Content Master (CMS):
Case Study: Preston City Council eGov CMS

Preston City Council has had a long standing relationship with Web Labs since the supply of the first content management system to the authority in 2003/04.

Since then the City Council and Web Labs have worked together to help improve and refine the content management system as well as lead on the early development of other systems such as the e-forms system.

Web Labs enjoy working with their clients to help develop and improve systems. Their pricing model is based on a corporate wide licence, rather than a per user licence and this helps to achieve real value for money in the implementation of sound and cutting edge software.

Over the last five years, through the support of Web Labs and their systems, the Council has been able to deliver and maintain a professional website.

Further, with the ever increasing pressure on finances and resources delivering services electronically online is very much the way forward. By having a good working relationship, Web Labs are able to pinpoint and then develop electronic services and facilities that improve customer satisfaction and save time and money.

For example, the Council now has an electronic bin/recycling collection day facility on-line. This electronic facility written and developed by Web Labs gives the user instant details of when their collection day is without the need to contact the Council by phone.

In addition, the Council has also purchased the search system from Web Labs. This powerful system enables webpages and documents to be searched easily with the results presented to users. The search system also has the ability to search other websites too such as Lancashire County Council, which all helps in promoting joined up government.

Web labs have a particular flare for writing software to integrate back office systems with the website. This is a particularly useful given the invariably stretched resources of the local authority’s own ICT departments.

Being a keen and responsive company Web Labs take client relations seriously and they have a friendly and constructive manner when dealing with you. It is refreshing to be dealt with in such a way and you can rest easy that you are not being charged for the services of an expensive account manager.

All in all Web Labs are a good company to work with and we value our ongoing relationship with them. Stephen Parkinson
Head of Communications, Preston City Council
December 2008

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