The £1m, two-year contract will see the council deploy AI to free up staff for complex issues, supporting the council’s vision to improve residents’ lives and protect the vulnerable
Residents will benefit from 24/7 multilingual support, faster resolution of queries, reduced wait times, and an enhanced customer experience
London, UK; 13th March, 2025: Hillingdon Council has partnered with ICS.AI, the leading provider for public sector AI transformation, to implement a comprehensive AI-powered customer service platform that will transform how residents interact with council services.
ICS.AI’s SMART: Customer Service Copilot, the only AI-powered digital assistant accessible via both web and phone that is specifically trained for local government applications, will handle resident enquiries, provide self-service options, and free up council staff to focus on complex issues. The high level objective of the project is to transform and redesign services, making a difference to people’s lives, rather than focusing purely on cost savings.
The voice assistant, based on Microsoft technology, will integrate with the council's existing telephony solution, providing a voice-based conversational interface for residents, while the web assistant’s conversational interface will be embedded within the council's public website, providing knowledge-based articles and processes for self-service. The 24/7 support aligns with the modern lifestyles and requirements of residents. Alongside answering enquiries – including waste management, parking permits, and housing enquiries – at all times of the day or night, the voice assistant features SMS functionality that delivers additional information to residents via text message.
The assistant will introduce around-the-clock service in multiple languages, reducing wait times, and providing faster query resolution. It provides non-English native speakers the ability to liaise directly with the council, rather than relying on family members or translators for support. For the council, it will help to boost productivity across council departments, saving both time and money.
Cllr Martin Goddard, Hillingdon Council’s Cabinet Member for Finance and Transformation, said:
“Reshaping our customer and staff processes, with ICS.AI as an enabler, will help us continue to put our residents first and achieve our Digital Strategy vision to improve the way the council delivers services to residents by utilising technology”.
“By adopting customer-focused technology, we will enable our residents to access the services they need quickly and at their own convenience, whilst also delivering more efficient and effective processes for council staff.”
Martin Neale, CEO of ICS.AI, added: “We are proud to support Hillingdon Council on this journey to revolutionise resident services and become a nationwide example for re-thinking the way local councils do things. Our collaboration reflects a shared commitment to delivering accessible, efficient, and customer-focused solutions, providing residents with faster, more convenient access to council services, while empowering staff to focus on high-value tasks. This project, in partnership with Microsoft, is a testament to how technology can enhance community engagement and deliver measurable results.”
This is the first step in a wider AI Transformation Programme where Hillingdon Council is assessing council-wide AI use cases. Hillingdon and ICS.AI plan to expand their partnership to implement AI solutions across key service areas, including Adult Social Care, Children's Services, Customer Services, and Income Management.
Comments