3rd August 2021
Rachel Brier, Managing Director of our revenues and benefits division, outlines how cloud can make public services more resilient and stronger for future innovation
Technology continues to play an important role in helping public services tackle COVID-19. With one of those key technologies being the cloud. For most local authorities, cloud is not only faster, better and cheaper, but also improves resilience and creates a stronger foundation for innovation.
While growth in public service ICT spending has remained flat, a recent report from GlobalData confirmed that spending on cloud continues to rise at over 5% per year. The COVID-19 pandemic has only increased this appetite as changing citizen expectations, home working, and security issues have been front and centre. With cloud underpinning deeper business intelligence, improved service outcomes and being more secure and greener than ever before, now is the time for local authorities to reap the benefits.
Adapting to a changing landscape
As we have seen from the COVID-19 pandemic, the ability to adapt to sudden change is crucial in today’s world. Adopting cloud solutions will require a certain amount of flexibility and adaptability on the part of councils, so both employees and citizens can drive true value from the technology. For many, this is an opportunity for reworking processes and reframing approaches to work.
This should be looked upon as a unique chance for councils to create a culture shift, focused on driving continuous innovation and an ever-stronger dedication to customer service. The cloud has the potential to further enable a truly dynamic, flexible culture within local authorities, which can only lead to more success and improved customer satisfaction.
Enabling new technologies
Cloud solutions offer a springboard from which local authorities can test technologies such as automation and artificial intelligence, pushing innovation further to drive better experiences for their citizens. Chatbots, for example are delivering lasting benefits for companies by providing accurate 24/7 availability.
Elsewhere, data analytics tools are helping organisations gain valuable insights into their citizens, to make their businesses more customer-centric. Take Durham County Council for example: by moving to Civica’s Cx licensing cloud software, the council has been able to improve real-time service delivery while also tailoring communications with citizens based on their respective needs and interests.
Partner for your cloud journey
Many councils are looking for ways to reduce costs while continuing to drive innovation. Put simply, the cloud is a cost-efficient investment that enables local authorities to reinvest savings back into the organisation and building better connected and safer communities for all citizens.
The cloud’s reliability, scalability and efficiency means organisations can consistently meet their citizen needs without driving up costs. When replacing an on-premise solution, the benefits of the cloud for citizen outcomes are indisputable. But without the technical expertise in place, local authorities should look to a trusted partner to support them along their cloud journey, to navigate the complex cloud landscape and ensure that they really drive true value from the implementation.
Local authorities have demonstrated a high degree of resilience in their response to the coronavirus pandemic, for which we are all thankful.
Legacy systems, budgetary restraints or digital skill shortages can make a journey seem more complex. But as our world continues to change, taking smaller steps and working with trusted partners can make that journey less daunting. We all find it easier when we work together.
Now is the time to build on recent successes and together, make our public services stronger, more resilient, and even more adaptive for the future.