Utah is taking round the clock e-government to new levels with a "24/7 Live Help" chat link offering personal assistance with any of the state's 109 e-services. The service started in July 2003 and is said to be the first of its kind in the US. While four other US states – Virginia, Arkansas, Maine, and Ohio – have similar live chat services, Utah is the first to offer the feature around the clock.
Residents log on to the website giving a "screen name" only, and type in a question.
One of two "customer service representatives" at the other end then gives advice on any of the services, which range from online car registration to hunting licences. There is no restriction on who uses the service, which works in a similar way to an instant messaging conversation.
Utah's chief information officer Val Overson told US publication stateline.org that the service is already becoming popular.
He said he had been chatting nightly with Utah residents and "national e-government watchers" who were curious about the new service.
Common questions included: "how do I change the address on my driver's licenses?" or "how do I register my car?". Currently, officials fielding enquiries have to pass many on to separate departments, but soon Utah plans to involve all of its state agencies in the service.
Quelle: Kablenet
