Case Study
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GO-Live Date
March 6, 2025
Trusted Web Experts
Charlie Stanley
Web Solutions Architect
Annie Watson
Project Manager
Caleigh Pickard
Project Manager
Imelda Sotiri
Design Strategy
Stacey Horton
Layout Design
Nikki Vanderkooi
Content Strategy & Integration
Katie Morman
Content Visualization
Heather Clark
Quality Assurance
Mehran Aziz
Web Developer
Zeeshan Aziz
Web Developer
Beth Leffel
Website Launch & Training
Deanna Frimann
Resource Allocation
Leanna Thesken
Marketing & Case Study
Goals
Overview
A Digital Refresh Built for Everyday Service
The Public Service Commission of Yazoo City (PSCYC) delivers essential electric, water, and sewer services with a commitment to exceeding the expectations of both homeowners and renters. Rooted in customer-first values and community connection, PSCYC partnered with Powerful to redesign its website—creating a more intuitive platform that reflects its service mission. The goal? Make it easier for visitors to complete tasks online, reduce the volume of phone calls and emails, and present current, relevant content in a clean, easy-to-navigate layout.
Simplifying Tasks with Online Forms
PSCYC identified a significant opportunity to streamline how residents start or stop services. Previously, forms were provided as downloadable PDFs, which—while functional—were not as accessible and introduced potential errors through manual entry, printing, scanning, and emailing or dropping off in person. This method required considerable effort both from residents and PSCYC’s staff, with occasional confusion or incomplete submissions resulting in additional follow-up.
Powerful addressed this opportunity by transforming PSCYC’s key application forms into interactive, fully digital experiences. Visitors now easily complete Residential Service forms directly online, guided through clear steps and prompts. The new system includes convenient file-upload features (for documents like leases or identification) and digital signatures, significantly reducing errors, enhancing accessibility, and enabling submissions anytime, from any device.
This enhancement creates a smoother experience for residents and a more manageable workflow for PSCYC’s team. With cleaner submissions and fewer follow-up calls, staff can spend less time tracking down paperwork and more time delivering the quality service PSCYC is known for.
Highlighting Community Engagement
Keeping residents informed is a top priority for PSCYC, especially when it comes to community involvement, workshops, and public service announcements. They wanted a better way to showcase current stories and ensure that updates were easy for visitors to find and explore.
The redesigned homepage now features a dedicated “In the Spotlight” section—a bold, visual area that highlights the most recent updates. This area gives PSCYC the flexibility to feature a wide range of stories, from recognition of local leaders to participation in local events like the Yazoo Junior Auxiliary’s Touch a Truck.
The visual storytelling format adds warmth and personality to the homepage while giving important updates the space and visibility they deserve.
Making Content Management Easy
To maintain this steady stream of fresh, informative content, PSCYC leverages Powerful’s News web app, simplifying publishing tasks for staff. Without needing advanced technical skills, team members can quickly add, edit, and manage news updates. Each story is archived in an organized, dedicated internal page for easy visitor exploration, ensuring consistent transparency and timely communication.
By simplifying content management, PSCYC can consistently present visitors with engaging, relevant information, keeping the website dynamic, accessible, and reflective of the organization’s community-driven approach.
Challenges
With more residents turning to the web to manage their utility services, PSCYC recognized the need for a website that could serve as a true extension of their customer support. Tasks that were once handled in person—like starting or stopping service, accessing forms, or browsing announcements—are now happening online. That shift made it essential for their site to be more than just informative; it needed to be fully functional, intuitive, and accessible to every visitor.For visitors with visual impairments, reading difficulties, or those who rely on keyboard navigation instead of a mouse, an outdated website can present unexpected barriers. PSCYC saw an opportunity to improve their digital presence by ensuring it met the needs of all residents. As public service providers, they understood that making their website accessible wasn’t just about compliance—it was about providing equal access to the essential services their community depends on.
Solutions
To meet this need, Powerful incorporated accessibility features directly into the new PSCYC website design. The site now supports keyboard-only navigation through easy-to-use landing tiles, and uses larger font sizes along with on-page zoom functionality to aid those with low vision. Every image includes alt-tags for screen reader compatibility, and form fields are clearly labeled to help visitors complete tasks confidently and without confusion.These enhancements were developed in alignment with WCAG 2.0 A and AA standards—the widely recognized guidelines for digital accessibility. Together, they ensure the site works smoothly for visitors using assistive technology or navigating the site in nontraditional ways. The result is a platform that supports all visitors with greater clarity, flexibility, and ease of access across devices.
Results
The redesigned PSCYC website now reflects a more inclusive and visitor-friendly experience—one that aligns with the organization’s mission to provide outstanding service to every member of the community. Whether applying for service, submitting a form, or reading a recent update, visitors can now complete essential tasks from the comfort of home, knowing the site is built to accommodate a variety of needs and preferences.While digital accessibility is an ongoing commitment, the foundation is firmly in place. PSCYC’s site is equipped to serve a broader range of visitors, reduce barriers to information, and reinforce the organization’s role as a responsive and inclusive provider. The thoughtful design choices reflect PSCYC’s dedication to meeting people where they are—online, on any device, and with equal access for all.
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Quotes
Team Comments
The team at the Public Service Commission of Yazoo City kept their utility customers top of mind during their website redesign project. With a goal of reducing phone calls by providing relevant content that is easy to navigate, their new website was designed to be the central hub for their customers. Their thoughtful and intentional decisions helped to bring their goals to life with a new website that was visually appealing.
Project Manager
One of Yazoo City’s main goals for their site was to be more connected to their customers, making sure that site visitors could complete more tasks and find up-to-date information. By using one of Powerful’s task-oriented blueprints, they were able to make the process smoother. Not only did they satisfy the needs of their community, but they provided a welcoming site experience with their unique imagery, cool color palette, and accessible layout.
Designer
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