Texas company's tech glitches hit Bexar County
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A Texas-based technology firm has built a multibillion-dollar business out of helping local governments break up with their archaic systems, but it's caused issues in San Antonio and elsewhere.
Why it matters: Tyler Technologies doesn't have major competitors, giving it a near-monopoly on the public sector nationwide, per Bloomberg.
Zoom in: Bexar County rolled out a new Odyssey system from Tyler in early June to manage its criminal case system. Problems arose immediately, multiple local news outlets reported.
- Some people couldn't get out of Bexar County Jail for days, despite paying bond, per KENS.
- The system incorrectly listed innocent people as guilty, NEWS 4 reported.
- Nearly two months after its rollout, in July, issues remained, per KSAT.
What they're saying: State District Court Judge Velia Meza told KSAT that victims and defendants weren't seeing their cases resolved.
- "Before I could hear 60 to 70 cases on a Monday, and now we're doing about half of that," Meza said in July.
The latest: Bexar County spokesperson Isaac Neri tells Axios the county has not received reports of more glitches.
The big picture: Tyler's products span construction permitting, police dispatching, jail booking, property appraising, campground reservations, restaurant inspecting, cannabis licensing and school bus tracking, per Bloomberg.
Between the lines: Governments are notorious for moving slowly. Municipalities might not be prepared for challenges that could arise.
Zoom out: North Carolina used Tyler software to manage its court system, and counties also encountered glitches that led to problems — including inaccurate speeding tickets and wrongful arrests, per Bloomberg.
The other side: Tyler tells Bloomberg that it has a 98% client retention rate and the vast majority of its implementations are fine.
- "When you start changing processes, all it takes is one or two users to not get it or to not want to do it differently," chief operating officer Jeff Puckett told Bloomberg.
What's next: Tyler will host its Tyler Connect conference for product training in San Antonio in May 2025.