Update: In case you missed it, above is the previously recorded first-ever, live edition of McAllen News Update. Enjoy!
Only second city in Texas to have a Google, Alexa app; P.E.G. channel upgrade provides greater communication ability with citizens
Texas Border Business
The City of McAllen unveiled its newly launched smart speaker app, the City of McAllen on Alexa and Google. Armed with just under 600 frequently asked questions, the City of McAllen smart speaker app is an additional customer service tool to help answer questions and provide information.
“What’s great about this app is that it is not restricted only to residents who live within the city limits of McAllen, but is available to anyone who downloads the app,” said McAllen City Manager Roel “Roy” Rodriguez, P.E. “So really, anyone in the world can get the information about the City of McAllen, any time of day. Simply download the app by asking Google or Alexa to ‘Enable City of McAllen’.”
The McAllen smart speaker app launched with Phase 1 and will be continuously adding new questions and answers, to be as up-to-date and responsive as inquiries posed. Phase 2 will include questions that are much more specific towards each residents’ needs, such as “What day is my trash pick-up?” or “Who is my McAllen City Commissioner?”
According to the City of McAllen, the tool is meant to be useful, informative and customer-service friendly.
“It is not designed to be a novelty; we want anyone who downloads the City of McAllen smart speaker app to utilize it just as they would any of the other customer service tools, such as McAllen 3-1-1, the website, or, our social media sites that provide information to questions from that we receive,” said Xochitl Mora, Director of Communications for the City of McAllen.
The launch of the smart speaker app was made during the first-ever live broadcast of McAllen News Update, the monthly news show produced by the McAllen Office of Communications, airing on the McAllen Cable Network Spectrum Channel 1300. Previously, the McAllen Cable Network could only broadcast live from the McAllen City Hall Commission Chamber on its P.E.G. (Public. Education. Government.) channel, which is available only to Spectrum cable subscribers. Channel programming is streamed live on the City of McAllen website at www.mcallen.net and programs and shows air on YouTube and promoted through the City of McAllen social media channels.
A recent studio redesign and renovation included an upgrade to four different studio layouts, including a news desk; fireside chat; news story interview; and a green screen, as well as the ability to go live on the channel from the studio, as well.
“The studio, the channel truly exists to help us stay in touch with our residents by keeping them informed of everything that the City of McAllen does for them,” said McAllen Mayor Jim Darling. “It is not just something so that we can be on TV, but rather, a useful communication tool to tell the story of the projects, programs, and services developed by the City of McAllen, as well as decisions, good or bad, made by me and my fellow McAllen City Commissioners. We hope that everyone will tune in to our programming to find out what’s going in their city.”
The studio redesign was completed by Nelco Media, Inc. of San Antonio, Texas and was funded by P.E.G. fees, a fee that is charged to Spectrum cable subscribers and provided to municipalities with the existing P.E.G. channel.
