Visperterminen modernises communication for better accessibility
The municipality of Visperterminen is located at the entrance of the Visp Valley in the Swiss canton of Valais. The mountain village, with around 1,300 inhabitants, is especially known for its white wine Heida, as it grows in one of the highest vineyards in Europe.
Europe is on the path of digitalisation. Authorities and official procedures are increasingly being transferred to the digital space. More than ever, a simple and straightforward way for citizens to communicate with municipal representatives is necessary. This means a modern, agile, and at the same time stable communication solution is needed.
The investment in Wildix has paid off because it is a very good technical solution, much easier to use than the one we had before, so very user-friendly. In addition, the system is very reliable, so I would recommend the solution to any municipality.
Niklaus Heinzmann
Gemeindepräsident Visperterminen (Mayor of Visperterminen)
The Problem: Balancing Accessibility and Data Protection
The municipality of Visperterminen covers about 50 km² and is home not only to one of the highest vineyards in Europe but also around 1,340 residents. In times of digitalisation — including official procedures — maintaining direct contact between residents and the municipal administration is crucial. Niklaus Heinzmann, Mayor of Visperterminen, sees it as part of his duty to optimise and speed up communication with citizens. “Moreover, transparency is very important; we need to communicate regularly with the citizens and keep them informed.”
However, the most important aspect is the reliability of the communication solution, emphasises Niklaus Heinzmann: “It is hard to imagine what would happen if the municipality were no longer reachable — in the worst case, even during a disaster or similar situation.”
The Solution: Telephony with Mobile Client
Together with Netkum AG, the municipality of Visperterminen evaluated various communication solutions. “There were alternative communication solutions, but Wildix convinced us the most,” the mayor recalls. Besides the stability of the solution, the flexibility and the mobile phone application were especially convincing. “If someone is not at their desk, the call automatically goes to the next person. And if someone is not logged into the computer, the call is forwarded without delay to another colleague,” describes Niklaus Heinzmann, an important use case. This may seem like a dispensable gimmick at first glance, but it is a big step towards citizen proximity, as the quick reachability of a direct contact person has been greatly improved. “Additionally, there is call forwarding to the mobile phone or the option to work only with the mobile phone.” Fixed devices are hardly used anymore; only one device remains in the meeting room. Communication works smoothly on all channels: “You can hardly tell anymore whether someone is in the office or at home.”
Thanks to Wildix, this increased accessibility is also data protection compliant: “We no longer have to share private phone numbers, for example on the homepage. There is only one landline number, and through it, we are reachable both in the office and on mobile.”
The Result: Reliable Citizen Proximity
Niklaus Heinzmann and the municipality of Visperterminen feel well supported by Netkum and Wildix: “The investment in Wildix has paid off because it is a very good technical solution, much easier to use than the one we had before, so very user-friendly. In addition, the system is very reliable, so I would recommend the solution to any municipality.”
Requirements
- Modern, easy-to-use solution
- Mobile client
- Reliability
Value Gained
- Reliable telephone system
- One-number principle for enhanced data protection
- Permanent accessibility
The solution has been provided by the Wildix Partner
- Netkum AG
- Weidenweg 227, 3902 Brig‑Glis, Switzerland
- ict@netkum.ch
- +41 27 722 77 77
- netkum.ch
