City of Durham Launches New Text Messaging Service
DURHAM, N.C. – Durham residents now have another convenient way to find information and report issues to the City of Durham using their smartphone’s text messaging service.
The City’s Durham One Call customer service center has launched a new program to tap into the popularity and convenience of smartphones. “Our Durham One Call team is always looking for ways to enhance customer service for our community, and the new texting service shows how we can do this by embracing technology that is used by so many of our residents,” said City Manager Wanda Page. “We now have multiple ways for our residents to seek assistance in a way that suits their lives – by texting, using our free app, submitting online, or by calling our customer service team.”
To use the new service, residents should text a keyword related to their question or concern to 919-813-6315, such as “bulky item” “water service” or “pothole.” The software uses these short keywords to send a response with links to helpful information on the City’s website as well as the next steps for submitting a service request. Residents are encouraged to save the new Durham One Call texting number, 919-813-6315, to their phones for repeated, easy access.
In its first two weeks of use, the text line has received almost 1,000 texts and follows several months of planning and testing led by Durham One Call and the City’s Technology Solutions Department. “We’re excited to launch the text line to add another convenient way for our residents to reach Durham One Call without having to make a phone call,” said Durham One Call Customer Service Administrator Stephen Williams. “We understand that residents often have a simple question and want a quick answer, and this technology makes that possible.”
Text responses are currently available for nearly 200 topics, and as more residents use the service, Durham One Call will continue to build on this knowledge base. Because the service relies on keywords, residents who have specific or lengthy requests that require more than a few words to describe should submit a request online or call Durham One Call at 919-560-1200. Residents are encouraged to give their feedback after using this new service through a short online survey or by texting “survey” to 919-813-6315.
Durham One Call’s new texting service is powered by TextMyGov, a software company using smart texting technology to make it easier for residents to engage with their local governments. In addition to reducing call volume for simple issues, the technology helps connect residents to readily-available information on their local government’s website. For more information including tips and FAQs, visit DurhamNC.gov/TextMyGov or contact Williams at (919) 560-4222, ext. 11321, or by email.
About Durham One Call
Durham One Call is the centralized contact center for non-emergency information and services offered by the City of Durham. Residents may seek assistance by texting a keyword to 919-813-6315; downloading the free Durham One Call app for Apple or Android; completing an online service request, or calling 919-560-1200 to speak to a representative in English or Spanish. A Durham One Call representative is also located in the City Hall lobby at 101 City Hall Plaza. The center is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and uses an answering service for calls received after hours.