State of Alabama Adopts Circuit by Unify, Cuts Through the Red Tape in Communications

MUNICH and BOCA RATON, Fla., Aug. 19, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Unify, a leading communications software and services firm, announced today that The Alabama Department of Revenue, a state government organization of over 1,150 employees, has adopted Circuit, Unify's communications and collaboration software that brings teams together, with plans to roll out across 10 locations in the state.

Using Circuit to access instant video conferencing has allowed the Commissioner's office to engage employees anywhere in the organization on a whole host of different topics and in any location. Circuit's simple organization of content has made it an easy-to-use repository for best practices.

Managers, supervisors, task forces, and many others are now able to virtually meet face-to-face from their own offices through the video-conferencing capabilities. Non-verbal communication is imperative when working closely with team members. The department cited improved communications as a key benefit resulting from Circuit's web conferencing solution.  In addition to improving productivity and engagement for its current employees, public officials feel that Circuit's mobile application and options for flex work will help attract the Millennial-minded workforce.

Commissioner of The Department of Revenue Julie Magee wanted to refresh the organization's stale and stodgy communication system. Each team, department, and location had its own processes of communication, with email as the primary mode, but hectic schedules and copious amounts of email pushed teammates to abridge messages to the greatest extent possible, using terse, brief statements. This was a detriment to the Department's internal culture and stunted effective communication.

The Department of Revenue in The State of Alabama chose Circuit to streamline communication and collaboration within and between locations. It gave The Department one tool where teams could communicate with each other, where all information is kept for improved organization and accountability.

The department is looking forward to using Circuit to implement training programs for new and existing employees on various personnel topics as well as critical taxation policies. Circuit helps teams feel more connected with one another, reducing travel costs for employees and improving the productivity associated with sending trainers and executives between offices.

"When drafting a bill, we may go through 20 to 30 drafts before it's finalized," said Commissioner Magee for The State of Alabama. "By using Circuit for this process, it keeps everyone aligned and on task, housing all the information our teams need within the system, so it's accessible when people are on-the-go. Thanks to Circuit's Instant Messenger and Guest Feature, we've revamped our process to be far more agile which has been attractive to our younger team members."

After joining Circuit, The Department adopted an ad-hoc communication structure, increasing creativity when problem solving, drafting tax code, and training remote workers, all of which helped break through the internal red tape, a common byproduct of bureaucratic process.

Magee continued, "It's also a relief to no longer live in my inbox orchestrating conversations anymore. Circuit has been a great facilitator for virtual 'water-cooler conversations,' particularly when I send out relevant articles that help leaders better manage or educate other team members on tax policies."

As Commissioner Magee noted, adding new hardware to a large and distributed system such as a government entity can be daunting. As a WebRTC-based application available through a Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) model, Circuit is easy to install and maintain. The Alabama Department of Revenue experienced an effortless implementation since Circuit is an easy-to-download app on smart devices and tablets.

Governments around the world, particularly local governments, face rising operational costs. This is compounded by a growing demand for newer communication technologies that cut overhead, improve scalability, and modernize their systems to match the hyper-mobile and digital habits of their government employees and citizens. 

Diane Salvatora, senior vice president, Circuit at Unify added, "Gen Y and Millennials don't appreciate a 'watch-dog culture' in the workplace. Digital transformation in government has enabled employees to seamlessly connect in real-time, driving collaboration and bettering communication in their organizations. Unify looks forward to witnessing the evolution of Engaged Cities through the New Way to Work."

The State of Alabama is among several Engaged Cities like The City of Buenos Aires, The City of Scottsdale, Arizona, and The Municipality of Maastricht, which are undergoing digital transformations adopting solutions like Circuit to better connect with colleagues and citizens.

For more information about Circuit or to download your free trial, visit: www.circuit.com.

About Unify 
Unify is one of the world's leading communications software and services firms, providing integrated communications solutions for approximately 75 percent of the Fortune Global 500. Our solutions, including Circuit, unify multiple networks, devices and applications into one easy-to-use platform that allows teams to engage in rich and meaningful conversations. The result is a transformation of how the enterprise communicates and collaborates that amplifies collective effort, energizes the business, and enhances business performance. Unify has a strong heritage of product reliability, innovation, open standards and security.

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