City of Lodi to get new phone system
The City of Lodi is getting a phone operating system that will make it more convenient for residents to drop them a line.
During Wednesday’s City Council Meeting, City Manager Steve Schwabauer said the city needed to update its phone operating system to meet the technical requirements for residents and city staff.
“The new voicemail system will have on-hold wait times and it will allow people that call to receive callbacks, instead of waiting on hold,” Schwabauer said.
In May 2018, the city hired Communication Strategies (Com-Strat), an independent technology consulting company to assess the various technological deficiencies that could be improved.
During Com-Strat’s technical review of the city’s tech services, it was recommended that the city upgrade its phone system from Avaya phone systems and ESNA — for the city’s voicemail system.
Following the report, city staff sought out a new phone system that would modernize their former operating system and streamline communications.
After reviewing three phone operating systems, city staff decided Vertical Communications Inc., based in Santa Clara, offered the best combination of services that the city needed.
Vertical Communications specializes in premisesbased business telephone systems that utilize services that run on the internet, instead of a computer, which makes access to voicemail boxes, and emails easier.
City staff will have the ability to receive voicemails sent via email and manage their call flows using a combination of desk phones, computer applications or cell phones, according to a city report.
“Staff is recommending a three-year term for $515,673.55 with two optional extensions rather than the full five-year term, with the total not to exceed $785,000,” Schwabauer said.
The contract is between the city and Vertical Communications and will be managed by the city’s Information Technology Division. The new phone operating system will be funded by both the city’s General Fund and Information Systems Fund.