Incorporated on March 8, 1845, Winslow Township was founded on many innovations, including the railroad.
Fast forward to the 21st century: The township introduced “Ask Winnie” – a new chatbot residential technology tool – on Jan. 21 through a Reel on its Facebook Page.
It has since garnered 1,300 views.
“This is another way to bring our services directly to residents 24/7,” explained Mayor Marie Lawrence. “Residents can now text to report a concern, find information about municipal services or get answers to frequently asked questions. Ask Winnie is accessible in 70-plus languages. The chatbot is also available to users on the township mobile app – My Winslow – and on the website.
“We’re committed to using smart solutions like this to help make it easier for residents to communicate with the township and to find answers quickly about residential services,” Lawrence added.
Winnie plays on the township’s name, officials said, and the icon of the train stems from “our rich history in the railroad that really helped spur our township growth when it came to the township in the mid-1800s.”
For several years, the township has been gradually incorporating additional communication tools to help residents remain connected to services and make it easier to access that information. The Ask Winnie chatbot was another piece of that overall goal.
Residents don’t always want to call or cannot wait until the next business day to find answers to vital questions, officials said, so the chatbot is another way for the township to get information out quickly and easily to residents.
Through Ask Winnie, residents can find the answers to most questions, and the chatbot will even enter a service ticket to staff for requests that need additional follow up, such as missed trash. Keep questions brief for the best response, such as “missed trash” or “dog license.”
Text “Hello” to (833) 434-0700 or open the My Winslow app to get started. For more information, visit www.winslowtownship.com.
