The steady march of technology has had an impact on every aspect of business and personal communications and interactions. The utility sector is no different from the rest of the world in this respect. From smartphone apps to web-based software and beyond, there are numerous advanced utility solutions that can improve a provider’s ability to deliver a high-quality experience to its utility customers and be more responsive to interruptions in service or other problems.
The following is a list of utility products and tools that may make a difference to your workflows. It’s worth determining whether such a software deployment is the right fit for you:
Outage management
Having a fast and effective response is essential when confronting utility outages caused by an equipment failure or natural disaster. Core utility solutions that can help improve this response process are therefore a valuable category of technology. With real-time maps visible to both office and field staff, and analysis tools that may help predict and prevent further problems, these tools can help keep the public safe and satisfied with their utilities providers.
Interactive voice response
Customer service may consume excessive time and effort for utilities burdened with too many manual processes. An interactive voice response system can help providers respond to customer concerns and account requests with reduced input from staff, enhancing efficiency and cost-effectiveness.
Automatic vehicle tracking
When linemen and other professionals in the field have automatic tracking enabled for their vehicles, the entire team will find it easier to coordinate responses to outages and other problems. Directing drivers and ensuring personnel are safe become simpler with tracking technology.
Meter analysis
Electrical utility tools such as meter analysis dashboards take some of the guesswork and manual processes out of responding to power issues. These technologies give utility personnel access to the latest information from customers’ meters, allowing them to note patterns and detect problems.
Workforce management
Communicating with field crews via radio or other legacy technology is no longer the most efficient or effective way to keep everyone on the same page. Today’s purpose-built WFM technologies have problem-solving utility functions, such as the ability to easily check meter data, integrate vehicle tracking and share images from the field.
GIS solutions and services
Modern utility solutions can enhance organizations’ use of geographic information system data. These tools allow stakeholders to create maps that integrate precise locations with information on outages, crew locations and meter readings.
Mobile application suite
Mobile apps are everywhere, allowing consumers to perform everyday tasks with the push of a button. Utilities are finding value in these user-friendly tools, too. A comprehensive mobile app suite may include software for managers, linemen and even consumer-facing solutions that allow customers to connect directly with providers.
While many utilities have stuck with their legacy computing systems over the years, failing to update their technology because it’s not blatantly broken, these providers may be missing chances to improve their operations in numerous ways. If your company falls into this category, and you think one of the solutions mentioned above can help, email or call us at 888-328-2864 to learn more.