An estimated 70 percent of utility executives are working to transform their respective companies and cooperatives into “digital leaders,” according to research from PricewaterhouseCoopers. In most cases, these efforts center on linemen – and for good reason. These on-the-ground experts drive mission-critical grid management and outage mitigation activities, after all. Equipping them with the cutting-edge technology – mobile applications, for instance – could lead to considerable operational gains and, of course, greater revenue.
However, linemen are not the only utility employees capable of driving growth with access to the latest digital innovations. Managers and back-office personnel can make an equally transformative impact when given the opportunity to leverage the latest tools such as enterprise mobile portals – next generation fixtures in use at at least 20 percent of utilities, according to research from Statista. How exactly can these utility professionals leverage mobile applications to bolster operations and catalyze development?
“An estimated 70 percent of utility executives are working to transform their respective companies and cooperatives into digital leaders.”
Improving field visibility
Lack of visibility into field activities is perhaps the biggest roadblock for utility managers. This operational barrier can lay the groundwork for resource wastage and general sluggishness. Managers can avoid incurring the wrath of executives, owners and other shareholders, and ultimately improve field performance with access to mobile applications. On-the-go portals designed supervisors make it easy to track service crews in the field and get quick snapshots of electrical delivery components large and small, Utility Dive reported. With this data in hand, utility managers can more efficiently and effectively deploy the resources available to them, boost customer service and prompt operational and fiscal growth.
Meeting customer service challenges
More than 60 percent of utilities are investing in new customer engagement strategies, according to research from EnergySavvy and Greeentech Media. Back-office personnel drive these activities, interfacing with customers daily to address issues of all kinds, from small account management matters to widespread outage situations. Dispatchers and other more operationally-centered headquarters workers contribute to these efforts as well, using their expertise to help linemen provide top-of-the-line service in all circumstances. Mobile applications only serve to support these critical employees. Mobile outage management tools allow them to collaborate more effectively with field crews, while customer-focused portals streamline account management processes and cut down on call volumes.
In short, both managers and back-office specialists can benefit greatly from mobile applications and, when equipped with these tools, have the potential to drive change within utilities.
Is your electric company interested in empowering these critical employees with the latest mobile technology? Connect with DataVoice international today. Our industry-leading mobile application suite can support managers, back-office workers and, of course, linemen as they perform critical duties. Contact us today to learn more.
