Approximately 20 years ago, Scott Skraban, now Deputy Director of PEDS, recognized the need to fundamentally change how Orange County managed development services. At the time, information was scattered across separate systems, paper records occupied warehouse space, and processes were often disconnected. Scott envisioned a centralized, digital environment where information could flow across departments, staff could work more efficiently, and customers could access services without navigating multiple systems.

Working alongside Scott, Aneta Duhigg, now Development Services Technology Coordinator, helped turn that vision into operational reality. Together, they advanced the digitization of historical records, the implementation of electronic document management, the consolidation of permitting systems, and the integration of technologies supporting multiple County departments. Their partnership helped establish the technological foundation that Orange County continues to build upon today.

Following Scott's promotion, Aneta assumed greater independent responsibility for leading and implementing development services technology initiatives, while continuing to build upon the shared vision that had guided their work for nearly two decades. Today, Aneta leads a four-person technology team supporting systems and operations across PEDS, including the County's centralized permitting environment used by multiple agencies involved in land development.

"We've always been very metric-driven," Aneta explains. "It is just something we do."

That philosophy has shaped Orange County's approach to technology: identify the problem, understand the data, implement the right solution, and measure the results. It would also become central to the County's successful introduction of AI.

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When the Phone Never Stops Ringing

When Aneta began working in Building Safety around 2015, she encountered a customer service challenge that was becoming increasingly difficult to manage. The phones rarely stopped ringing. Employees were simultaneously assisting customers at service counters, processing applications, and answering incoming calls. The demand for information continued growing alongside the County's development activity.

"Something has got to give," Aneta recalls.

Recognizing that the issue required more than simply asking employees to work harder, she began examining the operation from a technology and process improvement perspective. Her first step was to dedicate an employee to answering incoming calls. It quickly became apparent that one person could not manage the demand. She requested telecommunications data to better understand the magnitude of the problem. The numbers were revealing: Building Safety was receiving between 2,000 and 3,000 calls every week.

Armed with that information, Aneta established a dedicated phone bank staffed by five employees. She introduced a live performance dashboard, allowing her to monitor incoming calls, queue lengths, and customer wait times in real time. She also implemented detailed call tracking and analysis.

Calls lasting more than three minutes received particular attention because experience had shown that longer conversations frequently involved issues requiring additional assistance. By categorizing calls according to their subject matter, she could identify recurring customer questions, operational challenges, and opportunities to improve service.

The phone bank significantly improved call management and accountability. However, it also revealed a larger challenge. The underlying issue was not simply staffing. It was how customers accessed government information.

Residents and contractors frequently needed answers to routine questions but did not always know which division to contact. Customers calling after normal business hours had to wait until the following day. Meanwhile, experienced employees spent considerable time repeatedly answering questions that could potentially be addressed through technology.

The County had improved the way calls were managed, but the next opportunity was to change how information was delivered.

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The Turning Point: Leadership Meets Opportunity

The opportunity to take the next step came through Tanya Wilson, Director of Planning, Environmental, and Development Services. Recognizing the potential of artificial intelligence to improve government service delivery, Tanya identified Polimorphic as a possible solution for the department. She brought the opportunity to Aneta and asked her to work with the vendor to evaluate and implement the technology.

For Aneta, the potential application was immediately clear. "Oh my gosh, yes. The phone bank."

What made this opportunity particularly promising was that Orange County was not starting from scratch. Years of technology modernization had already established a centralized permitting environment. The phone bank had generated valuable operational data, including detailed information about the questions customers asked most frequently. And the department's leadership was willing to support a new approach.

Tanya's decision to pursue the technology and empower her team to implement it created the opportunity to turn years of preparation into measurable customer service improvements. For Aneta, it was an opportunity to connect an existing operational need with a technology that could finally address it at scale.

"We don't just purchase technology for technology's sake," she explains. "We knew exactly which questions our customers were asking most frequently. We had the data, we understood the problem, and we could see how AI might help us solve it."

The implementation was a natural progression of the department's longstanding philosophy: technology should serve a defined purpose, improve operations, and create meaningful benefits for customers and employees.

AI-Powered Customer Service, Available 24/7

Working with Polimorphic, Orange County implemented its AI-powered customer service solution in approximately three months. The deployment introduced AI voice assistance in March 2026, followed by chatbot and text messaging capabilities.

The solution provides residents, contractors, and businesses with access to permitting information through phone, chat, and text, even outside traditional government business hours. Key capabilities include:

• A centralized point of contact. Customers can ask permitting questions through AI-assisted channels without needing to understand the County's organizational structure.
• Human assistance when needed. Customers can request a specific employee or be transferred to the appropriate team when their questions require personal attention.
• County-controlled information. The AI relies on approved County resources, with processes for directing customers to staff when information is unavailable or additional assistance is needed.
• Multilingual conversations. Customers can communicate naturally in multiple languages, including switching between English and Spanish during the same conversation.
• Integration with existing technology. The platform builds upon Orange County's established permitting technology ecosystem, with additional system integrations being developed.

Rather than replacing the County's existing investments, AI extends their usefulness. The centralized systems and digital information developed over the preceding two decades provide a foundation for increasingly sophisticated customer interactions. What began as a vision for connected government systems has evolved into a platform capable of supporting intelligent, around-the-clock service delivery.

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Continuous Improvement: AI Is Not a Set-It-and-Forget-It Technology

For Aneta, launching the system was only the beginning. She continues to monitor its performance, analyze customer interactions, and identify opportunities for improvement. Approximately three times a week, she reviews calls receiving low satisfaction ratings to understand what went wrong and whether the AI needs additional information or clarification.

When gaps are identified, the County can refine the knowledge base and improve future responses. One of the most interesting changes has been the way customers interact with the technology. When AI voice assistance first launched, many callers used short, hesitant commands such as "permit," "inspection," or "operator." Over time, their behavior changed.

Customers began asking complete questions, explaining their circumstances, and speaking naturally, as though they were having a conversation with another person. That evolution demonstrated something important: as residents became more comfortable with the technology, they began using it in more meaningful ways.

The County is also expanding its ability to measure customer satisfaction and use feedback to guide further improvements.

Better Information, Greater Accountability

Another significant benefit has been the ability to document and analyze customer interactions.

In one instance, a resident expressed dissatisfaction with information allegedly provided by the County. Using the AI platform's searchable call history, Aneta was able to locate approximately 20 previous interactions associated with the customer's telephone number. The transcripts provided a clear record of the information communicated, allowing the appropriate supervisor to review the situation and respond based on documented facts.

"In the old system, it was not possible," she explains.

Beyond helping resolve individual concerns, searchable interaction records provide valuable insight into recurring questions, potential communication gaps, and opportunities to improve service. For a department committed to data-driven decision-making, this represents another important step forward.

Expanding AI Beyond Customer Service

With AI-powered customer service established, Orange County is exploring additional opportunities to improve permitting and development services. These initiatives build upon the same principles that guided the County's earlier digital transformation: connected systems, accessible information, operational efficiency, and thoughtful implementation.

Deeper integration with permitting systems

The County is working with its Information Systems and Services team to develop additional APIs that will allow AI to interact more directly with existing systems. Planned capabilities include inspection scheduling and cancellations, improved access to permitting records, and geographic information system integration to provide more property-specific answers.

AI-assisted permit applications

Orange County is evaluating AI copilots designed to guide customers through permit applications using plain-language questions. The initial focus is on Business Tax Receipt applications, with the potential to expand to other online permit types. The objective is to simplify the application process, reduce confusion, and help customers submit more complete and accurate information.

AI-assisted commercial plan pre-review

The County is also evaluating technology capable of performing preliminary checks of commercial plans before formal submission. The goal is to identify commonly missing elements, such as required signatures, labels, or other basic documentation, before applications enter the formal review process.

This would allow professional plans examiners to spend more of their time evaluating technical and code compliance rather than identifying preventable omissions.

Environmental protection applications

Additional AI opportunities are being explored to support environmental monitoring, information analysis, and the identification of potential issues that may require staff attention.

Across these initiatives, Orange County remains focused on practical applications that support existing employees and improve service to the community.

A Culture of Innovation, Built Over Time

Orange County's experience demonstrates that successful AI adoption is not simply a matter of selecting the right product. It requires a strong technological foundation, an understanding of operational challenges, leadership willing to pursue new opportunities, and employees empowered to turn ideas into working solutions.

Scott's early vision for a connected, digital permitting environment established the direction. Years of collaboration and implementation transformed that vision into the systems the County relies on today. Tanya's leadership and recognition of AI's potential created an opportunity to take the next step. And Aneta and her technology team helped translate that opportunity into a functioning customer service solution with measurable results.

Together, these efforts reflect a department that has made innovation an ongoing commitment rather than a one-time project.

"We always like to lead," Aneta says. "We like to be seen as the leaders in Central Florida."

For Orange County, that leadership is not defined by being first to adopt a technology. It is defined by making thoughtful investments, building upon past accomplishments, and continuously finding better ways to serve the public.

Twenty years of digital transformation made today's AI implementation possible. And today's implementation is helping establish the foundation for what comes next.

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