In an era of vulnerable power grids, extreme weather and high customer expectations, it's important for utility providers to possess the best possible outage management systems (OMS). But when it's time to commit to an OMS upgrade for your organization, how can you make sure the process goes smoothly, giving you the improved performance you need?
There's one potentially overlooked factor that can make a huge difference between OMS providers — service. When you work with a partner that provides high-quality customer service and a professional support experience, from pre-implementation prep work to ongoing communication, the whole OMS upgrade process becomes easier.
To change your OMS approach and get started with a new, more powerful system, your organization will have to evolve. With a dedicated and helpful ally on your side, this evolution can be painless and natural, with a smooth switch-off between your legacy system and the digital OMS that will carry the utility forward.
There are two essential components to good service: assistance during implementation and ongoing contact afterward. Look for a provider that delivers top-notch experience in both phases.
Starting on the right foot: implementation support
From the beginning of your OMS implementation, you and your software provider want the same thing: a quick and painless installation. When your chosen partner can offer a team of experienced professionals, you can achieve this shared goal with ease.
Consider how DataVoice approaches an implementation: in the run-up to deployment, a project coordinator will assess the utility's requirements and technical specifications. This research helps the DataVoice team carry out a bespoke installation that suits the client's situation.
Organized implementations such as this may take only a few months. In practice, these processes are typically surprisingly short, with utility managers remarking that they've never had such a smooth transition to new technology.
In addition to the actual installation and integration of the software components, a good implementation process includes training. The DataVoice team provides services in a format that makes sense for each client, whether that means in-person or virtual sessions. Employee education is essential to ensure the new technology lives up to its potential from day one.
Keeping everything working smoothly: ongoing customer service
Of course, the process of making a new OMS work perfectly doesn't end on the cutover date. If there are ever any questions or concerns about the system's performance, the software provider should be ready to provide the answers. Think about how your utility helps its customers — shouldn't your OMS partner support you with the same dedication?
The DataVoice team is available 24/7 to provide assistance to OMS users. Rather than handing calls off to an anonymous contact center that may or may not know about clients' issues, DataVoice directs user questions and concerns to the same people utilities worked with during implementation, or sometimes even members of the DataVoice development team, who understand the situation and can provide insights.
With such knowledgeable problem-solvers on call, clients are often impressed at the level of service they receive from DataVoice. After all, it's reassuring to know one's service provider offers an ongoing commitment to keep the systems running. Users of DataVoice technology are never left to fend for themselves when it comes to getting the most out of the software and dealing with disruptions.
True high-quality support is for more than just emergency situations. The conversation between DataVoice and its customers is ongoing and involves feedback on new features and preferences. If there's something users want to see in a future update, they have the opportunity to share that information. The future of DataVoice software is a collaboration between its developers and its users, ensuring it meets real-world requirements.
A smooth transition into modern utility management software
The power of a modern OMS comes from the way it integrates with other systems. This prominently includes interactive voice response (IVR) tools, which are designed to create effortless and more effective communication between utilities and their customer bases. Since DataVoice provides both OMS and IVR technology, the same level of oversight, support and preparation goes into these implementations.
Getting these new technology tools up and running quickly and smoothly is a way to transform your organization's operations overall. A higher degree of automation and digitized processes allows your office and field crews to reach their potential, working more quickly and effectively in both emergency and everyday conditions. The DataVoice team's hands-on support helps you reach this new status quo without any bumps in the road.
For utility providers that are still relying on inefficient pen-and-paper legacy systems, modern OMS and IVR use is a brave new world. But despite the scale of this transformation, joining it doesn't have to be jarring. Simply work with a partner that is there for utilities at every step of the way and you'll be well-served in your transition.
Read DataVoice success stories to see how top-quality service makes technological transformation easy, or reach out directly to get started on your own implementation journey.