Going Pro – Getting the Ultimate EMail Upgrade
City of Heavener’s Digital Transformation: A Weekend Email Migration Success Story
Let me tell you about a project that really showcases why we love working with local governments. The City of Heavener reached out to us because they were ready to upgrade their email system. Like many smaller municipalities, they’d been making do with personal Gmail accounts and a windstream.net address for their official business. It’s actually pretty common – these cities are focused on serving their residents, and IT infrastructure often takes a back seat to more pressing needs.
What We Walked Into
When they called us, I understood immediately. Small municipalities face unique challenges – tight budgets, limited IT resources, and the need to keep services running 24/7. They’d been doing their best with the tools available.
The challenges were clear:
- Official city business was handled through personal email accounts
- No standardized email addresses for official positions
- Vulnerability to email spoofing and phishing attempts
- Difficulty maintaining continuity when staff changed positions
The Solution: Migrating to Google Workspace with Enhanced Security
Making It Right
We’ve done hundreds of email migrations, but government work has its own quirks. You can’t just shut everything down on a Tuesday afternoon. So we did what we always do – knocked it out over a weekend.
Here’s what went down:
Friday night: Started pulling data from all the existing accounts. We found years of important city correspondence – utility billing questions, contractor communications, citizen inquiries – all valuable records that needed to be preserved and properly organized.
Saturday: Set up their new Google Workspace domain. Now the Mayor would have a proper [email protected] address. The city clerk, department heads – everyone got professional addresses that clearly identified their role and the city they serve.
Sunday: This is where it got interesting. We deployed ViridiShield, our anti-spoofing system. See, moving to professional email is great, but if you don’t lock it down properly, scammers will start sending fake tax bills before you can blink. ViridiShield sets up DKIM and DMARC records that basically put a digital signature on every legitimate city email.
Monday morning: Everyone logs into their shiny new accounts. No downtime. No lost emails. Just a clean, professional system that actually works.
The Real Impact
Look, I could give you the usual song and dance about “enhanced security protocols” and “improved operational efficiency.” But here’s what actually matters:
When citizens get an email from the city now, it looks legitimate because it IS legitimate. No more wondering if that utility bill notice is real or if someone’s trying to scam them.
City employees can actually find old emails when they need them. Everything’s organized, searchable, and backed up.
When the next election comes around and positions change? The email accounts stay with the job, not the person. Revolutionary concept, right?
And here’s my favorite part – with ViridiShield running, we’ve already blocked several attempts to spoof city email addresses. That’s real money saved and real headaches avoided.
Why This Stuff Matters
I’ve been in IT for over 20 years, and I’ve seen every kind of email disaster you can imagine. But government email compromises hit different. When someone successfully spoofs a city email and sends out fake water bills or tax notices, it’s not just about money; it breaks down trust between citizens and their government.
Small municipalities often think they can’t afford proper IT infrastructure. They’re wrong. What they can’t afford is NOT having it. One successful phishing attack, one data breach, one lawsuit over lost public records; any of these cost way more than doing it right the first time.
The Bottom Line
The City of Heavener transformed their email communications from a basic setup to a professional system that rivals much larger cities. Total time invested? One weekend. Total disruption to city services? Zero.
If your city or town is ready to upgrade to professional email infrastructure, give us a call. We’ll work with your timeline and budget to get you set up right. No corporate BS, no sticker shock – just solid, secure email that works.
Because your citizens deserve professional, secure communication from their local government.
The Results: A Secure, Efficient, and Reliable System
By entrusting their IT needs to GCS, the City of Heavener now enjoys:
Plenty of Available Storage after Migration
GCS Email Migration Results
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Why Choose Green Computer Systems?
Green Computer Systems has been fixing email disasters and preventing new ones across Eastern Oklahoma and Western Arkansas since before Gmail was even a thing. We specialize in making IT work for real people in real towns.
Don’t Let IT Issues Hold You Back
In today’s digital world, having a secure and efficient IT infrastructure is not a luxury—it’s a necessity. Whether you’re dealing with email security concerns, need IT consulting services in Oklahoma, or seek outsourced IT support, GCS is here to help.
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Contact Green Computer Systems today and discover why we’re the preferred choice over hiring an in-house IT person.
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