Bristol City Council launches Briz: a new 24/7 digital assistant for residents

Bristol City Council has launched Briz, a new digital assistant designed to make it quicker and easier for residents to access council services.

Available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, Briz supports people contacting the council by phone and via the council website. proud to have supported Bristol City Council in delivering Briz as part of the council’s ongoing commitment to improving service delivery and access for residents.  

Making it easier to access council services

Briz has been introduced to help residents get quick answers to common questions at any time of day. Residents can ask Briz about a wide range of council services, including bins and recycling, council tax, housing, parking, planning, benefits, and contact information.

As Councillor Tony Dyer, Leader of Bristol City Council, explained at launch: 

“Briz is an exciting step forward in how we serve the people of Bristol. By embracing new technology, we’re making it easier and quicker for residents to get the help they need, anytime, day or night. It allows us to focus more time on complex queries while still providing instant answers to everyday questions.”

Providing this support around the clock is particularly helpful for residents who need information outside normal working hours and want a simple way to find answers when it suits them. 

How Briz supports residents

Briz supports residents across two main channels:

• Answering calls to Bristol City Council phone lines

• Appearing as a digital assistant on the council’s website

Residents can ask questions in plain language, without any technical know-how. Briz uses council-approved information to provide guidance on common enquiries and help people understand next steps, such as how to complete tasks online or where to find the right information.

If Briz can’t answer a question online, it clearly signposts how to get in touch with Citizen Services. On the phone, Briz is designed to ensure callers can still reach an advisor, just as they would have done previously. 

Supporting advisors and prioritising complex needs

A key principle behind Briz is that it does not replace human support. When Briz understands a question, it can either provide an answer directly or pass the enquiry to a relevant advisor. If Briz does not understand a question, residents are guided through alternative options so they can still speak to an advisor via the main switchboard. No one is left without support.

By handling routine enquiries, Briz helps free up advisor time so council teams can focus on queries that need a personal touch - including more complex cases and situations where residents may need additional support, such as disabled people or those for whom English is not a first language.

Built with escalation and safety in mind

Briz is designed with clear escalation routes, particularly for urgent and safety-critical situations.

For example, on the housing line, callers are given clear options to report emergency repairs that pose a risk to life, limb, fire or flood, which are transferred immediately to an advisor.

Other housing queries are then handled through Briz, with escalation to human support where needed. 

If Briz cannot find an answer after repeated attempts, residents are transferred to an advisor via the main switchboard, ensuring no one is left without support.

Continuous improvement and resident feedback

Briz will continue to learn and improve over time. Residents can rate Briz’s responses online and provide feedback, helping the council expand the range of questions Briz can answer and improve the overall experience. 

Councillor Tony Dyer, commented:

“We’re committed to listening to feedback and improving Briz together with our communities. This is about making council services more accessible, efficient, and responsive for everyone.” 

A practical step forward

Briz represents a practical step in how digital technology can be used to improve access to public services - providing faster answers to everyday questions, while ensuring people can always reach human support when it matters most.

ICS.AI is proud to have supported Bristol City Council in delivering Briz and helping bring this new service live for residents. 

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