CASE STUDY
Local authorities deliver an increasing range of services to the public through multiple communication channels, making adaptable and reliable IT infrastructure essential. Public expectations continue to evolve, placing greater demand on councils to provide responsive, accessible services at all times.
The COVID-19 pandemic reinforced the importance of flexible and agile communication systems that can be adapted quickly in unforeseen circumstances. For this County Council, modernising voice and collaboration services became a critical priority to support employees and residents alike.
The COVID-19 pandemic reinforced the importance of flexible and agile communication systems that can be adapted quickly in unforeseen circumstances. For this County Council, modernising voice and collaboration services became a critical priority to support employees and residents alike.
Challenge
The Council was operating a legacy telephone system and PBX that had been in place for several decades and was long past end of life. Contact centre functionality had been added over time but was no longer fit for purpose, limiting capability and resilience.
With more than 4,000 employees working across over 30 sites and a large geographical area, alongside 120+ contact centre agents, the existing platform could not deliver a consistent user experience. A centralised solution was required to ensure all employees had access to the same services, regardless of location.
The Council wanted to reduce travel between sites for both cost and environmental reasons while extending secure remote working practices. With a preference for Cisco technologies, they engaged VCG to design a modern solution built for the future.
Solution
Building on an existing partnership and an earlier trial of Cisco Call Manager, VCG upgraded the Council to a fully featured Cisco Unified Communications Manager platform. This delivered enterprise-level voice and collaboration services, including full contact centre functionality, across the organisation.
Cisco Webex video conferencing equipment was installed in key locations, with Webex meeting accounts allocated to appropriate personnel. The contact centre was upgraded to a state-of-the-art environment capable of supporting home-based working. Red Box call recording and Tiger solutions were integrated to ensure regulatory compliance and provide a single, feature-rich communications platform.
Employees were equipped with new Cisco desk phones or Jabber softphone clients with headsets, alongside full mobile phone integration. VCG also delivered user adoption training to support the rollout of Webex meetings, covering scheduling, hosting, recording, and meeting controls.
VCG configured SIP trunk connections for the Communications Manager and provides ongoing monitoring and support to ensure reliable performance. This includes maintenance and second-line support for the Council’s internal IT team.
“Everything is secure by design now. Security is everybody’s responsibility”
Employees can work from home with secure remote access to telephony services using Cisco Expressway, allowing devices to register and operate securely outside the internal network.
The solution was completed just before the COVID-19 outbreak. When full flexible working was requested mid-week, the platform was fully operational by the following Monday, ensuring uninterrupted public services and continued support for vulnerable residents.
Employees can work from home with secure remote access to telephony services using Cisco Expressway, allowing devices to register and operate securely outside the internal network.
The solution was completed just before the COVID-19 outbreak. When full flexible working was requested mid-week, the platform was fully operational by the following Monday, ensuring uninterrupted public services and continued support for vulnerable residents.
Staff can log into the phone system at any Council location and instantly access their profile, directory, and telephony services. Single number reach ensures calls are routed to the most appropriate device based on availability.
Secure remote access and unified communications have reduced the need for travel between sites, lowering costs and supporting environmental objectives while maintaining service quality.
Staff can log into the phone system at any Council location and instantly access their profile, directory, and telephony services. Single number reach ensures calls are routed to the most appropriate device based on availability.
Secure remote access and unified communications have reduced the need for travel between sites, lowering costs and supporting environmental objectives while maintaining service quality.
By partnering with VCG, the County Council replaced an ageing telephony estate with a modern, secure, and scalable Cisco-based communications platform. The solution enabled flexible working, strengthened service continuity, and provided a future-ready foundation to support evolving public sector demands.
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