With the hurdles that come from introducing new technology and solutions into cities, many municipalities have the approach, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” That was true of one such city in West Virginia. With COVID and the rise of remote work, however, the city was faced with efficiency, security, and other technology concerns. This municipality had been a long-time client of Nortec and, together, we developed a strategy to bring Microsoft 365 and custom IT support to the team. By understanding the technical requirements of the job as well as the city’s vision for progress and innovation, Nortec was able to deliver a pathway to digital transformation that benefited the employees, the city, and the community.
Municipalities Face Unique Challenges With Technology
Just like a business, municipalities faced a number of hurdles with COVID in 2020 and the following years. Remote work became a necessity, and with employees of the West Virginia city now working from home, the limitations in the current setup (that relied on VPNs and physical servers) and the security holes became readily apparent. If the physical servers in the city were not accessible, files and resources couldn’t be reached and workflow would grind to a halt.
Another concern was the efficiency in operations. Large packets were being printed out monthly for meetings, documents couldn’t be easily shared, especially in a remote setting, and their existing HR and accounting software was not integrated into their setup. Multiple users couldn’t edit documents at the same time, and services employees used were not always readily available.
The city realized that they needed a new approach to IT.
Nortec Aided a West Virginia City With Managed IT Services
This city in West Virginia had been a long-standing client of ours, and we have aided them with tech support and help desk solutions since 2012. Through a series of conversations and an understanding of their unique needs as a municipality, we were able to determine the best course of action to get them on track for improved efficiency, security, and collaboration.
Some of the solutions we introduced with Microsoft 365 included:
Microsoft 365 Migration
Nortec helped transition the city to Microsoft 365, which provided must-have tools that increased collaboration, communication, and efficiency, while also aiding remote work practices and document management. No matter where the team members were, at home or the beach, they had secure access to the same files and resources as the employees in the office.
Ongoing Technical Support
We already had a history of helping them with their IT needs. With the introduction of new technology, though, we also offered continuous support and training. Our assistance aided with the implementation of security measures and ensured that employees understood the ins and outs of Microsoft 365 features. This knowledge and education can be the difference-maker when it comes to employees utilizing the software to its highest potential and getting true value.
Cloud-Based Software Adoption and Cloud Migration
Switching to the cloud brings a lot of benefits for cities, but it can be easy to get overwhelmed if you’re not quite sure where to start. We helped our client with the cloud migration planning and the actual move, making it straightforward and simple. We were able to migrate essential software to cloud-based versions that improved security as well as accessibility. In addition, our team was able to integrate their existing HR and accounting software with Microsoft 365 so they could get the best of both worlds.
Hardware Provision
In the past, city council members had to refer to a giant packet of documents during meetings that were printed out on a monthly basis. By assessing the council’s needs and the other needs of the municipality, we were able to give advice on the best hardware to increase efficiency and overall operations. We specifically provided tablets to aid in the transition to a more digital and paperless working environment. In addition, through Microsoft Teams, we were able to switch employees to a cloud-based phone system, bringing enhanced communications with the community.
Ongoing IT Support and Services From Nortec Brought Improved Efficiency and Other Benefits
The city representative we work with said, “Nortec knows our system, and we rely on them to keep everything running smoothly.” Our work was able to bring seamless solutions to the employees of the municipality, as well as other benefits, such as:
- Improved remote work capabilities
With the adoption of Microsoft 365, city employees found it easier to work remotely. Efficiency improved and there was no longer a need to log in remotely to office computers.
- Enhanced collaboration
SharePoint, Microsoft Teams, and OneDrive specifically helped to increase collaboration among departments, making it easier to communicate and share documents and other files, no matter where the employee happened to be working.
- Business continuity
Thanks to the move from physical services to the cloud, power outages no longer interrupted workflow. And in the event of a security issue or other problem, critical files are backed up.
- Increased flexibility
With more employees working from home, entire departments and the city council are able to approach their work with more flexibility, increasing productivity across the board as well as employee satisfaction and engagement.
- Fixed costs
Instead of guessing what the bill for the next month would be, the city is now able to have a fixed cost every month, allowing them to better budget for their IT needs.
With the help of Nortec and the introduction of Microsoft 365, this West Virginia city was able to leave the limitations of their previous infrastructure behind. The transition to a more modern, secure, and efficient cloud-based working environment brought about improved remote work capabilities, business continuity, and collaboration, among other benefits. With ongoing support and training, Nortec is also able to be there should employees or the city have any questions about how to best utilize their newest solutions and recommend tools that best fit the municipality’s unique needs.
