Technology Services plans 311 operating-hour cut and leans on 'Sunny' chatbot; council members raise access concerns

Councilmembers heard detailed questions Sept. 25 about proposed changes to Denver’s 311 customer service operations after Technology Services said it will shorten 311 phone hours and expand digital tools.

Laura Dunwoody, 3-1-1 director, told the council that 311 will move its evening close from 7 p.m. to 5 p.m. beginning Oct. 6. She said the department has tracked call volumes and found that the two hours between 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. typically represent fewer than 2% of the day’s calls; shifting staff to busier hours will allow the center to handle more calls during peak periods, Dunwoody said.

Dunwoody described several performance metrics the city uses to judge the call center: she said the city has handled roughly 250,000…