How Lenoir County Transformed Civic Services with a Google to Microsoft 365 Migration
About This Project
Lenoir County
Client
~55,000
Population Served
Kinston, NC
Location
Partner Technologies Used
Microsoft 365, Microsoft Teams, SharePoint Online, Microsoft Forms, Microsoft Power Automate, Microsoft Purview, Microsoft Copilot, Microsoft 365 F3, Microsoft 365 G3, Microsoft 365 G5
Project Highlight
Lenoir County migrated from Google Workspace to Microsoft 365 to improve collaboration, security, and service delivery across county departments. The implementation introduced Microsoft Teams, SharePoint, and Microsoft Purview while optimizing licensing and preparing the county to adopt automation and AI tools like Microsoft Copilot.
Overview
Lenoir County embarked on a strategic migration from Google Workspace to Microsoft 365. Partnering with eGroup, they were seeking to enhance value to citizens, county departments, and staff. Through careful planning, thoughtful change management, and a culture of agility, Lenoir County’s IT team has delivered improvements in service delivery, security, and efficiency. Their transformation is positioning the County’s for its future vision centered on AI and automation.
Supporting 17 County Departments With A Small IT Team
The Lenoir County IT department, led by Director Jameka Cox, is a small but agile team supporting 17 county departments. The team consists of cross-trained professionals. “Being a smaller team has its challenges, but also its reward. Our team can be cross trained in different platforms, and we’re able to support each other,” Cox explained.
This nimble structure enables the team to break down silos and respond rapidly to the diverse needs of Lenoir County, from managing network security and compliance to supporting GIS initiatives and emergency management.
Assistant Director David Wilkes added:
“I’ve been in teams where there’s like 30 or 40 people. What’s different here is the expectation to do a lot of things. With a smaller team, we have to empower our employees with the knowledge to use the technologies within M365 themselves. We feel like Copilot, SharePoint, and Forms will be highly utilized throughout the County once they are trained on proper use.”
With a smaller team, we have to empower our employees with the knowledge to use the technologies within M365 themselves. We feel like Copilot, SharePoint, and Forms will be highly utilized throughout the County once they are trained on proper use.
David Wilkes (Assistant Director, Lenoir County)
Why Lenoir County Moved From Google Workspace To Microsoft 365
The migration was motivated by limitations in the existing Google Workspace platform. Cox explained, “We wanted to be able to do more with our Google platform. We wanted more advanced features as far as encryption, sharing of documents, Purview, compliance alerts, and other things we weren’t getting from our Google platform.”
Wilkes echoed the sentiment:
“Our first intention was simply to move Google email to Microsoft. But once we migrated, we started seeing all these other things that we could use like Forms, Power Automate, and Purview.”
Selecting The Right Microsoft Partner
Cox and Wilkes diligently reviewed multiple partners. David recalled:
“As a government organization, we looked at a few different partners. It came down to us having a lot of questions about execution. It was the thoroughness that eGroup showed in several meetings to narrow down on exactly what we needed that made the difference.”
eGroup’s approach to Lenoir’s licensing needs was especially valuable. “Everybody was quoting us for one big set of licenses across the board,” recalled Wilkes.
Cox agreed, saying “Being able to have the different F3, G3 and G5 definitely helped with cost. eGroup’s licensing expertise It was a great asset to have.”
“When we talked with eGroup, they explained we didn’t need the same level of license for everybody, especially people on the road like police officers and firefighters. That was one of the things that was different between the Microsoft partners.”
Being able to have the different F3, G3 and G5 definitely helped with cost. eGroup’s licensing expertise It was a great asset to have.
Jameka Cox (Director, Lenoir County)
Managing the Google to Microsoft 365 Transition
The migration, while busy, was effectively managed through eGroup’s constant communication and comprehensive end-user adoption methodology.
Both leaders recommend careful upfront planning with a qualified partner.
“Doing the legwork up front is very important, so just allot yourself time to investigate, research, and don’t be afraid to ask questions. Don’t just settle for anything,” Cox advised.
The team noted the need for more administrative training so that the team could become as familiar with M365 as they were with Google.
Wilkes noted the unique challenges:
“At other places I’ve worked, we were moving from Microsoft to Microsoft, but here in Lenoir County, we were moving from a whole entirely different platform, and that was a little bit challenging.”
eGroup continues to nurture the team’s skills along that journey.
End-User Training and Change Management
Putting end-users first was priority one for the team. Cox explained, “eGroup’s end-user training was beneficial, and we invited our employees to go over the tools and apps and to ask questions. eGroup’s training documents and videos were extremely helpful to the users.”
To further the communication with the users, Lenoir leveraged eGroup’s change management templates.
“The templates were helpful. It helped a lot to not have to think about who to send this to, how to send it out, what to say, how to construct this,” Cox explained.
Wilkes shared, “We’ve had departments that were eager to have us come over and teach them how to use advanced tools. The health department was asking for information before we got it implemented!”
eGroup’s end-user training was beneficial, and we invited our employees to go over the tools and apps and to ask questions. eGroup’s training documents and videos were extremely helpful to the users.
Jameka Cox (Director, Lenoir County)
Improving Collaboration and Citizen Services
Stakeholder-facing improvements are evident across departments.
“Externally, with being able to set up forms that citizens can use on our website to submit information. Internally, easier use of sharing information– creating groups, the Microsoft Teams platform that allows departments to communicate better, departments using SharePoint and being able to share files and information easier than they were in the past,” Cox reported.
Wilkes highlighted the impact on secure collaboration:
“Now that they have SharePoint and people are able to share stuff more securely with other people, it will greatly reduce what is being sent via email.”
Cost and mobility optimizations also played a role. “We’re able to implement F3 licenses for our transit department, who aren’t in the office, don’t have a computer and really just use email…they wouldn’t need a full G3 or G5 license,” Cox said.
The value is not just financial.
“I do believe it’s about to explode once we get SharePoint and Copilot, with people trained around the county. We may even enable them to do things they weren’t able to do before,” Wilkes predicted.
I do believe it’s about to explode once we get SharePoint and Copilot, with people trained around the county. We may even enable them to do things they weren’t able to do before.
David Wilkes (Assistant Director, Lenoir County)
Preparing For AI, Automation, & Future Innovation
A culture of openness to change, supported by strategic communication, enabled smooth adoption. “Our county management is always forward thinking, wanting to be innovative,” Cox said.
The county’s vision includes leveraging AI and automation tools.
“Our departments have been asking for AI for more than a year. Now that we have a subscription to Copilot, we can introduce AI, and we’ve already got training scheduled with the health department,” Wilkes shared.
Cox is enthusiastic about future possibilities:
“I want to encourage other departments to use Copilot, especially in areas of redoing policies, and being able to use agents within workflows. Departments will be able to use it to help them in their daily job duties, not to replace anything, but as a tool to help them be more effective.”
Results & Ongoing Partnership
Lenoir County’s migration to Microsoft 365 with eGroup has empowered its IT team to deliver better services, improve security, optimize costs, and prepare for future advancements in AI and automation. Licensing optimization was a major driver, as was diligence from the team.
“Effective communication was major for us, it made us feel like they actually care,” Cox concluded.
Wilkes echoed:
“If you talk about all of the other vendors, none match the communications and follow through that we have with eGroup.”
The county’s experience demonstrates how partnership, stakeholder focus, and continuous improvement can provide major leaps in the value IT provides in local government!
Enabled Microsoft Teams and SharePoint for secure communication and file sharing across county departments.
Aligned Microsoft 365 F3, G3, and G5 licenses to support mobile workers while optimizing costs.
Introduced Forms, Power Automate, and Copilot to support automation and future AI-driven workflows.
“If you talk about all of the other vendors, none match the communications and follow through that we have with eGroup.”
Jameka Cox (Director, Lenoir County)
Modernize Government Collaboration with Microsoft 365
Improve collaboration, strengthen security, and prepare your organization for AI-driven productivity with a strategic Microsoft 365 migration.
