BELLSYSTEM24, Inc. (headquartered in Minato-ku, Tokyo; Hiroshi Kajiwara, President, Representative Director; hereinafter "BELLSYSTEM24") announces the launch of a new service (hereinafter "the Service") that introduces AI solutions to local government inquiry desks and provides support for contact center operations.
The Service combines Zoom Contact Center, a cloud-based contact center provided by ZVC JAPAN Co., Ltd. (headquartered in Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; Norihiro Shimogaki, Chairman and President; hereinafter "ZVC JAPAN")--a Japanese subsidiary of US-based Zoom Communications Inc.--with Zoom Virtual Agent, a 24-hour automated conversational AI chatbot, to provide end-to-end support for local governments in transitioning to AI-powered contact centers. BELLSYSTEM24 aims to implement the Service for 20 local governments by the end of March 2031.

■ Background to the Service

For many local governments, staff shortages caused by population decline are becoming increasingly severe, while inquiries from residents are becoming increasingly diverse and complex, making it a major challenge to handle them with a limited number of staff. In particular, during periods of surging inquiries--such as when benefit payments are being distributed, or during disasters--it is not uncommon for residents to be kept waiting because they cannot get through by phone, or for staff to be unable to attend to other duties. Handling inquiries after office hours and on holidays also remains a challenge.
Given these circumstances, it is said that automating and streamlining operations using AI is considered essential for maintaining and improving the quality of resident services. With the Japanese government promoting the transition to "Government Cloud^*1," there is also strong demand for the adoption of cloud services across all aspects of local government operations. In this context, utilizing services certified under the government's cloud security evaluation system, ISMAP^*2, is a key option that contributes to ensuring security.
BELLSYSTEM24 has developed the Service by combining its operational expertise--gained through over 40 years of operating contact centers, including those for government agencies and local governments--with the ISMAP-certified, AI-enabled cloud-based Zoom Contact Center and Zoom Virtual Agent.

■ About Zoom Contact Center and Zoom Virtual Agent

Both solutions adopted in the Service are cloud services provided by ZVC JAPAN.
Zoom Contact Center is a cloud-based contact center that enables centralized management of all inquiries from residents on a single screen, including those made via phone, chat, email, and social media. It enables continuous service improvement by accumulating and analyzing response history data. AI automatically transcribes and summarizes call content. This reduces the time staff spend taking notes during calls and facilitates smoother information sharing.
Zoom Virtual Agent is an AI chatbot that operates 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. It creates an environment where residents can resolve their own queries even after office hours or on holidays, enhancing convenience while also helping to reduce the number of inquiries directed to staff.
BELLSYSTEM24 was one of the first in the BPO industry to obtain Zoom's ZCX Sales Competency^*3 certification in connection with the sale of the Service.

■ Features of the Service

BELLSYSTEM24 provides end-to-end support from implementation to operation for both Zoom Contact Center and Zoom Virtual Agent, leveraging business design capabilities and frontline expertise cultivated through over 40 years of operational experience.
Specifically, BELLSYSTEM24 supports scenario design and the execution of measures aimed at improving resident satisfaction, while analyzing call data and chatbot interactions to build systems that drive operational improvements.
By designing the system so that AI automatically responds to residents' phone inquiries based on FAQs, the Service establishes a division of labor where AI handles basic inquiries and staff handle only complex consultations. This is expected to improve resident self-resolution rates and reduce unnecessary transfers to staff. Through these efforts, BELLSYSTEM24 will contribute to the continuous improvement of service quality, streamlining of municipal operations, and work-style reforms for staff.

■ Future Outlook

Going forward, BELLSYSTEM24 will drive sales of the Service across a wide range of areas, including general municipal information services, benefit payment offices, disaster response, tax and national health insurance guidance, and various consultation services, with the aim of supporting the introduction and operation of 20 systems by the end of March 2031. By combining its expertise in contact center operations with AI technology, BELLSYSTEM24 will drive the improvement of customer experience (CX) in resident services and drive digital transformation (DX) for local governments.