Customer Spotlight: How the City of Redlands is Promoting Shelter Pets with BillPay Kiosk™
When the City of Redlands implemented their DynaTouch BillPay Kiosk™ in September 2023, they saw an opportunity to use it for more than just utility payments. Thanks to the innovative thinking of the city’s Revenue Manager, Aimee Hoover, the city was able to leverage the kiosk’s screensaver function to promote the city’s ongoing ‘Pet of the Week’ program with great success.
A New Channel for an Ongoing Mission
The ‘Pet of the Week’ program has been an ongoing effort for the animal-loving Redlands: the city has been featuring adoptable pets on its social media channels every week for years, with the aim of finding homes for the animals in its no-kill shelter. When DynaTouch’s BillPay Kiosk was installed for the municipal utilities department—a through-the-wall kiosk accessible 24/7 to the public—the team recognized a new way to spread the word about community programs.
Carl Baker, the Public Information Officer for the City of Redlands, shared how the idea came to life: “When we set up the kiosk last fall, Aimee contacted me about the possibility of using it to display public information. We quickly realized this was a perfect platform to promote our Pet of the Week program.”
How It Works
A pet who has found a loving home through the Pet of the Week program!
Each week, the city’s animal shelter provides photos and information about three or four pets that are ready for adoption. Using a simple template, the team easily adapts the content to fit the kiosk’s screen resolution. The result? A dynamic and eye-catching display that rotates through the available pets whenever the kiosk is idle. The screensaver function is also used to display other important city announcements.
“It’s become a routine process for us,” Carl said. “We just update the flyer, post it on the kiosk, and make sure to keep the content fresh by removing old information. It’s quick, easy, and effective.”
Expanding Reach Beyond Social Media
While social media remains a powerful tool for the City of Redlands, the kiosk offers an additional channel to reach people who might not see the content online. The kiosk is strategically placed in a well-traveled area, ensuring that the announcements, and adorable animals, catch the eyes of both visitors and passersby.
“We don’t have specific data on how many adoptions are directly linked to the kiosk,” Carl shared. “But we do know that almost all of the pets we feature in the program get adopted, and the kiosk is just one more way to get these animals in front of people.”
Community Response and Engagement
The community has responded enthusiastically to the ‘Pet of the Week’ program. On social media, the posts generate plenty of comments and shares, and the live pet introductions at monthly council meetings have become a much-anticipated event. “Our council members even come down from the dais to play with the dogs,” Carl shared with a laugh. “They keep treats in their pockets for these moments.”
Advice for Other Cities and Utilities
For other cities or utilities considering how to maximize the use of their kiosk screensavers, Carl offers this advice: “Think about how you can leverage your social media content on the kiosk. There are still plenty of people who aren’t on social media, or who have left it. The kiosk is a great way to reach those audiences.”
Whether it’s promoting pet adoptions, city council meetings, or public safety messages, the kiosk serves as a valuable touchpoint for community engagement. And who knows? Someone passing by might just fall in love with a pet they didn’t even know they needed. Using the kiosk in this way provides governments with an additional easy-to-use method of reaching the public.
Innovation in Action
DynaTouch is excited to learn about this wonderful program and how the kiosk has supported efforts to find homes for shelter animals. The ‘Pet of the Week’ program stands out as a shining example of how technology can be used to serve the community in unexpected ways. “We’re always looking for ways to reduce the shelter population and make sure these animals find loving homes,” Carl said. “The kiosk has been a great addition to our efforts.”
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Follow the Redlands Animal Shelter on social media to stay updated on all the latest pets looking for homes. And if you’re in the area, be sure to check out the DynaTouch BillPay Kiosk outside City Hall to see the ‘Pet of the Week’ in person!
