8×8, an integrated cloud contact centre and unified communications platform provider, has launched an AI-powered self-service solution named Ballot It! The tool aims to empower UK citizens with accurate election information, enhance voter turnout in regional and national elections and reduce the workload for local authorities. Ballot It! offers 24/7 access to information, streamlines resources, provides customised information via voice and digital channels and boosts productivity by directing citizens to relevant online resources. The new solution underscores 8×8’s understanding of local government needs in the UK.
- 8×8 has launched an AI-powered self-service solution called Ballot It! to provide UK citizens with election information and boost voter turnout in regional and national elections.
- Ballot It! aims to empower citizens with accurate and up-to-date information about candidates and polling stations, relieving local government staff of election-related tasks and easing their workloads.
- The solution is designed to streamline resources, enhance productivity and support local government efforts to encourage voting, ultimately ensuring that every citizen has the resources needed to make informed choices and exercise their right to vote.
An AI Solution to Boost Electoral Engagement
In an effort to boost voter engagement and streamline election processes, a new AI-powered self-service solution, known as ‘Ballot It!’, has been introduced. The service aims to provide UK citizens with accessible and current election information, aiming to spur active participation in both regional and national elections.
Connecting Citizens with Elections
Ballot It! is more than just an information service. It’s a voice and digital chat tool that can be integrated into public sector organisations’ contact centres and websites. Its power lies in its core – the conversational AI capabilities of the 8×8 Intelligent Customer Assistant. The service is designed to provide real-time, region-specific information about candidates and polling stations. Besides informing the public, it also lightens the load for local government staff and volunteers by automating several election-related tasks.
Darren Davies, IT User Support Manager and Technology Adoption Manager at London Borough of Harrow Council, acknowledged the pressures elections place on councils, saying,
“From the moment an election campaign begins—regardless of it being a general election or local election—there’s a lot of extra pressures, requests, and demands placed on councils. So anything that helps with that while also helping the electorate is to be welcomed.”
Technology at the Service of Democracy
With recent elections in many parts of England witnessing lower turnout rates, technology is being seen as a potential ally, rather than a hindrance, to encourage voting. The upcoming UK general election and the Scottish and Welsh elections slated for the next couple of years have highlighted the need for such technology. Ballot It! is developed to support local government efforts to encourage voting by equipping every citizen with the resources they need to make informed choices and exercise their democratic right to vote.
Benefits of Ballot It!
The advantages of using Ballot It! are that it empowers citizens by providing 24/7 access to accurate election information and resources and serves as a single access point for publicly-available information. It also offers customised information to voters about specific local projects and candidate profiles via voice and digital channels. Furthermore, it enhances productivity by reducing the workload of contact centre staff and local governments through automated messages directing citizens to relevant online resources.
FAQ
Q: What is 8×8 Ballot It!?
A: 8×8 Ballot It! is an AI-powered self-service solution designed to empower UK citizens with the latest and most relevant election information to help boost voter turnout in regional and national elections.
Q: How does Ballot It! aim to help local authorities and councils?
A: Ballot It! aims to relieve local government staff and volunteers of election-related tasks, easing their workloads, while also ensuring the electorate has real-time access to up-to-date information around candidates and polling stations.
Q: What are the benefits of using Ballot It!?
A: The benefits of Ballot It! include empowering citizens with 24/7 access to election information, streamlining resources into a single access point, providing instant self-service with customised information, and enhancing productivity by reducing contact centre and staff workloads.
Q: Which organisations have already benefitted from 8×8’s solutions?
A: The 8×8 cloud contact centre and unified communications platform supports the constituent and employee experience requirements of well-known councils in the UK such as the City of Westminster Council, Liverpool City Council, Sefton Council and the London Borough of Hounslow.