Gard Department Speeds Up Digital Transformation with Microsoft Copilot and Blue Soft
Since last November, 150 leaders from the Gard Departmental Council have been trying out Copilot, an AI assistant developed by Microsoft. This initiative, organized by the Directorate of Innovation and Information Systems (DISI) and supported by Blue Soft Empower—an expert in Microsoft solutions—aims to streamline daily tasks and boost efficiency for the council’s employees.
Established in 2008 by Thierry Boccara and Ludovic Hayat, Blue Soft is based in Charenton-le-Pont in Val-de-Marne, with additional offices in Aix-en-Provence, Lyon, Niort, Rouen, Strasbourg, and Toulouse. The company also has a presence in Belgium and Switzerland, serving over 500 communities and various public sector organizations in their digital transformation projects. These projects include modernizing business processes, offering collaborative solutions, enhancing security and identity services, and improving infrastructure.
In November 2024, Blue Soft was awarded the CANUT contract, which is a Digital and Telecom Purchasing Center initiative, enabling them to provide their specialized Microsoft solutions to communities and public institutions from 2024 to 2028. The ongoing deployment of Microsoft Copilot within the Gard Department fits into this broader context.
A Virtual Assistant Becoming a Daily Tool
With 150 active licenses, Copilot is now a vital part of the daily operations for departmental teams, especially among senior executives. The tool has achieved an impressive usage rate of 98%, illustrating how quickly and effectively it has been adopted by users.
Some of the most appreciated features of Copilot include:
Email sorting and summarization, which helps to manage information overload;
Automatic report generation that eases the tasks of note-taking and document creation;
Optimized communication through chat that synthesizes emails, Teams conversations, and OneDrive data;
Faster searching capabilities, especially for accessing crucial administrative documents.
Training workshops, conducted by Blue Soft in partnership with the Department’s IT team, have allowed users to gradually familiarize themselves with the tool. Designed for internal use, the system ensures data protection by allowing each user access only to their specific files and shared information.
Pierre Chambon, a Data Developer at the Gard Departmental Council, notes:
“The initial feedback is very positive, especially regarding reduced mental workload. With guidance from Blue Soft, Microsoft Copilot has quickly become essential for us as it integrates seamlessly with our daily tools.”
AI Serving Communities
The Directorate of Innovation and Information Systems (DISI) is pivotal in driving the digital transformation in the Gard region. They don’t just implement new technologies; they also foster a culture that values data and experimentation, gradually influencing various departments, including support functions like human resources. Through practical applications, such as HR chatbots and payroll data quality checks, a more methodical approach to AI is developing—this approach may not be flashy, but it’s designed to be sustainable.
Pierre Chambon further elaborates:
“AI is crucial to our mission: it should enhance the services we offer to our citizens. These initiatives allow us to embrace change and accelerate our transformation. Ultimately, our goal is to utilize the insights gained from these internal tests to weave this technology into the daily routines of our employees. By simplifying processes and cutting through administrative complexities, we can better allocate resources to implementing our public policies.”
