Website getting new features this summer
The City of Puyallup is preparing to overhaul its official website, www. CityofPuyallup. org, in response to community feedback from a recent survey that identified significant issues with navigation and usability. This initiative will introduce a new chatbot feature aimed at enhancing the user experience by providing quick and accurate responses to common queries. City Clerk Dan Vessels, Jr.
highlighted the difficulties in anticipating user needs and noted the successful implementation of chatbots in other municipalities as a key inspiration for this upgrade. The current website's search functionality has been criticized for presenting irrelevant documents rather than helpful pages, leading city officials to take matters into their own hands to improve accessibility. City IT Director Amit Makharia emphasized that the chatbot will offer consistent answers, available 24/7, ensuring residents can access information anytime. This modernization effort aligns with the growing expectation for government websites to be user-friendly and mobile-responsive, crucial for engaging today’s digital-savvy audience. The updates are expected to not only improve user satisfaction but also enhance the city’s online visibility through better SEO practices.
With these changes, Puyallup aims to create a more effective communication tool for its residents.