Futurists have been envisioning ‘talking computers’ for ages and they are not just science fiction but reality today. Artificial intelligence is already transforming our daily lives. It is no surprise that the government sector is adopting this rapid technological advancement rather quickly. Governments have already begun to adopt chatbots for customer service. Chatbots are computer programs that one can talk to by text or voice and they are helping government agencies improve their speed and quality of service and citizens’ in-turn are getting a better customer experience.

In many cases, chatbots improve customer service - they can speed up interactions, reduce wait times, by way of answering queries with complete accuracy, pulling knowledge instantly from a database, and freeing up valuable time of call center agents. Chatbots are available anytime, anywhere and are easy to use for today’s digital citizens and are soon becoming an essential IT service.

The novel Coronavirus, COVID-19 has undone the world as we know it. Our relationships and interactions with the outside world and with each other have changed completely in just the last few weeks. These changes are unsettling. Will national and international borders remain closed? When will be able to resume our everyday lives or even be able to do something as simple as step out to our favorite restaurants,  bars or cafés? Will human touch become taboo?  Will our lives ever be the “same” again?

The Coronavirus crisis is global, and many businesses and organizations have enabled their employees to work from home. It is no different for state and local government agencies. Consider Seattle, one of the epicenters of the pandemic in the United States.

It's during times like these that people need to band together and support our most vulnerable segments of the population. You, Sagitec's customers, provide some of the best financial support for those in need. We know you are working hard to ensure the services and benefits you offer are not disrupted. When you chose us as your partner, you became part of the Sagitec family and families support each other. We'd like to offer you a helping hand. What can we do to best support you?

As a global company, Sagitec is closely monitoring the Coronavirus (COVID-19), along with the rest of the World. We are following guidance provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the World Health Organization (WHO) and local health officials. Our top priorities are to protect the health and safety of our clients, employees, and their families, and to ensure the continuity of our business and services.

The goal of any software should be to provide the best value possible while maximizing profits. The software development process is critical in ensuring that the Return on Investment is optimized.

Steve Jobs said, “You've got to start with the customer experience and work backward toward the technology – not the other way around.”

The National Association of State Workforce Agencies' (NASWA) 83^rd Annual Conference just concluded in Boston and, as usual, it was a fantastic event for sharing best practices and fellowship among colleagues from other states. From sessions focused on recession preparation and workforce development to the awesome experience of a full drumline, this will be a conference to remember for years to come.  

Technology is changing the way consumers seek out and interact with, important health information, including locating nearby health providers, securing quality community resources, determining benefit eligibility, and accessing offline and live customer service representatives.

The Opioid Crisis

The number of deaths in the U.S. from prescription opioid overdose has more than quadrupled in the last 15 years and the number of deaths due to heroin and fentanyl use and overdoses has surpassed these numbers. The DEA released a National Heroin Threat Assessment Summary in 2015 after they had issued a nationwide alert that identified fentanyl as a public health and safety threat. In this summary, they observed a spike in overdose deaths in several states, with Ohio, Maryland, and Massachusetts in the top three spots.