Sopra Steria, in collaboration with the DXC/Cegeka consortium, has been entrusted with the design, implementation, and hosting of the first chatbot for the Flemish Government. The chatbot is intended to assist users with digital authentication, streamline public services throughout Flanders and improve the digital experience of its citizens. It will therefore play a key role in the digital transformation of Flemish public services.
Digitaal Vlaanderen, a strategic partner in the realisation and supervision of digital transformation projects for Flemish and local authorities will work with Sopra Steria to implement a chatbot infrastructure, starting in 2023. This initial chatbot will support Flemish users in queries related to Digital Sign-on and will set the precedent for the further digitisation of Flanders public services and agencies.
Following the steps of FOD BOSA - DG Digital Transformation, the Flemish Government plans to continue the digitisation of its services through the introduction of additional by providing a framework contract to offer chatbot-as-a-service to other departments or entities. Sopra Steria Alive Intelligence (SSAI), a user-friendly and customised solution, developed by Sopra Steria, will not only enable the Digitaal Vlaanderen to smoothly implement this chatbot but also has all the elements to promote, implement and manage the further roll-out of conversational platforms to other entities within the Flemish Government.
Sopra Steria Alive Intelligence will support the effective implementation of bots per specific theme, but also satisfy the need to share this knowledge and experience across the entire landscape of different departments, services, or agencies by means of a masterbot with various underlying bots that can significantly improve the digital experience of the end user. This also guarantees a uniform implementation while re-using knowledge and intelligence across the different business domains of the Flemish Government.
With the introduction of chatbots, Digitaal Vlaanderen seeks to streamline the relationship between the existing contact point (Infoline 1700) and the citizen. As a result, the pressure on the Flemish Government Call Center will be reduced as several recurring problems could now be handled automatically.
“We are excited about this new contract and its implication in the public landscape. Together with the framework contract already in place at FOD BOSA, this new partnership with Digitaal Vlaanderen, enables us to provide chatbot technologies to almost all public services in Belgium (Federal and Flemish). At Sopra Steria, we are proud to support the digital transformation of the Flemish Government and begin fruitful cooperation in the future.” Nicolas Courtin, Sopra Steria Agency Director – EU & Public Sector.