If you struggle to remember when to put your bins out, you can now call on Alexa to tell you.
This is an additional feature, for those people who already use Alexa at home, and supports our online bin calendar look-up and downloadable calendar. It is part of the council’s ongoing commitment to delivering new and useful digital services.
This 'skill' as it is called by Amazon, allows you to ask your smart device when your council bins will next be collected. We will be adding other council-related information to the service over the next year.
What You Need to Access this Service
You will need:
· An Amazon account
· A smartphone/tablet or an Amazon Alexa device (see range on Amazon.com)
How to Set Up Alexa on Your phone or tablet (if you do not already have an Alexa device)
1. Go to the Apple app store or Google Play Store on your device.
2. Search for the Amazon Alexa app.
3. Tap install. Wait for the app to download and install.
4. Open the Alexa app and follow the onscreen instructions.
5. Log in using the username and password for your Amazon account.
Add the Argyll and Bute council ‘skill’ to your Alexa Device
You can add the skill through the Amazon website, or in the Alexa App
In the Alexa App
Click on the ‘browse skills’ button.
Search for ‘Argyll and Bute council’, the skill should be the first result.
Click enable and follow any on screen instructions
On the Amazon website
Visit the Amazon website and sign in with your Amazon Account.
And Search for ‘Argyll and Bute Council’
Click on the ‘enable’ button. This will add the skill to all your amazon devices that are associated with your amazon account.
Start the skill
1. Say to your Alexa device: “Alexa, start my council”. This will start the Argyll and Bute Council Skill.
2. Once the skill starts up, you can say “when is my next bin collection?” and Alexa will tell you when you next need to have your bins out!
Our bin lookup service is the first step in this pilot project and we want to build on this skill and make it as useful as possible.
We want to add useful resources and we would love to hear your ideas for services we could add to the Argyll and Bute Council skill. What council services would you like to be able to ask Alexa about next?
Please let us know your ideas and comments in our short survey.
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