8% shift to online services: Clear call flows and automated options encourage residents to self-serve online, reducing the dependency on traditional channels.
  • Directing enquiries successfully: Growing success in understanding resident intent
  • Increased efficiency: Due to intelligent automation
  • Staff redeployment to higher-value activities
  • Improved data visibility: Enabling evidence-based decision making
  • Reduced operational burden: Operational efficiency enables service capability expansion.
Hear it for yourself
A blueprint for public sector AI

Tewkesbury has shown how AI can be strategically deployed to enhance public sector service delivery. By choosing purpose-built technology that understands the unique needs of local government, they have created a scalable model to deliver immediate value and lay foundations for further innovation.

Tewkesbury is working towards further AI-powered automation, such as introducing a 24/7 AI-powered chatbot to offer full automation for routine resident tasks and provide round-the-clock service availability. Tewkesbury continues to set the standard for intelligent, citizen-focused public service delivery, proving that all local authorities can harness the power of AI for community benefit.

Impact

98,000+ Interactions

in initial 3 months – calls, emails, outbound calls, chats and callbacks

37% Shift to Online

through automated options and streamlined call flows

AI-powered Routing & Triage

frees staff for high-value work and eliminates data blind spots

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Tewkesbury case study