On Tuesday it was announced that the US Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) has implemented RightNow Mobile to enable its new Mobile Ask Karen application.
For several months now, the USDA has been bolstering its mobile efforts in hopes that smartphone usage will trickle down to increased food safety awareness.
In May, the USDA unveiled plans for an app that will serve as a mobile version of the existing “Ask Karen” site – a virtual food safety representative who offers advice about properly handling, storing, and preparing food to prevent illness.
Now, the USDA is expanding its interactive platform’s reach with a new partnership with RightNow CX, the customer experience suite.
Powered by Right-Now, the USDA’s new web-based Smartphone application instantly answers food safety questions on the go. According to the federal agency, the app provides citizens “with the same great experience via mobile devices as is received on web, chat, email and phone channels.”
Simply put, the new service is a mobile version of the existing Ask Karen site.
“Mobile devices are a ubiquitous aspect of modern life; people utilize Smartphones to find information quickly and easily,” says Kim Taylor, Director of Web Services at FSIS. “As such, we have expanded the agency’s communication tools to provide food safety information via a variety of mobile devices. Now, people can access Ask Karen from anywhere and at anytime for important information, including food safety, preparation and recall updates.”