Meeting citizens’ expectations after the pandemic

With a career spanning two decades in local government, I can testify that digital transformation has long been a buzz phrase in the public sector. However, the COVID-19 pandemic has finally pushed it to the very top of the agenda for councils up and down the country. Right now, digital is not an option, it is the option – and this monumental shift will have ramifications for decades to come.

London, UK – April 4, 2019 – Granicus, the leading provider of cloud-based communications software solutions and digital engagement services for the public sector, today announced that it has acquired Firmstep, the leading SaaS platform for automating government services.

The acquisition brings together Firmstep’s proven capability and experience transitioning hundreds of U.K. government services and transactions online with Granicus’ leading public sector communications solutions. Together, the platforms will seamlessly integrate online service delivery with robust communications – setting the groundwork for a more powerful, unified civic engagement solution for customers.

“Granicus and Firmstep provide a unique platform for governments looking to optimise their channel shift and citizen self-service initiatives,” said Mark Hynes, CEO at Granicus. “As partners, we’ve been working to build integrations that seamlessly connect online service delivery with strategic and targeted resident communications. By joining forces, we’re able to provide even more value to our customers with a unified approach to civic engagement that more naturally weaves in personalised, event-driven customer communications as part of the online service delivery and customer care process.”

With Firmstep, over one-third of UK governments have accelerated their channel shift and brought transactions, applications, and service requests online. Together with Granicus’ powerful communications platform and growing network of citizen subscribers, UK governments will be able to more effectively increase awareness and adoption of these digital service options, create more personalised experiences and develop a more comprehensive digital relationship with their residents.

“Firmstep was founded to transform modern government service delivery in the UK with easy-to-use online forms and self-service options,” said Brett Husbands, CEO of Firmstep. “By joining forces with Granicus, our customers will benefit from additional investment and resources that will lead to more innovative product enhancements and enhanced customer support. We will also be able to bring our expertise in online public service delivery we developed here in the UK to local governments in the US – expanding our ability to transform the way services are delivered around the world.”

Together, Granicus and Firmstep will serve over 4,200 government customers and over 2,700 local governments across the US and UK. The investment builds on the strong commitment of both companies to public sector innovation and deeper connections between governments and their communities. This combination delivers even more capabilities to the growing network of over 13 million govDelivery subscribers in the UK to be more directly connected with the community activities, services, events and notices provided by their government and managed by Firmstep.

BCMS served as the financial advisor to Firmstep, and Squire Patton Boggs served as the corporate legal advisor.

About Granicus

Granicus connects governments with the people they serve by providing the first and only civic engagement platform for the public sector. Over 4,200 federal, state and local government agencies and more than 185 million citizen subscribers power an unmatched network that turns government missions into quantifiable results. With comprehensive cloud-based solutions for communications, government website design, meeting and agenda management software, records management, and digital services, Granicus empowers stronger relationships with citizens. For more information on how to automate and streamline processes, reduce costs, and increase transparency, visit UK.granicus.com.

About Firmstep

The Firmstep platform is one of the most widely used Customer Service solutions within the Public Sector. Firmstep has been implemented at over a third of UK local authorities to drive channel shift, create dramatic savings and provide excellent customer service. For more information, visit Firmstep.com.