The City of Hamilton in Ontario, Canada, sits on the western tip of Lake Ontario. More than 500,000 residents depend on the municipality for public health, social services, waste removal, and a variety of other services—with the City’s contact centre typically the initial point of contact.

Not surprisingly, the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic brought sweeping changes to the City’s service delivery. “People were scared, anxious, and, often times, just needed somebody else to talk to,” says Cindy Mercanti, Director of Customer Service, POA, and Financial Integration at City of Hamilton.

With the help of Verint for Citizen Engagement, this local government was able to adapt to a constantly changing environment, enhance agent engagement, and successfully manage a hybrid workforce—at a pace that typically would have taken years.

“Amid all the challenges of working through the pandemic, one thing never changed—we were there for each other, our residents, and the amazing community we serve,” she said.

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