Outdated systems, creaking infrastructure, and siloed business operations can result in inefficient ways of working, higher cost-to-serve, and poor customer experience.
But, as Lea Carvell, Managed Services Director at Gentrack, explains, there are opportunities to drive better returns, excel in customer and total experience, and achieve a healthier bottom line through implementation of effective automation. A successful digital transformation can be the catalyst for this, and water providers stand to benefit.
The need to run a lean, efficient, and data-driven customer, supply and networks focused business will see 200 of the world’s leading utilities providers embark on a transformation journey over the next two years*, leaving behind the legacy systems they currently work with. This will not only ensure they can drive efficiencies but that they also future proof their operations and position themselves as leaders on the journey to a more sustainable tomorrow.
Gentrack has 35+ years’ experience partnering with some of the world’s leading suppliers of both water and energy on their transformation journeys. This means we have a deep working knowledge of the typical challenges utilities face and how these can be solved through automation implemented through a transformation.
In my own team, Managed Services, we work with a number of water companies to solve critical operational problems for them. In many cases our solution will include engineers designing an automated solution to tackle problem areas head-on and drive improvements. We understand that, for water suppliers, the right-first-time principle of right product, right tariff, right property, and right bill is crucial, and effective automation can make this ambition a reality.
Legacy systems cause many challenges, which are largely replicated across the water sector. For example, within billing operations, ensuring customers are fit-to-bill and fit-to-pay is critical to avoid revenue leakage, but this is likely to be complex and challenging without automated processes. It forces providers to wait for an event to happen, such as a Direct Debit failure, before any action is taken. In contrast, the automation of data means activity is preventative. When we look at Direct Debit failures as a specific example of this, automation of a water provider’s system in this area means a failure is immediately highlighted and will trigger contact to the customer to ask them to take remedial action to pay and prevent them falling into debt.
Automation should also be considered as part of a wider package of measures, for example, we work with some water companies who outsource certain elements of operations to us as a trusted partner before ultimately automating them. This enables their staff to focus on areas where they can really add value. It means their agents do not spend time identifying and remedying unprofitable customers or non-payers and it is vital at a time when consumers are demanding more from their providers.
By collaborating with water companies on a process of continuous improvement based on what objectives they have, we can help them drive down cost-to-serve and improve other metrics to deliver efficiencies, as well as enhance the experience for customers and colleagues. Continuous improvement and implementing effective automation provides room for the development of innovative new services, better digital engagement, and opening new revenue streams, which is essential for the commercial growth of water companies.
*based on leading analyst estimates
