City of Kamloops Modernizes IT infrastructure, increases productivity and improves the employee experience with a trusted IT partner
Kuldeep Bath is the Manager of Information Technology for the City of Kamloops and a seasoned technology leader with over 35 years of industry experience.
When he joined the City in 2018, they were looking for a leader to spearhead an IT modernization—not only of the organization’s software and hardware systems, but also of the processes and skills that would support their IT team in enabling employees to provide critical services and quality care to the citizens of Kamloops.
Challenges
When Kuldeep joined the City, he knew there was work to be done. The organization’s Digital Strategy outlined a number of recommendations to improve their IT environment, including upgrades to many of their back-office systems, enterprise applications, and their client hardware and software management.
With the IT team trained and accustomed to using the current systems and software, the City was challenged not only to upgrade their IT ecosystem, but also to develop their internal skills and competencies. Manual processes for hardware and software deployment and management impacted productivity for the City’s IT team.
“We had dated technology, but we also lacked processes to effectively manage change. We needed a partner with the proper knowledge and skillset, but also one that could guide us with flexibility as the scope of work unfolded over time,” says Kuldeep.
Through a public RFP process, IX Solutions was selected as the partner of choice—not only for their experience working with municipalities and knowledge of critical technologies, but also for their ability to be agile and adaptable in response to the City’s needs. Chris King, Vice President and Partner at IX Solutions, has been instrumental in the engagement.
“When we started working together, the City of Kamloops was in a place where they could essentially greenfield their IT and start from scratch with best practices,” says Chris. “They were using legacy eDirectory and email systems. We decided to start fresh, take time to do things well, and get the IT team trained and set up for future success.”
Solutions
Beginning with a series of assessments and strategic consultations, IX Solutions quickly became a trusted partner to the City of Kamloops. Since, IX has led the design, migration and implementation of several facets of the City’s technology ecosystem—including the modernization of their servers and data centres, Active Directory, Microsoft 365, Microsoft Configuration Manager, Microsoft Intune, and their entire hardware fleet.
As part of the standard asset management, 800 workstations were rolled out to city-wide staff, fully equipped with Microsoft 365’s suite of productivity software, and the entire organization received training on their new devices from City technology leaders and IX.
IX has tremendous vendor relationships. If we’re ever in need of anything from partners like Microsoft or Lenovo, I feel like we could get it in a heartbeat thanks to IX.” — Kuldeep Bath, Manager of IT
“Transitioning from the legacy systems they were accustomed to using, staff needed training on basics like using Outlook to send an email and Teams for collaboration,” says Chris. “We were lucky enough to be working with a leader like Kuldeep who understood how essential training would be. It’s not just about configuring servers and workstations—it’s also critical to set staff up for success so the IT team isn’t suddenly overrun with support tickets and help desk calls.”
Results
With modern technology in place, the City of Kamloops has now replaced previously manual and paper-based processes with automation that saves countless hours of labour and drastically improves the employee experience.
“Prior to introducing automation, something as simple as getting a new employee set up with a work station was such a manual effort that at times, staff weren’t receiving their devices until after their start date,” says Chris. With Microsoft Intune, IX has created automation that integrates with the HRIS system to trigger workflows based on an employee’s role, ensuring their mobile and desktop devices are fully configured with the software and systems they need from day one.
With modernized infrastructure and standard support and troubleshooting processes built out, the IT team now spends less time on breakfix operations and support tickets—creating space for them to proactively find ways to help other departments better leverage technology, provide great service to end users, and act as strategic contributors to the business.
Their resiliency and flexibility in working through the unexpected is astounding. They’re committed to adapting and finding ways to meet our needs to ensure we’re successful.” — Kuldeep Bath, Manager of IT
“IX Solutions isn’t just another transactional vendor—they’re a true partner that we have a real give and take relationship with,” says Kuldeep. “They are always open to sharing ideas and growing together. Looking back, it’s really incredible to see the growth we’ve had together—and we’ll continue to grow together in the future.”
In search of a trusted IT partner?
Look no further. At IX Solutions, we connect people with technology tailored to meet their business needs. We help our clients effectively leverage modern technology and embrace digital transformation to achieve critical business outcomes. Interested in learning more?
