Case History: Mid-Size Municipality

The city is a mid-size municipality serving a population of 10,000 residents. With around 50 employees across public works, utilities, administration and public safety, the city needed to modernize its IT systems while working within tight budget constraints.

Challenges

• Aging IT infrastructure: On-premise servers powering multiple departments required constant maintenance and were prone to downtime.
• Cybersecurity risks: The city relied on a patchwork of nine different IT tools. Citizen payment data, police reports and utility systems were vulnerable to ransomware and compliance issues.
• Inefficient communication: Departments worked in silos with separate phone systems and e-mall servers. Citizens were often transferred multiple times when contacting city hall.
• Budget constraints: Operating staff were overwhelmed managing vendors, contracts, and maintenance costs across multiple systems.

Projex IMC Solution

Projex IMC worked with the city to implement a stepwise solution to their most pressing issues:

1. AI IT and cybersecurity – Consolidated multiple IT/security tools to ProjexOne™, IT and AutoTask. AI-driven monitoring and ransomware-proof backups secure critical data.
2. Smart infrastructure (MS365) – Migrated files and department records to SharePoint and OneDrive. Microsoft Teams enables real-time communication between staff and council members. Copilot simplifies reporting, council meeting note taking and compliance submissions.
3. Cloud-Based Phone System – Unified communications across city hall, utilities and public works simplifies call transfers, when needed. Auto-attendant and call routing tools connect residents directly to the right department. Voicemail to e-mail feature improves citizen response times.
4. Smart Website and Citizen Portal – Connected the city’s website/chatbot to MS365 for efficient handling of inquiries and scheduling. CRM integration ensures all citizen requests are tracked and followed up.

Results Six Months After Implementation

• Consolidating vendors and removing servers saved over 30% per year in IT costs.
• No cybersecurity breaches have occurred since implementation.
• Automated reporting simplified compliance with state and federal mandates.
• Copilot and unified tools gave IT staff more than 20 hours per week.
• Call routing and AI chatbot cut average inquiry resolution time by 40%.