Mount Pleasant expects to reduce call center costs by an estimated 30% through deployment of “Sawyer,” an AI-powered virtual assistant that began handling resident inquiries this month.

The town contracted with Citibot, a Charleston-based government technology firm, to develop the automated system that provides 24-hour access to municipal services and information. Initial deployment costs totaled $78,000 annually, according to budget documents, compared to roughly $115,000 the town previously spent on after-hours call routing and weekend staffing.

Sawyer handles routine inquiries about permits, trash collection schedules, utility billing, and park reservations through the town’s website and mobile app. The system connects to Mount Pleasant’s existing databases to provide real-time information on service requests and account balances.

“We’re seeing about 65% of routine questions resolved without human intervention,” said Communications Director Brian Clark. “That frees up staff to handle complex issues that actually require expertise.”

The technology reflects broader adoption of automation tools by Charleston-area governments and businesses seeking to manage labor costs amid persistent staffing shortages. Small business groups have pushed for regulatory clarity as automated customer service systems become more prevalent across the region.

Citibot, founded in 2016, has deployed similar systems in more than 180 municipalities nationwide. The company relocated from San Francisco to Charleston in 2019, citing lower operating costs and proximity to East Coast clients. Revenue grew 40% last year to $3.2 million, according to CEO Bratton Riley.

“Municipal customers want solutions that integrate with legacy systems without requiring massive IT overhauls,” Riley said. “Mount Pleasant was attractive because they had clean data and clear metrics for success.”

The Mount Pleasant contract includes performance benchmarks tied to response accuracy and user satisfaction scores. Citibot must maintain 85% accuracy on routine inquiries and achieve average satisfaction ratings above 4.2 out of 5 to avoid penalties.

Early metrics show promise for cost savings. In the first three weeks, Sawyer handled 1,847 inquiries, with 1,201 resolved without staff intervention. Peak usage occurs between 6 p.m. and 10 p.m., when the town previously relied on contracted answering services costing $45 per hour.

The system struggles with complex zoning questions and multi-step permit processes that require document review. Those inquiries get escalated to human staff during business hours, creating a queue that Planning Director David Pagliarini says sometimes delays responses by up to two days.

“We’re still working through integration issues with our permitting software,” Pagliarini said. “The AI can tell you requirements for a fence permit, but it can’t review your site plan or tell you about setback variances.”

Mount Pleasant joins Charleston and North Charleston in deploying automated government services, though approaches differ significantly. Charleston uses chatbots primarily for parking and event information, while North Charleston focuses on utility billing and service requests.

The technology deployment comes as Mount Pleasant faces budget pressures from infrastructure needs and rising personnel costs. The town’s general fund grew 8.3% this fiscal year to $89.2 million, with 62% allocated to personnel expenses including health insurance and pension contributions.

Municipal employment has become increasingly expensive as governments compete with private employers for administrative staff. The town raised starting salaries for customer service representatives to $38,000 last year, up from $32,000 in 2021, while also expanding benefits to include tuition reimbursement.

“Technology isn’t replacing jobs, but it’s changing how we allocate human resources,” said Town Administrator Eric DeMoura. “We can move people from answering routine questions to projects that actually improve services.”

Resident response has been mixed based on early feedback surveys. Users appreciate 24-hour availability and quick responses to basic questions, but some express frustration when transferred to human staff for follow-up issues.

The system includes Spanish-language capabilities and accessibility features for vision-impaired users, requirements that added $12,000 to development costs but helped secure federal grant funding that covered 40% of first-year expenses.

Citibot plans to add voice recognition and phone-based access by March, potentially expanding Sawyer’s utility for elderly residents who prefer calling to web-based interactions. The upgrade requires additional server capacity and integration with the town’s phone system.

Mount Pleasant will evaluate expansion options after six months of data collection. Potential additions include integration with recreation program registration and automated updates about road closures or emergency services.

For Charleston’s broader technology sector, the municipal contract represents growing demand for government-focused solutions as local agencies seek efficiency improvements without major capital investments. Other business developments continue to drive technology adoption across the region’s public and private sectors.

The town expects to save approximately $37,000 in the first year through reduced call center costs and overtime expenses, with savings increasing as the system handles more complex inquiries over time.